Job 37

Elihu Proclaims God's Majesty

1 "At this also my heart trembles
and leaps out of its place.
 2 Keep listening to the thunder of his voice
and the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
 3 Under the whole heaven he lets it go,
and his i lightning to the j corners of the earth.
 4 After it k his voice roars;
l he thunders with his majestic voice,
and he does not restrain the lightnings 1 when his voice is heard.
 5 God thunders wondrously with his voice;
he does m great things that we cannot n comprehend.
 6 For to o the snow he says, 'Fall on the earth,'
likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour.
 7 He p seals up the hand of every man,
that all men whom he made may q know it.
 8 Then the beasts go into their r lairs,
and remain in their s dens.
 9 From t its chamber u comes the whirlwind,
and v cold from the scattering winds.
 10 By the breath of God w ice is given,
and x the broad waters are frozen fast.
 11 He loads the thick cloud with moisture;
the clouds scatter his lightning.
 12 They y turn around and around by his z guidance,
z to accomplish all that he commands them
on the face of a the habitable world.
 13 Whether for b correction or for his c land
or for d love, he causes it to happen.

14 "Hear this, O Job;
stop and e consider the wondrous works of God.
 15 Do you know how God lays his command upon them
and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?
 16 Do you know the balancings 2 of the clouds,
the wondrous works of him who is f perfect in knowledge,
 17 you whose garments are hot
when the earth is still because of the south wind?
 18 Can you, like him, g spread out the skies,
hard as a cast metal h mirror?
 19 Teach us what we shall say to him;
we cannot draw up our case because of i darkness.
 20 Shall it be told him that I would speak?
Did a man ever wish that he would be swallowed up?

21 "And now no one looks on the light
when it is bright in the skies,
when the wind has passed and cleared them.
 22 Out of the north comes golden splendor;
God is clothed with j awesome majesty.
 23 The Almighty - we k cannot find him;
he is l great in power;
m justice and abundant righteousness he will not n violate.
 24 Therefore men o fear him;
he does not regard any who are p wise in their own conceit." 3

  1. Cross References
    Job 36:30
    Behold, he scatters his lightning about him and covers the roots of the sea.
    Job 36:32
    He covers his hands with the lightning and commands it to strike the mark.
  2. Cross References
    Job 38:13
    That it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?
    Isaiah 11:12
    He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
    Ezekiel 7:2
    And you, O son of man, thus says the Lord God to the land of Israel: An end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land.
  3. Cross References
    Job 40:9
    Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his?
    Psalms 68:33
    To him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
    Psalms 29:3 - 9
    The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters.
  4. Cross References
    Psalms 18:13
    The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire.
  5. Cross References
    Job 5:9
    Who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number:
  6. Cross References
    Job 36:26
    Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable.
  7. Cross References
    Psalms 147:16 - 17
    He gives snow like wool; he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.
  8. Cross References
    Daniel 12:9
    He said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.
    Job 14:17
    My transgression would be sealed up in a bag, and you would cover over my iniquity.
  9. Cross References
    Psalms 109:27
    Let them know that this is your hand; you, O Lord, have done it!
  10. Cross References
    Job 38:40
    When they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in their thicket?
  11. Cross References
    Psalms 104:22
    When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens.
  12. Cross References
    Job 9:9
    Who made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the chambers of the south.
  13. Cross References
    Isaiah 21:1
    The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the Negeb sweep on, it comes from the wilderness, from a terrible land.
    Job 1:19
    And behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.
  14. Cross References
    Psalms 147:17
    He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold?
  15. Cross References
    Job 38:29 - 30
    From whose womb did the ice come forth, and who has given birth to the frost of heaven?
    Psalms 147:17
    He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold?
  16. Cross References
    Job 36:16
    He also allured you out of distress into a broad place where there was no cramping, and what was set on your table was full of fatness.
  17. Cross References
    Genesis 3:24
    He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
  18. Cross References
    Psalms 148:8
    Fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word!
  19. Cross References
    Psalms 148:8
    Fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word!
  20. Cross References
    Proverbs 8:31
    Rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.
  21. Cross References
    Exodus 9:18
    Behold, about this time tomorrow I will cause v...
    Exodus 9:23
    Then Moses stretched out his staff toward heave...
    1 Samuel 12:18 - 19
    So Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord se...
    Ezra 10:9
    Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assemble...
    Job 36:31
    For by these he judges peoples; he gives food i...
    Job 38:22 - 23
    Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, o...
  22. Cross References
    Job 38:26 - 27
    To bring rain on a land where no man is, on the desert in which there is no man.
  23. Cross References
    1 Kings 18:45
    And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.
  24. Cross References
    Psalms 111:2
    Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.
  25. Cross References
    Job 36:4
    For truly my words are not false; one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
    1 Samuel 2:3
    Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
  26. Cross References
    Isaiah 42:5
    Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it:
    Isaiah 44:24
    Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: "I am the Lord, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself.
    Genesis 1:6
    And God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.
  27. Cross References
    Exodus 38:8
    He made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered in the entrance of the tent of meeting.
  28. Cross References
    Isaiah 60:2
    For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.
    Ephesians 4:18
    They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.
  29. Cross References
    Psalms 104:1
    Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty.
  30. Cross References
    1 Timothy 6:16
    Who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
  31. Cross References
    Job 36:5
    Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any; he is mighty in strength of understanding.
  32. Cross References
    Psalms 99:4
    The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
  33. Cross References
    Lamentations 3:33
    For he does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men.
  34. Cross References
    Psalms 130:4
    But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.
    Matthew 10:28
    And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
  35. Cross References
    Isaiah 5:21
    Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!
    Matthew 11:25
    At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.
    1 Corinthians 1:26
    For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
Previous Book Next Book