Elihu Proclaims God's Majesty

37 “At this also my heart trembles
    and leaps out of its place.
Keep listening to the thunder of his voice
    and the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
Under the whole heaven he lets it go,
    and his (A)lightning to the (B)corners of the earth.
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.
God thunders wondrously with his voice;
    he does (E)great things that we cannot (F)comprehend.
For to (G)the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth,’
    likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour.
He (H)seals up the hand of every man,
    that all men whom he made may (I)know it.
Then the beasts go into their (J)lairs,
    and remain in their (K)dens.
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 Lord Answers Job

38 Then the Lord (AJ)answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

“Who is this that (AK)darkens counsel by words (AL)without knowledge?
(AM)Dress for action[d] like a man;
    I will question you, and you make it known to me.

“Where were you when I (AN)laid the foundation of the earth?
    Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
    Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk,
    or who laid its cornerstone,
when the morning stars (AO)sang together
    and all (AP)the sons of God (AQ)shouted for joy?

“Or who (AR)shut in the sea with doors
    when it burst out from the womb,
when I made clouds its garment
    and (AS)thick darkness its swaddling band,
10 and prescribed (AT)limits for it
    and set bars and doors,
11 and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
    and here shall your (AU)proud waves be stayed’?

12 “Have you (AV)commanded the morning since your days began,
    and caused the dawn to know its place,
13 that it might take hold of (AW)the skirts of the earth,
    and the wicked be (AX)shaken out of it?
14 It is changed like clay under the seal,
    and its features stand out like a garment.
15 From the wicked their (AY)light is withheld,
    and (AZ)their uplifted arm is broken.

16 “Have you (BA)entered into the springs of the sea,
    or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have (BB)the gates of death been revealed to you,
    or have you seen the gates of (BC)deep darkness?
18 Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?
    Declare, if you know all this.

19 “Where is the way to the dwelling of light,
    and where is the place of darkness,
20 that you may take it to its territory
    and that you may discern (BD)the paths to its home?
21 You know, for (BE)you were born then,
    and the number of your days is great!

22 “Have you entered (BF)the storehouses of the snow,
    or have you seen (BG)the storehouses of the hail,
23 which I have reserved (BH)for the time of trouble,
    (BI)for the day of battle and war?
24 What is the way to the place where the light is distributed,
    or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?

25 “Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain
    and (BJ)a way for the thunderbolt,
26 to bring rain on (BK)a land where no man is,
    on (BL)the desert in which there is no man,
27 to satisfy the waste and desolate land,
    and to make the ground sprout with (BM)grass?

28 “Has (BN)the rain a father,
    or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb did (BO)the ice come forth,
    and who has given birth to (BP)the frost of heaven?
30 The waters become hard like stone,
    and the face of the deep is (BQ)frozen.

31 “Can you bind the chains of (BR)the Pleiades
    or loose the cords of (BS)Orion?
32 Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth[e] in their season,
    or can you guide (BT)the Bear with its children?
33 Do you know (BU)the ordinances of the heavens?
    Can you establish their rule on the earth?

34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
    that (BV)a flood of waters may cover you?
35 Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go
    and say to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who has (BW)put wisdom in (BX)the inward parts[f]
    or given understanding to the mind?[g]
37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom?
    Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,
38 when the dust runs into a mass
    and (BY)the clods stick fast together?

39 “Can you hunt the prey for the lion,
    or (BZ)satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 when they crouch in their (CA)dens
    or lie in wait (CB)in their thicket?
41 Who provides for (CC)the raven its prey,
    when its young ones cry to God for help,
    and wander about for lack of food?

Footnotes

  1. Job 37:4 Hebrew them
  2. Job 37:16 Or hoverings
  3. Job 37:24 Hebrew in heart
  4. Job 38:3 Hebrew Gird up your loins
  5. Job 38:32 Probably the name of a constellation
  6. Job 38:36 Or in the ibis
  7. Job 38:36 Or rooster

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]

The Lord Speaks

38 Then the Lord spoke to Job(AU) out of the storm.(AV) He said:

“Who is this that obscures my plans(AW)
    with words without knowledge?(AX)
Brace yourself like a man;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.(AY)

“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?(AZ)
    Tell me, if you understand.(BA)
Who marked off its dimensions?(BB) Surely you know!
    Who stretched a measuring line(BC) across it?
On what were its footings set,(BD)
    or who laid its cornerstone(BE)
while the morning stars(BF) sang together(BG)
    and all the angels[c](BH) shouted for joy?(BI)

“Who shut up the sea behind doors(BJ)
    when it burst forth from the womb,(BK)
when I made the clouds its garment
    and wrapped it in thick darkness,(BL)
10 when I fixed limits for it(BM)
    and set its doors and bars in place,(BN)
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;(BO)
    here is where your proud waves halt’?(BP)

12 “Have you ever given orders to the morning,(BQ)
    or shown the dawn its place,(BR)
13 that it might take the earth by the edges
    and shake the wicked(BS) out of it?(BT)
14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;(BU)
    its features stand out like those of a garment.
15 The wicked are denied their light,(BV)
    and their upraised arm is broken.(BW)

16 “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
    or walked in the recesses of the deep?(BX)
17 Have the gates of death(BY) been shown to you?
    Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?(BZ)
18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?(CA)
    Tell me, if you know all this.(CB)

19 “What is the way to the abode of light?
    And where does darkness reside?(CC)
20 Can you take them to their places?
    Do you know the paths(CD) to their dwellings?
21 Surely you know, for you were already born!(CE)
    You have lived so many years!

22 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow(CF)
    or seen the storehouses(CG) of the hail,(CH)
23 which I reserve for times of trouble,(CI)
    for days of war and battle?(CJ)
24 What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,(CK)
    or the place where the east winds(CL) are scattered over the earth?(CM)
25 Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain,
    and a path for the thunderstorm,(CN)
26 to water(CO) a land where no one lives,
    an uninhabited desert,(CP)
27 to satisfy a desolate wasteland
    and make it sprout with grass?(CQ)
28 Does the rain have a father?(CR)
    Who fathers the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb comes the ice?
    Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens(CS)
30 when the waters become hard as stone,
    when the surface of the deep is frozen?(CT)

31 “Can you bind the chains[d] of the Pleiades?
    Can you loosen Orion’s belt?(CU)
32 Can you bring forth the constellations(CV) in their seasons[e]
    or lead out the Bear[f] with its cubs?(CW)
33 Do you know the laws(CX) of the heavens?(CY)
    Can you set up God’s[g] dominion over the earth?

34 “Can you raise your voice to the clouds
    and cover yourself with a flood of water?(CZ)
35 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?(DA)
    Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who gives the ibis wisdom[h](DB)
    or gives the rooster understanding?[i](DC)
37 Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?
    Who can tip over the water jars(DD) of the heavens(DE)
38 when the dust becomes hard(DF)
    and the clods of earth stick together?(DG)

39 “Do you hunt the prey for the lioness
    and satisfy the hunger of the lions(DH)
40 when they crouch in their dens(DI)
    or lie in wait in a thicket?(DJ)
41 Who provides food(DK) for the raven(DL)
    when its young cry out to God
    and wander about for lack of food?(DM)

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.
  3. Job 38:7 Hebrew the sons of God
  4. Job 38:31 Septuagint; Hebrew beauty
  5. Job 38:32 Or the morning star in its season
  6. Job 38:32 Or out Leo
  7. Job 38:33 Or their
  8. Job 38:36 That is, wisdom about the flooding of the Nile
  9. Job 38:36 That is, understanding of when to crow; the meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.