Chapter Overview
Summary
Job 37 closes Elihu's speeches with an extended-meditation on divine-power-in-the-storm. The chapter functions as the immediate-prelude to-chapters 38–41 (God's-speeches-from-the-whirlwind) — Elihu describes-the-storm as it-arrives, then God-speaks-from-it. Elihu's-final-question-to-Job (v. 19, 'teach us what we shall say to him') sets up Job's-coming-silence before-divine-speech.
Notable Variants
37:5 'God thunders wondrously with his voice' divine-thunder-speech; 37:14 'stop and consider the wondrous works of God' contemplative-counsel; 37:23 'the Almighty — we cannot find him out.'
Structural Notes
MT Job 37 = LXX Job 37. 24 verses. CLOSES Elihu's speeches; PRELUDE to divine-speeches.
At this my heart pounds and leaps from its place.
'At this also my heart trembles and leaps out of its place' tracks MT.
Listen — listen closely to the roar of his voice, the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
'Keep listening to the thunder of his voice and the rumbling that comes from his mouth' tracks MT. THUNDER-OF-HIS-VOICE — the storm itself approaching. Revelation 4:5, 19:6 ('voice like the sound of mighty thunders') extend.
He unleashes it under the whole heaven; his lightning reaches to the edges of the earth.
'Under the whole heaven he lets it go, and his lightning to the corners of the earth' tracks MT.
After it, a voice roars. He thunders with his majestic voice, and he does not hold back the bolts when his voice is heard.
'After it his voice roars; he thunders with his majestic voice, and he does not restrain the lightnings when his voice is heard' tracks MT.
God thunders with his voice — marvelous things! He does great things beyond our understanding.
'God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things that we cannot comprehend' tracks MT. THUNDER-WONDROUSLY. // Psalm 29's voice-of-the-LORD storm-theophany.
For he says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth!' and to the rain shower — to the heavy downpour of his might.
'For to the snow he says: Fall on the earth; likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour' tracks MT.
He seals the hand of every person so that all may recognize his work.
'He seals up the hand of every man, that all men whom he made may know it' tracks MT.
The wild animals enter their lairs and settle into their dens.
'Then the beasts go into their lairs, and remain in their dens' tracks MT.
From its chamber the storm wind comes, and cold from the scattering winds.
'From its chamber comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds' tracks MT. WHIRLWIND-FROM-CHAMBER — the very-whirlwind from-which God will-speak (38:1). Elihu unwittingly-prepares the audience.
By the breath of God, ice forms; the wide waters are frozen solid.
'By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast' tracks MT.
He loads the thick cloud with moisture; he scatters his lightning cloud.
'He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning' tracks MT.
The clouds wheel in circles at his direction, doing whatever he commands them across the face of the inhabited world.
'They turn around and around by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them on the face of the habitable world' tracks MT.
Whether for correction, or for the land, or for mercy — he sends it forth.
'Whether for correction or for his land or for steadfast love, he causes it to happen' tracks MT. CORRECTION-OR-CHESED — divine-multipurpose meteorology.
Listen to this, Job — stand still and consider the wonders of God.
'Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God' tracks MT. STOP-AND-CONSIDER — contemplative-counsel.
Do you know how God arranges them and makes the lightning of his cloud flash?
'Do you know how God lays his command upon them and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?' tracks MT.
Do you understand the balancing of the clouds — the wonders of the One perfect in knowledge?
'Do you know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge' tracks MT.
You — whose garments grow hot when the earth lies still under the south wind —
'You whose garments are hot when the earth is still because of the south wind?' tracks MT.
Can you, with him, spread out the sky — hard as a mirror of cast bronze?
'Can you, like him, spread out the skies, hard as a cast metal mirror?' tracks MT. SKIES-LIKE-CAST-MIRROR — bronze-mirror cosmology.
Teach us what we should say to him — we cannot draw up our case because of the darkness.
'Teach us what we shall say to him; we cannot draw up our case because of darkness' tracks MT.
Should he be told that I wish to speak? If a man speaks, he would be swallowed up.
'Shall it be told him that I would speak? Did a man ever wish that he would be swallowed up?' tracks MT.
Now — no one can look at the light when it blazes in the skies, but a wind passes and sweeps them clear.
'And now no one looks on the light when it is bright in the skies, when the wind has passed and cleared them' tracks MT.
From the north, golden splendor comes. Around God — awesome majesty.
'Out of the north comes golden splendor; God is clothed with awesome majesty' tracks MT. GOLDEN-SPLENDOR-FROM-NORTH — theophany-imagery. Ezekiel 1:4's vision-from-the-north shares the cosmology.
The Almighty — we cannot find him out. He is great in power and justice; abundant in righteousness, he does not oppress.
'The Almighty — we cannot find him out; he is great in power; justice and abundant righteousness he will not violate' tracks MT. CANNOT-FIND-HIM-OUT — divine-incomprehensibility. Romans 11:33 ('how unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!') extends.
Therefore mortals fear him. He has no regard for any who are wise in their own eyes.
'Therefore men fear him; he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit' tracks MT. CLOSES Elihu's speeches with fear-of-God axiom.