Job 37
Expanded Bible
37 “At ·the sound of his thunder [L this], my heart ·pounds [trembles]
as if it will ·jump [leap; or drop] out of ·my chest [L its place].
2 Listen! Listen to the ·thunder [L shaking] of God’s voice
and to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3 He turns his lightning loose under the whole ·sky [heavens]
and sends it to the farthest parts of the earth.
4 After that you can hear the roar
when he thunders with a ·great sound [exalted voice].
He does not hold back the flashing
when his voice is heard.
5 God’s voice thunders in wonderful ways;
he does great things we cannot understand.
6 He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the shower, ‘Be a heavy rain.’
7 With it, he ·stops everyone from working [L puts a seal on the hand of all people]
so everyone knows it is ·the work of God [L his work].
8 The animals ·take cover from the rain [L enter their hiding place/lair]
and stay in their dens.
9 The storm comes from ·where it was stored [L its chamber];
the cold comes with the ·strong winds [or north wind].
10 The breath of God makes ice,
and the wide waters become frozen.
11 He ·fills [loads] the clouds with ·water [moisture]
and scatters his lightning through them.
12 At his ·command [L guidance] they swirl around
over the ·whole [L inhabited] earth,
doing whatever he commands.
13 ·He uses the clouds to punish people [L Whether for correction/the rod]
or ·to water his [L for the] earth and ·show his love [or loyalty].
14 “Job, ·listen [give ear] to this:
Stop and notice God’s ·miracles [wonders].
15 Do you know how God ·controls the clouds [appoints their tasks]
and makes his lightning ·flash [L shine in the clouds]?
16 Do you know how the clouds ·hang [or spread] in the sky?
Do you know the ·miracles [wonders] of God, ·who knows everything [L the one perfect in knowledge]?
17 You ·suffer [L swelter] in your clothes
when the land is silenced by the hot, south wind.
18 You cannot stretch out the sky ·like God [L with him]
and make it look as hard as ·polished bronze [L a cast mirror].
19 ·Tell [L Teach] us what we should say to him;
we cannot get our arguments ·ready [L in order] because ·we do not have enough understanding [L of the darkness].
20 Should God be told ·that I want to [or when I] speak?
Would a person ask to be swallowed up?
21 No one can look at the ·sun [L light]
when it is bright in the sky
after the wind ·has blown all the clouds away [L passes by and clears it].
22 ·God comes out of the north in golden light [L Gold comes from the north],
·in overwhelming greatness [L an awesome splendor is all around God].
23 ·The Almighty [L Shaddai] ·is too high for us to reach [L —we cannot find him].
He ·has great [is exalted in] strength;
he ·is always right and never punishes unfairly [L will not violate justice and abundant righteousness].
24 That is why people ·honor [fear] him;
·he does not respect those who say they are wise [or all the wise of heart fear him].”
Job 37
English Standard Version
Elihu Proclaims God's Majesty
37 “At this also my heart trembles
and leaps out of its place.
2 Keep listening to the thunder of his voice
and the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3 Under the whole heaven he lets it go,
and his (A)lightning to the (B)corners of the earth.
4 After it (C)his voice roars;
(D)he thunders with his majestic voice,
and he does not restrain the lightnings[a] when his voice is heard.
5 God thunders wondrously with his voice;
he does (E)great things that we cannot (F)comprehend.
6 For to (G)the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth,’
likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour.
7 He (H)seals up the hand of every man,
that all men whom he made may (I)know it.
8 Then the beasts go into their (J)lairs,
and remain in their (K)dens.
9 From (L)its chamber (M)comes the whirlwind,
and (N)cold from the scattering winds.
10 By the breath of God (O)ice is given,
and (P)the broad waters are frozen fast.
11 He loads the thick cloud with moisture;
the clouds scatter his lightning.
12 They (Q)turn around and around by his (R)guidance,
(S)to accomplish all that he commands them
on the face of (T)the habitable world.
13 Whether for (U)correction or for his (V)land
or for (W)love, he causes it to happen.
14 “Hear this, O Job;
stop and (X)consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Do you know how God lays his command upon them
and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?
16 Do you know the balancings[b] of the clouds,
the wondrous works of him who is (Y)perfect in knowledge,
17 you whose garments are hot
when the earth is still because of the south wind?
18 Can you, like him, (Z)spread out the skies,
hard as a cast metal (AA)mirror?
19 Teach us what we shall say to him;
we cannot draw up our case because of (AB)darkness.
20 Shall it be told him that I would speak?
Did a man ever wish that he would be swallowed up?
21 “And now no one looks on the light
when it is bright in the skies,
when the wind has passed and cleared them.
22 Out of the north comes golden splendor;
God is clothed with (AC)awesome majesty.
23 The Almighty—we (AD)cannot find him;
he is (AE)great in power;
(AF)justice and abundant righteousness he will not (AG)violate.
24 Therefore men (AH)fear him;
he does not regard any who are (AI)wise in their own conceit.”[c]
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
