Job 37
Common English Bible
37 Oh, my mind is disturbed by this
and is more troubled than usual.
2 Listen closely to the rumble of his voice,
the roar issuing from his mouth.
3 He looses it under the whole sky,
his lightning on earth’s edges.
4 After it, a voice roars;
he thunders with a mighty voice,
and no one can stop it
when his voice is heard.
5 God roars with his wondrous voice;
he does great things we can’t know.
6 He says to the snow, “Fall to earth,”
and to the downpour of rain, “Be a mighty shower.”
7 He stamps the hand of every person
so all can know his work.[a]
8 The wild beast enters its lair,
lies down in its den.
9 The storm comes from its chamber,
the cold from the north wind.
10 By God’s breath ice forms;
water’s expanse becomes solid.
11 He also fills clouds with moisture;
his lightning scatters clouds.
12 He overturns the circling clouds;[b]
by his guidance they do[c] their work,
doing everything he commands over the entire earth.
13 Whether for punishment, for his world,
or for kindness,
God makes it all happen.
14 Hear this, Job;
stop and ponder God’s mighty deeds.
15 Do you realize that when God commands them,
his clouds produce lightning?
16 Do you understand the positioning of the clouds,
the amazing deeds of one with perfect knowledge,
17 you whose clothes are hot
when earth is calmed by the south wind?
18 Can you form the sky with him,
hard like a mirror made of metal?
19 Tell us what we should say to him;
we can’t present our case due to darkness.
20 Should someone inform him that I wish to speak,
or would anyone say he wants to be devoured?
Divine splendor
21 For now, no one can look at the sun;
it is bright in the sky;
the wind has passed and cleared away the clouds.
22 From the north comes golden light,
the awesome splendor of God.
23 As for the Almighty, we can’t find him—
he is powerful and just, abundantly righteous—
he won’t respond.
24 Therefore, people fear him;
none of the wise[d] can see him.
Job 37
King James Version
37 At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place.
2 Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth.
3 He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth.
4 After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard.
5 God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.
6 For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.
7 He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work.
8 Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places.
9 Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north.
10 By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened.
11 Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud:
12 And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth.
13 He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.
14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine?
16 Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?
17 How thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the south wind?
18 Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass?
19 Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.
20 Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up.
21 And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them.
22 Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty.
23 Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.
24 Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart.
Job 37
Lexham English Bible
Elihu Extols God’s Majesty
37 “About this also my heart trembles,
and it leaps from its place.
2 Listen carefully to his voice’s thunder
and the rumbling that goes out from his mouth.
3 He lets it loose under all the heavens,
and his lightning to the earth’s corners.
4 After it, his voice roars;
it thunders with his majestic voice,[a]
and he does not restrain it when his voice is heard.
5 “God thunders with his voice in marvelous ways;
he does great things, and we cannot comprehend.
6 For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth’;
and the shower of rain, his heavy shower of rain[b]—
7 he stops all human beings from working[c]
so that everyone whom he has made may know it.[d]
8 Then[e] the animal goes into its den,
and it remains in its den.
9 “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
- Job 37:4 Literally “with the voice of his majesty”
- Job 37:6 Literally “the shower of rain and the show of rains of his strength”
- Job 37:7 Literally “on the hand of all man he seals”
- Job 37:7 Literally “to know all men of his work”
- Job 37:8 Hebrew “And”
- Job 37:12 Collective “clouds” in the first line takes the singular “it” here with the plural meaning
- Job 37:12 Literally “world of earth”
- Job 37:13 Literally “a rod”
- Job 37:15 Literally “at the putting of God upon them”
- Job 37:16 Literally “the marvelous works of perfect knowledge”
- Job 37:21 Hebrew “and”
- Job 37:24 Or “all”
- Job 37:24 Literally “the wise of heart”
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