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37 At this my heart trembleth, and is moved out of its place.

Hear ye attentively the terror of his voice, and the sound that cometh out of his mouth.

He beholdeth under all the heavens, and his light is upon the ends of the earth.

After it a noise shall roar, he shall thunder with the voice of his majesty, and shall not be found out, when his voice shall be heard.

God shall thunder wonderfully with his voice, he that doth great and unsearchable things.

He commandeth the snow to go down upon the earth, and the winter rain, and the shower of his strength.

He sealeth up the hand of all men, that every one may know his works.

Then the beast shall go into his covert, and shall abide in his den.

Out of the inner parts shall a tempest come, and cold out of the north.

10 When God bloweth there cometh frost, and again the waters are poured out abundantly.

11 Corn desireth clouds, and the clouds spread their light:

12 Which go round about, whithersoever the will of him that governeth them shall lead them, to whatsoever he shall command them upon the face of the whole earth:

13 Whether in one tribe, or in his own land, or in what place soever of his mercy he shall command them to be found.

14 Hearken to these things, Job: Stand, and consider the wondrous works of God.

15 Dost thou know when God commanded the rains, to shew his light of his clouds?

16 Knowest thou the great paths of the clouds, and the perfect knowledges?

17 Are not thy garments hot, when the south wind blows upon the earth?

18 Thou perhaps hast made the heavens with him, which are most strong, as if they were of molten brass.

19 shew us what we may say to him: for we are wrapped up in darkness.

20 Who shall tell him the things I speak? even if a man shall speak, he shall be swallowed up.

21 But now they see not the light: the air on a sudden shall be thickened into clouds, and the wind shall pass and drive them away.

22 Cold cometh out of the north, and to God praise with fear.

23 We cannot find him worthily: he is great in strength, and in judgment, and in justice, and he is ineffable.

24 Therefore men shall fear him, and all that seem to themselves to be wise, shall not dare to behold him.

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]

Footnotes

  1. Job 37:4 Hebrew them
  2. Job 37:16 Or hoverings
  3. Job 37:24 Hebrew in 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.

37 My heart(A) pounds at this
and leaps from my chest.[a]
Just listen to His thunderous voice
and the rumbling that comes from His mouth.
He lets it loose beneath the entire sky;
His lightning to the ends(B) of the earth.

Then there comes a roaring sound;
God thunders(C) with His majestic voice.
He does not restrain the lightning
when His rumbling voice is heard.
God thunders marvelously with His voice;
He does great things that we cannot comprehend.
For He says to the snow,(D) “Fall to the earth,”
and the torrential rains, His mighty torrential rains,
serve as His sign to all mankind,
so that all men may know His work.
The wild animals enter their lairs
and stay in their dens.(E)
The windstorm comes from its chamber,
and the cold from the driving north winds.
10 Ice is formed by the breath of God,(F)
and watery expanses are frozen.
11 He saturates clouds with moisture;(G)
He scatters His lightning through them.
12 They swirl about,
turning round and round at His direction,
accomplishing everything He commands them
over the surface of the inhabited world.
13 He causes this to happen for punishment,
for His land, or for His faithful love.

14 Listen to this, Job.
Stop and consider God’s wonders.
15 Do you know how God directs His clouds
or makes their lightning flash?
16 Do you understand how the clouds float,
those wonderful works of Him who has perfect knowledge?
17 You whose clothes get hot
when the south wind brings calm to the land,
18 can you help God spread out the skies
as hard as a cast metal mirror?
19 Teach us what we should say to Him;(H)
we cannot prepare our case because of our darkness.
20 Should He be told that I want to speak?
Can a man speak when he is confused?
21 Now men cannot even look at the sun
when it is in the skies,
after a wind has swept through and cleared them away.
22 Yet out of the north He comes, shrouded in a golden glow;
awesome(I) majesty surrounds Him.
23 The Almighty—we cannot reach Him—
He is exalted in power!
He will not oppress justice and abundant righteousness,
24 Therefore, men fear Him.
He does not look favorably on any who are wise(J) in heart.

Footnotes

  1. Job 37:1 Lit from its place