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27 He draws up drops of water,
    distilling it to rain and mist.[a]
28 When the clouds pour down;[b]
    they drop their rain on all of humanity.

29 “Furthermore, can anyone understand cloud patterns,
    or the thundering in his pavilion?
30 He scatters his lightning above it,
    and covers the bottom[c] of the sea.
31 He uses them to judge some people
    and give food to many.
32 His hands are covered with lightning
    that he commands to strike his designated target.
33 His thunder[d] declares his presence;
    and tells the animals what is coming.”

Elihu Concludes His Argument

37 “Now I’ll conclude with this:
    my heart is trembling violently;
        it feels like it’s about to leap from my body!
Listen carefully to his thundering voice;
    to the sound that rumbles from his mouth.
He releases his lightning throughout the sky,
    to the ends[e] of the earth.
His thunder roars after it;
    his majestic voice will thunder;
and no one can trace them[f]
    once his voice has been heard.

“God thunders with his wondrous voice;
    he does awesome works that we don’t comprehend.
For he says to the snow, ‘Fall to the earth.’
    He tells the rain, ‘Pour down,’
        then it rains profusely.

“He puts a limit to the skill[g] of every person;
    to delineate all people from what they do.

“Then a beast enters its lair
    and remains in its den.

“From the south,[h] a whirlwind proceeds,
    out of the icy north winds.
10 From the breath of God ice is produced,
    and a wide body of water is frozen.
11 He also loads the clouds with moisture,
    scattering his lightning with the clouds.
12 It whirls about in circles at his direction
    to accomplish all that he commands
        throughout the surface of the entire world,
13 whether for discipline on his land
    or to demonstrate his gracious love,
        he causes it to be realized.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 36:27 Or distilling rain into mist
  2. Job 36:28 Or drops
  3. Job 36:30 Or root
  4. Job 36:33 Lit. shout
  5. Job 37:3 Lit. wingtips
  6. Job 37:4 Lit. follow at the heel of their feet
  7. Job 37:7 Lit. a seal on the hand
  8. Job 37:9 Or From a storeroom

27 “He draws up the drops of water,(A)
    which distill as rain to the streams[a];(B)
28 the clouds pour down their moisture
    and abundant showers(C) fall on mankind.(D)
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
    how he thunders(E) from his pavilion?(F)
30 See how he scatters his lightning(G) about him,
    bathing the depths of the sea.(H)
31 This is the way he governs[b] the nations(I)
    and provides food(J) in abundance.(K)
32 He fills his hands with lightning
    and commands it to strike its mark.(L)
33 His thunder announces the coming storm;(M)
    even the cattle make known its approach.[c](N)

37 “At this my heart pounds(O)
    and leaps from its place.
Listen!(P) Listen to the roar of his voice,(Q)
    to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.(R)
He unleashes his lightning(S) beneath the whole heaven
    and sends it to the ends of the earth.(T)
After that comes the sound of his roar;
    he thunders(U) with his majestic voice.(V)
When his voice resounds,
    he holds nothing back.
God’s voice thunders(W) in marvelous ways;(X)
    he does great things beyond our understanding.(Y)
He says to the snow,(Z) ‘Fall on the earth,’
    and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’(AA)
So that everyone he has made may know his work,(AB)
    he stops all people from their labor.[d](AC)
The animals take cover;(AD)
    they remain in their dens.(AE)
The tempest comes out from its chamber,(AF)
    the cold from the driving winds.(AG)
10 The breath of God produces ice,
    and the broad waters become frozen.(AH)
11 He loads the clouds with moisture;(AI)
    he scatters his lightning(AJ) through them.(AK)
12 At his direction they swirl around
    over the face of the whole earth
    to do whatever he commands them.(AL)
13 He brings the clouds to punish people,(AM)
    or to water his earth and show his love.(AN)

Footnotes

  1. Job 36:27 Or distill from the mist as rain
  2. Job 36:31 Or nourishes
  3. Job 36:33 Or announces his coming— / the One zealous against evil
  4. Job 37:7 Or work, / he fills all people with fear by his power