Job 37
New American Standard Bible 1995
Elihu Says God Is Back of the Storm
37 “At this also my heart trembles,
And leaps from its place.
2 “Listen closely to the (A)thunder of His voice,
And the rumbling that goes out from His mouth.
3 “Under the whole heaven He lets it loose,
And His [a]lightning to the (B)ends of the earth.
4 “After it, a voice roars;
He thunders with His majestic voice,
And He does not restrain [b]the lightnings when His voice is heard.
5 “God (C)thunders with His voice wondrously,
Doing (D)great things which we cannot comprehend.
6 “For to (E)the snow He says, ‘Fall on the earth,’
And to the [c](F)downpour and the rain, ‘Be strong.’
7 “He (G)seals the hand of every man,
That (H)all men may know His work.
8 “Then the beast goes into its (I)lair
And remains in its [d]den.
9 “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)disperses (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 “Listen to this, O Job,
Stand and consider the wonders 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 (U)perfect in knowledge,
17 You whose garments are hot,
When the land is still because of the south wind?
18 “Can you, with Him, (V)spread out the skies,
Strong as a molten mirror?
19 “Teach us what we shall say to Him;
We (W)cannot arrange our case because of darkness.
20 “Shall it be told Him that I would speak?
[m]Or should a man say that he would be swallowed up?
21 “Now [n]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 awesome majesty.
23 “The Almighty—(X)we cannot find Him;
He is (Y)exalted in power
And (Z)He will not do violence (AA)to justice and abundant righteousness.
24 “Therefore men (AB)fear Him;
He does not (AC)regard any who are wise of heart.”
Footnotes
- Job 37:3 Lit light
- Job 37:4 Lit them
- Job 37:6 Lit shower of rain and shower of rains
- Job 37:8 Lit dens
- Job 37:9 Lit chamber
- Job 37:9 Lit scattering winds
- Job 37:11 Lit light
- Job 37:12 Lit they
- Job 37:12 Lit them
- Job 37:13 Lit the rod
- Job 37:13 Lit be found
- Job 37:15 Lit light
- Job 37:20 Or If a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up
- Job 37:21 Lit they
Job 37
Complete Jewish Bible
37 “At this, my own heart trembles
and leaps out of its place.
2 Just listen to the rumbling of his voice,
to the thunder that comes from his mouth!
3 He sends it out under all of heaven,
his lightning to the ends of the earth.
4 There follows a sound, a roar —
he is thundering with his majestic voice,
and he keeps releasing [the lightning]
even while his voice is being heard.
5 “God thunders wonderfully with his voice,
he does great things beyond our understanding.
6 He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth!’ —
likewise to the light rain, also to the downpour.
7 He brings all human activity to a stop,
so that everyone he has made can know it.
8 Then the animals go into their lairs
and hibernate in their dens.
9 “Out of its chamber comes the storm,
with cold out of the north.
10 By the breath of God, ice is given,
and the wide waters freeze over.
11 He weighs the clouds down with moisture,
and they flash forth his lightning.
12 He, by his plans, turns them around,
so they do what he commands them anywhere on earth;
13 he brings them forth on the earth
sometimes to punish, sometimes to express his grace.
14 “Listen to this, Iyov!
Stop, and consider God’s wonders.
15 Do you know how God puts them in place,
how he causes lightning to flash from his cloud?
16 Do you know how he balances the clouds?
These are marvels of him who knows everything!
17 “You, sweltering in your clothing
as the earth lies still under a sultry south wind,
18 can you, with him, spread out the sky,
hard as a cast metal mirror?
19 Teach us what we should tell him,
for the darkness keeps us from organizing our case.
20 Is he to be told that I will speak?
Can a man speak at all when he is already swallowed up?
21 Now people don’t see the light,
which is bright in the sky;
but then the wind blows
and clears [the clouds] away.
22 Out of the north comes a golden glow,
fearsome majesty surrounding God.
23 Shaddai, whom we cannot find,
whose power is immense,
in his great righteousness
does not pervert justice.
24 This is why people fear him;
he does not consider those
who think of themselves as wise.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.