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Elihu Speaks of God’s Voice

37 “At this also my heart trembles,
And leaps from its place.
[a]Listen closely to the (A)thunder of His voice,
And the rumbling that goes out from His mouth.
Under the whole heaven He lets it loose,
And His [b]lightning to the (B)ends of the earth.
After it, a voice roars;
He thunders with His majestic voice,
And He does not restrain [c]the lightnings when His voice is heard.
God (C)thunders with His voice marvelously,
Doing (D)great things which we do not know.
For to (E)the snow He says, ‘Fall on the earth,’
And to the (F)downpour of rain and the downpour of rains, ‘Be strong.’
He (G)seals the hand of every man,
That (H)all men may know His work.
Then the beast goes into its (I)lair
And dwells in its [d]den.
Out of the [e](J)south comes the storm,
And out of the [f]north the cold.
10 From the breath of God (K)ice is made,
And the expanse of the waters is frozen.
11 Also with moisture He (L)loads the thick cloud;
He (M)scatters (N)the cloud of His [g]lightning.
12 It changes direction, turning around by His guidance,
That [h]it may do whatever He (O)commands [i]it
On the (P)face of the inhabited earth.
13 Whether for [j](Q)correction, or for (R)His world,
Or for (S)lovingkindness, He causes it to [k]happen.

14 “Give ear to this, O Job,
Stand and carefully consider the wondrous deeds of God.
15 Do you know how God establishes them,
And makes the [l]lightning of His cloud to shine?
16 Do you know about the layers of the thick clouds,
The (T)wonders of one [m](U)perfect in knowledge,
17 You whose garments are hot,
When the land is quiet because of the south wind?
18 Can you, with Him, (V)spread out the skies,
Strong as a molten mirror?
19 Make us know what we shall say to Him;
We (W)cannot arrange our case because of darkness.
20 Shall it be recounted to Him that I would speak?
[n]If a man says a word, will He indeed be swallowed up?

21 “So now [o]men do not see the light which is bright in the skies;
But the wind has passed and cleared them.
22 Out of the north comes golden splendor;
Around God is fearsome majesty.
23 The Almighty—(X)we cannot find Him;
He is (Y)exalted in power
And (Z)He will not afflict (AA)justice and abundant righteousness.
24 Therefore men (AB)fear Him;
He does not (AC)regard any who are wise of heart.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 37:2 Or Persist in listening
  2. Job 37:3 Lit light
  3. Job 37:4 Lit them
  4. Job 37:8 Lit dens
  5. Job 37:9 Lit chamber
  6. Job 37:9 Lit scattering winds
  7. Job 37:11 Lit light
  8. Job 37:12 Lit they
  9. Job 37:12 Lit them
  10. Job 37:13 Lit the rod
  11. Job 37:13 Lit be found
  12. Job 37:15 Lit light
  13. Job 37:16 Or blameless
  14. Job 37:20 Or If a man speaks, surely he shall be swallowed up
  15. Job 37:21 Lit they

Elihu Extols God’s Majesty

37 “About this also my heart trembles,
and it leaps from its place.
Listen carefully to his voice’s thunder
and the rumbling that goes out from his mouth.
He lets it loose under all the heavens,
and his lightning to the earth’s corners.
After it, his voice roars;
it thunders with his majestic voice,[a]
and he does not restrain it when his voice is heard.
“God thunders with his voice in marvelous ways;
he does great things, and we cannot comprehend.
For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth’;
and the shower of rain, his heavy shower of rain[b]
he stops all human beings from working[c]
so that everyone whom he has made may know it.[d]
Then[e] the animal goes into its den,
and it remains in its den.
The storm wind comes from its chamber
and cold from the north wind.
10 By God’s breath, ice is given,
and the broad waters are frozen.
11 Also, he loads down thick clouds with moisture;
his lightning scatters the clouds.
12 And they[f] turn around by his guidance
to accomplish all that he has commanded them
on the face of the habitable world.[g]
13 Whether as correction[h] or for his land,
or as loyal love, he lets it happen.
14 “Hear this, Job;
stand still and consider carefully God’s wondrous works.
15 Do you know how God commands them[i]
and how he causes his cloud’s lightning to shine?
16 Do you know about the hovering of the clouds,
the marvelous works of the one with perfect knowledge?[j]
17 You whose garments are hot,
when the earth is being still because of the south wind,
18 with him can you spread out the skies,
hard as a molten mirror?
19 “Teach us what we should say to him;
we cannot draw up our case because of the presence of darkness.
20 Should he be told that I want to speak?
Or did a man say that he would be communicated with?
21 So then, they do not look at the light when it is bright in the skies,
when[k] the wind has passed and has cleansed them.
22 From the north comes gold—
awesome majesty is around God.
23 As for Shaddai, we cannot attain him;
he is exalted in power,
and he does not oppress justice and abundant righteousness.
24 Therefore people revered him;
he does not regard any[l] who think that they are wise.”[m]

Footnotes

  1. Job 37:4 Literally “with the voice of his majesty”
  2. Job 37:6 Literally “the shower of rain and the show of rains of his strength”
  3. Job 37:7 Literally “on the hand of all man he seals”
  4. Job 37:7 Literally “to know all men of his work”
  5. Job 37:8 Hebrew “And”
  6. Job 37:12 Collective “clouds” in the first line takes the singular “it” here with the plural meaning
  7. Job 37:12 Literally “world of earth”
  8. Job 37:13 Literally “a rod”
  9. Job 37:15 Literally “at the putting of God upon them”
  10. Job 37:16 Literally “the marvelous works of perfect knowledge”
  11. Job 37:21 Hebrew “and”
  12. Job 37:24 Or “all”
  13. Job 37:24 Literally “the wise of heart”

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

14 “Listen(AA) to this, Job;
    stop and consider God’s wonders.(AB)
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
    and makes his lightning(AC) flash?(AD)
16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,(AE)
    those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?(AF)
17 You who swelter in your clothes
    when the land lies hushed under the south wind,(AG)
18 can you join him in spreading out the skies,(AH)
    hard as a mirror of cast bronze?(AI)

19 “Tell us what we should say to him;(AJ)
    we cannot draw up our case(AK) because of our darkness.(AL)
20 Should he be told that I want to speak?
    Would anyone ask to be swallowed up?
21 Now no one can look at the sun,(AM)
    bright as it is in the skies
    after the wind has swept them clean.
22 Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;(AN)
    God comes in awesome majesty.(AO)
23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;(AP)
    in his justice(AQ) and great righteousness, he does not oppress.(AR)
24 Therefore, people revere him,(AS)
    for does he not have regard for all the wise(AT) in heart?[b]

Footnotes

  1. Job 37:7 Or work, / he fills all people with fear by his power
  2. Job 37:24 Or for he does not have regard for any who think they are wise.