Job 37
37
1At this my heart trembles
and leaps out of its place.
2Listen to his angry voice#Voice: the thunder.
and the rumble that comes forth from his mouth!
3Everywhere under the heavens he sends it,
with his light, to the ends of the earth.
4Again his voice roars,
his majestic voice thunders;
he does not restrain them when his voice is heard.
5God thunders forth marvels with his voice;
he does great things beyond our knowing.
6He says to the snow, “Fall to the earth”;
likewise to his heavy, drenching rain.
7He shuts up all humankind indoors,
so that all people may know his work.
8The wild beasts take to cover
and remain quiet in their dens.
9Out of its chamber the tempest comes forth;
from the north winds, the cold.
10With his breath God brings the frost,
and the broad waters congeal.#Ps 147:17.
11The clouds too are laden with moisture,
the storm-cloud scatters its light.
12#The translation of these verses is uncertain. He it is who changes their rounds, according to his plans,
to do all that he commands them
across the inhabited world.
13Whether for punishment or mercy,
he makes it happen.
14Listen to this, Job!
Stand and consider the marvels of God!
15Do you know how God lays his command upon them,
and makes the light shine forth from his clouds?
16Do you know how the clouds are banked,
the marvels of him who is perfect in knowledge?
17You, who swelter in your clothes
when calm lies over the land from the south,
18Can you with him spread out the firmament of the skies,
hard as a molten mirror?#The firmament…mirror: the ancients thought of the sky as a ceiling above which were the “upper waters” (cf. Gn 1:6–7; 7:11); when this ceiling became as hard as metal, the usual rain failed to fall on the earth (cf. Lv 26:19; Dt 28:23).
19Teach us then what we shall say to him;
we cannot, for the darkness, make our plea.
20Will he be told about it when I speak?
Can anyone talk when he is being destroyed?
21Rather, it is as the light that cannot be seen
while it is obscured by the clouds,
till the wind comes by and sweeps them away.#Elihu argues that even though God seems not to know our circumstances, he does know them, just as surely as the sun shines behind the clouds.
22From Zaphon#Zaphon: the mythical mountain of the gods; cf. note on 26:7. the golden splendor comes,
surrounding God’s awesome majesty!
23The Almighty! We cannot find him,
preeminent in power and judgment,
abundant in justice, who never oppresses.
24Therefore people fear him;
none can see him, however wise their hearts.#The concluding remark of Elihu is ironic in view of the appearance of the Lord in the next chapter and Job’s claim in 42:5.
Currently Selected:
Job 37: NABRE
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Job 37
37
Elihu Continues: God’s Ways Are Beyond Human Understanding
1“My heart pounds because of this
and jumps out of its place.
2Listen! Listen to the roar of God’s voice,
to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3He flashes his lightning everywhere under heaven.
His light flashes to the ends of the earth.
4It is followed by the roar of his voice.
He thunders with his majestic voice.
He doesn’t hold the lightning back when his thunder is heard.
5God’s voice thunders in miraculous ways.
It does great things that we cannot understand.
6“He says to the snow, ‘Fall to the ground,’
and to the pouring rain, ‘Rain harder!’
7He makes it impossible to do anything #37:7 Or “He seals up every person’s hand.”
so that people will recognize his work.
8Animals go into their dens
and stay in their lairs.
9A storm comes out of its chamber.
It is cold because of the strong winds.
10God’s breath produces ice,
and the seas freeze over.
11Yes, he loads the thick clouds with moisture
and scatters his lightning from the clouds.
12He guides the clouds as they churn round and round
over the face of the inhabited earth
to do everything he orders them.
13Whether for discipline,
or for ⌞the good of⌟ his earth,
or out of mercy,
he makes the storm appear.
14“Open your ears to this, Job.
Stop and consider God’s miracles.
15Do you know how God controls them
and makes the lightning flash from his clouds?
16Do you know how the clouds drift
(these are the miracles of the one who knows everything),
17you whose clothes are hot and sweaty,
when the earth is calm under a south wind?
18Can you stretch out the skies with him
and make them as firm as a mirror made of metal?
19Teach us what we should say to him.
We are unable to prepare ⌞a case⌟ because of darkness.
20Should he be told that I want to speak?
Can a person speak when he is confused?
21People can’t look at the sun
when it’s bright among the clouds
or after the wind has blown and cleared those clouds away.
22A golden light comes from the north.
A terrifying majesty is around God.
23The Almighty, whom we can’t reach,
is great in power and judgment,
has more than enough righteousness,
and does not oppress.
24That is why people should fear him.
He does not respect those who think they’re wise.”
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.