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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 “At this my heart trembles
    and leaps from its place.
Listen carefully to the roar of His voice,
    the rumbling that comes from His mouth.
Under the whole heaven He lets it loose,
    and His light to the ends of the earth.
After that a voice roars;
    He thunders with His majestic voice.
He does not hold them back when His voice is heard.
God thunders wondrously with His voice;
He does great things beyond our comprehension.

“For to the snow He says, ‘Fall to the earth,’
and to the torrential rain—be a mighty downpour of rain.
He seals the hand of every man,
    so that all men will know His work.
The animals go into their lairs;
    they remain in their dens.
Out of its chamber comes the storm,
    and icy cold from the driving wind.
10 From the breath of God frost is made,
    and the watery expanse freezes.
11 He loads the cloud with moisture;
    He scatters His cloud of lightning.
12 It swirls around by His guidance,
    to do whatever He commands
    on the face of the inhabited world.
13 Whether it is a rod of punishment
    or for His land or for lovingkindness,
    He causes it to happen.

14 “Listen to this, Job:
    stand and consider God’s wonders.
15 Do you know how God orders them,
    and makes the lightning flash in His cloud?
16 Do you know the balancing of clouds,
    the wonders of Him who has perfect knowledge?

17 “You, whose clothes are hot,
    when the earth is still, because of the south wind,
18 can you, with Him, stretch out the skies,
    strong as a mirror of molten metal?
19 Teach us what to say to Him;
    we cannot prepare a case because of the darkness.
20 Should He be informed that I want to speak?
If a man speaks, would he be swallowed up?
21 But now, they do not see the light,
    bright as it is in the skies,
until the wind has passed
    and cleared the clouds away.
22 Out of the north comes in golden splendor;
    around God is awesome majesty.
23 Shaddai, we cannot find Him!
    He is great in power and justice,
and abundant righteousness He does not oppress.
24 Therefore people fear Him;
    He does not regard all the wise of heart.”