Job 36:26-37:24
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
26 See, God is great beyond our knowledge,
the number of his years past searching out.
27 He holds in check the waterdrops
that filter in rain from his flood,
28 Till the clouds flow with them
and they rain down on all humankind.
29 [a]Can anyone understand the spreading clouds,
the thunderings from his tent?
30 Look, he spreads his light over it,
it covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by these he judges the nations,
and gives food in abundance.
32 In his hands he holds the lightning,
and he commands it to strike the mark.
33 His thunder announces him
and incites the fury of the storm.
Chapter 37
1 At this my heart trembles
and leaps out of its place.
2 Listen to his angry voice[b]
and the rumble that comes forth from his mouth!
3 Everywhere under the heavens he sends it,
with his light, to the ends of the earth.
4 Again his voice roars,
his majestic voice thunders;
he does not restrain them when his voice is heard.
5 God thunders forth marvels with his voice;
he does great things beyond our knowing.
6 He says to the snow, “Fall to the earth”;
likewise to his heavy, drenching rain.
7 He shuts up all humankind indoors,
so that all people may know his work.
8 The wild beasts take to cover
and remain quiet in their dens.
9 Out of its chamber the tempest comes forth;
from the north winds, the cold.
10 With his breath God brings the frost,
and the broad waters congeal.(A)
11 The clouds too are laden with moisture,
the storm-cloud scatters its light.
12 [c]He it is who changes their rounds, according to his plans,
to do all that he commands them
across the inhabited world.
13 Whether for punishment or mercy,
he makes it happen.
14 Listen to this, Job!
Stand and consider the marvels of God!
15 Do you know how God lays his command upon them,
and makes the light shine forth from his clouds?
16 Do you know how the clouds are banked,
the marvels of him who is perfect in knowledge?
17 You, who swelter in your clothes
when calm lies over the land from the south,
18 Can you with him spread out the firmament of the skies,
hard as a molten mirror?[d]
19 Teach us then what we shall say to him;
we cannot, for the darkness, make our plea.
20 Will he be told about it when I speak?
Can anyone talk when he is being destroyed?
21 Rather, 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.[e]
22 From Zaphon[f] the golden splendor comes,
surrounding God’s awesome majesty!
23 The Almighty! We cannot find him,
preeminent in power and judgment,
abundant in justice, who never oppresses.
24 Therefore people fear him;
none can see him, however wise their hearts.[g]
Footnotes
- 36:29–31 The translation of these verses is uncertain.
- 37:2 Voice: the thunder.
- 37:12–13 The translation of these verses is uncertain.
- 37:18 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).
- 37:21 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.
- 37:22 Zaphon: the mythical mountain of the gods; cf. note on 26:7.
- 37:24 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.
Job 36:26-37:24
New International Version
27 “He draws up the drops of water,(C)
which distill as rain to the streams[a];(D)
28 the clouds pour down their moisture
and abundant showers(E) fall on mankind.(F)
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
how he thunders(G) from his pavilion?(H)
30 See how he scatters his lightning(I) about him,
bathing the depths of the sea.(J)
31 This is the way he governs[b] the nations(K)
and provides food(L) in abundance.(M)
32 He fills his hands with lightning
and commands it to strike its mark.(N)
33 His thunder announces the coming storm;(O)
even the cattle make known its approach.[c](P)
37 “At this my heart pounds(Q)
and leaps from its place.
2 Listen!(R) Listen to the roar of his voice,(S)
to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.(T)
3 He unleashes his lightning(U) beneath the whole heaven
and sends it to the ends of the earth.(V)
4 After that comes the sound of his roar;
he thunders(W) with his majestic voice.(X)
When his voice resounds,
he holds nothing back.
5 God’s voice thunders(Y) in marvelous ways;(Z)
he does great things beyond our understanding.(AA)
6 He says to the snow,(AB) ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’(AC)
7 So that everyone he has made may know his work,(AD)
he stops all people from their labor.[d](AE)
8 The animals take cover;(AF)
they remain in their dens.(AG)
9 The tempest comes out from its chamber,(AH)
the cold from the driving winds.(AI)
10 The breath of God produces ice,
and the broad waters become frozen.(AJ)
11 He loads the clouds with moisture;(AK)
he scatters his lightning(AL) through them.(AM)
12 At his direction they swirl around
over the face of the whole earth
to do whatever he commands them.(AN)
13 He brings the clouds to punish people,(AO)
or to water his earth and show his love.(AP)
14 “Listen(AQ) to this, Job;
stop and consider God’s wonders.(AR)
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
and makes his lightning(AS) flash?(AT)
16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,(AU)
those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?(AV)
17 You who swelter in your clothes
when the land lies hushed under the south wind,(AW)
18 can you join him in spreading out the skies,(AX)
hard as a mirror of cast bronze?(AY)
19 “Tell us what we should say to him;(AZ)
we cannot draw up our case(BA) because of our darkness.(BB)
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,(BC)
bright as it is in the skies
after the wind has swept them clean.
22 Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;(BD)
God comes in awesome majesty.(BE)
23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;(BF)
in his justice(BG) and great righteousness, he does not oppress.(BH)
24 Therefore, people revere him,(BI)
for does he not have regard for all the wise(BJ) in heart?[e]”
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