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Elihu Says God has Authority over the Storm

37 “Indeed, at His thundering my heart trembles
And leaps out of its place.

“Listen carefully to the thunder of His voice,
And the rumbling that goes out of His mouth!

“He lets it loose under the whole heaven,
And His lightning to the ends of the earth.

“After it, His voice roars;
He thunders with the voice of His majesty,
And He does not restrain His lightning [against His adversaries] when His voice is heard.

“God thunders marvelously with His voice;
He does great things which we cannot comprehend.

“For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’;
And [He speaks] to the showers and to the downpour [of His mighty rains], ‘Be strong.’

“God seals (brings to a standstill, stops) [by severe weather] the hand of every man,
That all men [whom He has made] may know His work [that is, His sovereign power and their subjection to it].

“Then the beast goes into its lair
And remains in its hiding place.

“Out of its chamber comes the storm,
And cold from the north wind.
10 
“Ice is made by the breath of God,
And the expanse of the waters is frozen.(A)
11 
“He loads the thick cloud with moisture;
He disperses the cloud of His lightning.
12 
“Its direction is turned around by His guidance,
That it may do whatever He commands it
On the face of the inhabited earth.
13 
“Whether [it be] for correction, or for His earth [generally]
Or for [His] mercy and lovingkindness, He causes it to happen.(B)

14 
“Listen to this, Job;
Stand still and consider the wonders of God.
15 
“Do you know how God establishes and commands them,
And makes the lightning of His [storm] cloud shine?
16 
“Do you know about the layers of thick clouds [and how they are balanced and poised in the heavens],
The wonderful works of Him who is perfect in knowledge,
17 
You whose garments are hot,
When He quiets the earth [in sultry summer] with the [oppressive] south wind?
18 
“Can you, with Him, spread out the sky,
Strong as a molten mirror?
19 
“Tell us [Job] what words [of man] shall we say to such a Being;
We cannot state our case because of darkness [that is, our ignorance in the presence of the unsearchable God].
20 
“So shall it be told Him that I wish to speak?
Or should a man say that he would be swallowed up [and destroyed by God]?

21 
“Now people cannot look at the light when it is bright in the skies [without being blinded],
When the wind has passed and cleared them.
22 
“Out of the north comes golden splendor [and people can hardly look on it];
Around God is awesome splendor and majesty [far too glorious for man’s eyes].
23 
“The Almighty—we cannot find Him;
He is exalted in power
And He will not do violence to [nor disregard] justice and abundant righteousness.(C)
24 
“Men therefore fear Him;
He does not regard nor respect any who are wise in heart [in their own understanding and conceit].”(D)

37 “At this my heart pounds(A)
    and leaps from its place.
Listen!(B) Listen to the roar of his voice,(C)
    to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.(D)
He unleashes his lightning(E) beneath the whole heaven
    and sends it to the ends of the earth.(F)
After that comes the sound of his roar;
    he thunders(G) with his majestic voice.(H)
When his voice resounds,
    he holds nothing back.
God’s voice thunders(I) in marvelous ways;(J)
    he does great things beyond our understanding.(K)
He says to the snow,(L) ‘Fall on the earth,’
    and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’(M)
So that everyone he has made may know his work,(N)
    he stops all people from their labor.[a](O)
The animals take cover;(P)
    they remain in their dens.(Q)
The tempest comes out from its chamber,(R)
    the cold from the driving winds.(S)
10 The breath of God produces ice,
    and the broad waters become frozen.(T)
11 He loads the clouds with moisture;(U)
    he scatters his lightning(V) through them.(W)
12 At his direction they swirl around
    over the face of the whole earth
    to do whatever he commands them.(X)
13 He brings the clouds to punish people,(Y)
    or to water his earth and show his love.(Z)

14 “Listen(AA) to this, Job;
    stop and consider God’s wonders.(AB)
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
    and makes his lightning(AC) flash?(AD)
16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,(AE)
    those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?(AF)
17 You who swelter in your clothes
    when the land lies hushed under the south wind,(AG)
18 can you join him in spreading out the skies,(AH)
    hard as a mirror of cast bronze?(AI)

19 “Tell us what we should say to him;(AJ)
    we cannot draw up our case(AK) because of our darkness.(AL)
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,(AM)
    bright as it is in the skies
    after the wind has swept them clean.
22 Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;(AN)
    God comes in awesome majesty.(AO)
23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;(AP)
    in his justice(AQ) and great righteousness, he does not oppress.(AR)
24 Therefore, people revere him,(AS)
    for does he not have regard for all the wise(AT) in heart?[b]

Footnotes

  1. Job 37:7 Or work, / he fills all people with fear by his power
  2. Job 37:24 Or for he does not have regard for any who think they are wise.

37 At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place.

Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth.

He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth.

After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them 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, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.

He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work.

Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places.

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.