Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty

24 “Remember to (A)magnify His work,
Of which men have sung.
25 Everyone has seen it;
Man looks on it from afar.

26 “Behold, God is great, and we (B)do not know Him;
(C)Nor can the number of His years be discovered.
27 For He (D)draws up drops of water,
Which distill as rain from the mist,
28 (E)Which the clouds drop down
And pour abundantly on man.
29 Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds,
The thunder from His canopy?
30 Look, He (F)scatters His light upon it,
And covers the depths of the sea.
31 For (G)by these He judges the peoples;
He (H)gives food in abundance.
32 (I)He covers His hands with lightning,
And commands it to [a]strike.
33 (J)His thunder declares it,
The cattle also, concerning [b]the rising storm.

God’s Works and Wisdom

37 “At this also my heart trembles,
And leaps from its place.
Hear attentively the thunder of His voice,
And the rumbling that comes from His mouth.
He sends it forth under the whole heaven,
His [c]lightning to the ends of the earth.
After it (K)a voice roars;
He thunders with His majestic voice,
And He does not restrain them when His voice is heard.
God thunders marvelously with His voice;
(L)He does great things which we cannot comprehend.
For (M)He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’;
Likewise to the [d]gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength.
He seals the hand of every man,
(N)That (O)all men may know His work.
The beasts (P)go into dens,
And remain in their lairs.
From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind,
And cold from the scattering winds of the north.
10 (Q)By the breath of God ice is given,
And the broad waters are frozen.
11 Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds;
He scatters His [e]bright clouds.
12 And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance,
That they may (R)do whatever He commands them
On the face of [f]the whole earth.
13 (S)He causes it to come,
Whether for [g]correction,
Or (T)for His land,
Or (U)for mercy.

14 “Listen to this, O Job;
Stand still and (V)consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Do you know when God [h]dispatches them,
And causes the light of His cloud to shine?
16 (W)Do you know how the clouds are balanced,
Those wondrous works of (X)Him who is perfect in knowledge?
17 Why are your garments hot,
When He quiets the earth by the south wind?
18 With Him, have you (Y)spread out the (Z)skies,
Strong as a cast metal mirror?

19 “Teach us what we should say to Him,
For we can prepare nothing because of the darkness.
20 Should He be told that I wish to speak?
If a man were to speak, surely he would be swallowed up.
21 Even now men cannot look at the light when it is bright in the skies,
When the wind has passed and cleared them.
22 He comes from the north as golden splendor;
With God is awesome majesty.
23 As for the Almighty, (AA)we cannot find Him;
(AB)He is excellent in power,
In judgment and abundant justice;
He does not oppress.
24 Therefore men (AC)fear Him;
He shows no partiality to any who are (AD)wise of heart.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 36:32 strike the mark
  2. Job 36:33 Lit. what is rising
  3. Job 37:3 Or light
  4. Job 37:6 Lit. shower of rain
  5. Job 37:11 clouds of light
  6. Job 37:12 Lit. the world of the earth
  7. Job 37:13 Lit. a rod
  8. Job 37:15 places them

24 Remember to extol his work,(A)
    which people have praised in song.(B)
25 All humanity has seen it;(C)
    mortals gaze on it from afar.
26 How great is God—beyond our understanding!(D)
    The number of his years is past finding out.(E)

27 “He draws up the drops of water,(F)
    which distill as rain to the streams[a];(G)
28 the clouds pour down their moisture
    and abundant showers(H) fall on mankind.(I)
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
    how he thunders(J) from his pavilion?(K)
30 See how he scatters his lightning(L) about him,
    bathing the depths of the sea.(M)
31 This is the way he governs[b] the nations(N)
    and provides food(O) in abundance.(P)
32 He fills his hands with lightning
    and commands it to strike its mark.(Q)
33 His thunder announces the coming storm;(R)
    even the cattle make known its approach.[c](S)

37 “At this my heart pounds(T)
    and leaps from its place.
Listen!(U) Listen to the roar of his voice,(V)
    to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.(W)
He unleashes his lightning(X) beneath the whole heaven
    and sends it to the ends of the earth.(Y)
After that comes the sound of his roar;
    he thunders(Z) with his majestic voice.(AA)
When his voice resounds,
    he holds nothing back.
God’s voice thunders(AB) in marvelous ways;(AC)
    he does great things beyond our understanding.(AD)
He says to the snow,(AE) ‘Fall on the earth,’
    and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’(AF)
So that everyone he has made may know his work,(AG)
    he stops all people from their labor.[d](AH)
The animals take cover;(AI)
    they remain in their dens.(AJ)
The tempest comes out from its chamber,(AK)
    the cold from the driving winds.(AL)
10 The breath of God produces ice,
    and the broad waters become frozen.(AM)
11 He loads the clouds with moisture;(AN)
    he scatters his lightning(AO) through them.(AP)
12 At his direction they swirl around
    over the face of the whole earth
    to do whatever he commands them.(AQ)
13 He brings the clouds to punish people,(AR)
    or to water his earth and show his love.(AS)

14 “Listen(AT) to this, Job;
    stop and consider God’s wonders.(AU)
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
    and makes his lightning(AV) flash?(AW)
16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,(AX)
    those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?(AY)
17 You who swelter in your clothes
    when the land lies hushed under the south wind,(AZ)
18 can you join him in spreading out the skies,(BA)
    hard as a mirror of cast bronze?(BB)

19 “Tell us what we should say to him;(BC)
    we cannot draw up our case(BD) because of our darkness.(BE)
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,(BF)
    bright as it is in the skies
    after the wind has swept them clean.
22 Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;(BG)
    God comes in awesome majesty.(BH)
23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;(BI)
    in his justice(BJ) and great righteousness, he does not oppress.(BK)
24 Therefore, people revere him,(BL)
    for does he not have regard for all the wise(BM) in heart?[e]

Footnotes

  1. Job 36:27 Or distill from the mist as rain
  2. Job 36:31 Or nourishes
  3. Job 36:33 Or announces his coming— / the One zealous against evil
  4. Job 37:7 Or work, / he fills all people with fear by his power
  5. Job 37:24 Or for he does not have regard for any who think they are wise.