Job 37

This makes my heart pound too. It leaps like it has jumped out of my chest.

1At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place.

NoteThe speaker is Elihu, the youngest of the men who have come to Job; he has been talking since chapter 32 and finishes at the end of this chapter, after which God speaks. In King James English "his" often means "its", here it is the heart that jumps out of its place.

2Listen carefully to the roar of God's voice, the rumbling sound that comes out of his mouth.

2Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth.

NoteWhat is being described is thunder. Writers across the ancient Near East regularly spoke of thunder as a god's voice, and from here to the end of the chapter Elihu is describing a storm building overhead.

3He sends it out under the whole sky, and his lightning to the farthest edges of the earth.

3He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth.

4Then a roaring sound follows. He thunders with his majestic voice, and he does not hold the lightning back when his voice is heard.

4After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard.

5God's voice thunders in ways we cannot explain. He does great things that are beyond our understanding.

5God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.

6He says to the snow, "Fall on the earth." He says the same to the light rain and to the heavy, pouring rain.

6For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.

NoteSnow was rare in the settled lowlands of the region and fell mainly on the high ground, so it counted as a remarkable event rather than an ordinary part of winter.

7He shuts down the work of every person's hands, so that everyone he made may recognize what he does.

7He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work.

Note"He sealeth up the hand of every man" is an idiom for shutting work down. Winter storms drove farmers and herders indoors and brought outdoor labor to a halt.

8Then the wild animals go into their dens and stay there.

8Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places.

9The storm wind comes out of its chamber in the south, and the cold comes from the driving north winds.

9Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north.

NoteThe word the King James translates "south" is literally "chamber", the winds were pictured as kept in a storeroom until released. In the land of the Bible the violent storms swept in from the south and southeast, while cold came down from the north.

10The breath of God makes ice. The wide stretches of water freeze solid.

10By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened.

NoteThe Hebrew word for "breath" is the same word used for wind and for spirit, so the line simultaneously says that the wind of God makes the ice.

11He loads the thick cloud with water. He scatters his lightning through the clouds.

11Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud:

NoteThe verb the King James renders "wearieth" is elsewhere used for burdening or loading something; the picture is of a cloud weighed down with the water it carries.

12The clouds turn and swirl wherever he directs them, doing whatever he commands them over the whole surface of the earth.

12And 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.

13He makes it happen, whether to punish people, or to water his land, or to show kindness.

13He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.

NoteThe Hebrew here is extremely compressed (roughly "whether for a rod, or for his land, or for loyal love") and translators disagree about whether "his land" goes with the punishing or with the kindness. Both the King James and this rendering leave the three possibilities standing side by side rather than choosing.

14Listen to this, Job. Stand still and think about the wonderful things God does.

14Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.

15Do you know how God sets them in place, or how he makes the lightning flash from his cloud?

15Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine?

16Do you know how the clouds hang balanced in the air? They are the work of the one whose knowledge is perfect.

16Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?

17Do you know why your clothes get hot when the land lies still and silent under the south wind?

17How thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the south wind?

NoteThe south wind is the sirocco, a hot dry wind blowing off the desert. It pushes the temperature up sharply and leaves the air still and oppressive.

18Can you spread out the sky with him, that hard dome that shines like a mirror of polished metal?

18Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass?

NoteMirrors in the ancient world were disks of cast bronze polished until they reflected; there was no such thing as a glass mirror, so "looking glass" means polished metal. The sky is being pictured as a solid dome hammered out overhead, hard and gleaming like one of those mirrors.

19Teach us what we should say to him. We cannot put our case in order, because we are in the dark.

19Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.

Note"Order our speech" is courtroom language: arranging your arguments in sequence to present a case, as a party to a lawsuit would. Job has repeatedly demanded such a hearing. "Darkness" carries both senses, not being able to see, and not knowing what to say.

20Should God be told that I want to speak? Would anyone ask to be swallowed up?

20Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up.

Note"Swallowed up" means destroyed, wiped out. The Hebrew of the verse is difficult; it can be read as asking whether anyone would request his own destruction, or as a warning that a man who spoke would be destroyed.

21Right now people cannot look at the bright light in the sky, once the wind has passed by and swept the clouds clean.

21And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them.

NoteThe bright light is the sun, too dazzling to look at directly once a wind has swept the clouds away.

22Out of the north comes golden brightness. Around God there is majesty that fills people with awe.

22Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty.

NoteThe Hebrew word is simply "gold." Some read it as literal golden brightness in the northern sky, others as the clear bright weather that follows a storm, which is how the King James takes it. In the poetry of that region the far north was also spoken of as the site of a divine mountain.

23As for the Almighty, we cannot reach him or figure him out. His power is great, and in his justice and full fairness he does not crush people.

23Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.

NoteThe King James "he will not afflict" translates a verb meaning to oppress or to deny someone justice, not to cause pain. The statement is about mistreatment, not about whether God sends suffering.

24That is why people stand in awe of him. He does not regard any who are wise of heart.

24Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart.

NoteIn 1611 "respect" meant to show favor or partiality, not to admire. The Hebrew phrase can be read either as "he shows no partiality to the wise" or as "he takes no notice of those who consider themselves wise"; translations divide over which.