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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 Yea, at this my heart trembleth,
And is moved out of its place.
Hear, oh, hear the noise of his voice,
And the [a]sound that goeth out of his mouth.
He sendeth it forth under the whole heaven,
And his [b]lightning unto the [c]ends of the earth.
After it a voice roareth;
He thundereth with the voice of his majesty;
And he restraineth not [d]the lightnings when his voice is heard.
God thundereth marvellously with his voice;
Great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.
For he saith to the snow, Fall thou on the earth;
Likewise to the shower of rain,
And to the showers of his mighty rain.
He sealeth up the hand of every man,
That all men whom he hath made may know it.
Then the beasts go into coverts,
And remain in their dens.
Out of the chamber of the south cometh the storm,
And cold out of the [e]north.
10 By the breath of God ice is given;
And the breadth of the waters is [f]straitened.
11 Yea, he ladeth the thick cloud with moisture;
He spreadeth abroad the cloud of his [g]lightning:
12 And it is turned round about by his guidance,
That they may do whatsoever he commandeth them
Upon the face of the habitable world,
13 Whether it be for correction, or for his [h]land,
Or for lovingkindness, that he cause it to come.

14 Hearken unto this, O Job:
Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Dost thou know how God layeth his charge upon them,
And causeth the [i]lightning of his cloud to shine?
16 Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds,
The wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge?
17 [j]How thy garments are warm,
[k]When the earth is still by reason of the south wind?
18 Canst thou with him spread out the sky,
Which is strong as a molten mirror?
19 Teach us what we shall say unto him;
For we cannot set our speech in order by reason of darkness.
20 Shall it be told him that I would speak?
[l]Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up?

21 And now men [m]see not the light which is bright in the skies;
But the wind passeth, and cleareth them.
22 Out of the north cometh [n]golden splendor:
God hath upon him terrible majesty.
23 Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out:
He is excellent in power;
And [o]in justice and plenteous righteousness he will not afflict.
24 Men do therefore fear him:
He regardeth not any that are wise of heart.

Footnotes

  1. Job 37:2 Or, muttering
  2. Job 37:3 Hebrew light.
  3. Job 37:3 Hebrew skirts.
  4. Job 37:4 Hebrew them.
  5. Job 37:9 Hebrew scattering winds.
  6. Job 37:10 Or, congealed
  7. Job 37:11 Hebrew light.
  8. Job 37:13 Or, earth
  9. Job 37:15 Hebrew light.
  10. Job 37:17 Or, Thou whose garments are etc.
  11. Job 37:17 Or, When he quieteth the earth by the south wind
  12. Job 37:20 Or, If a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up
  13. Job 37:21 Or, cannot look on the light when it is bright in the skies, When the wind hath passed, and cleared them
  14. Job 37:22 Hebrew gold.
  15. Job 37:23 Or, to justice . . . he doeth no violence