Bible Commentaries
Job 37

Verse 1

37:1 At this also my heart {a} trembleth, and is moved out of his place.

(a) At the marvelling of the thunder and lightnings: by which he declares that the faithful are lively touched with the majesty of God, when they behold his works.

Verse 2

37:2 Hear attentively the {b} noise of his voice, and the sound [that] goeth out of his mouth.

(b) That is the thunder, by which he speaks to men to waken their dullness, and to bring them to the consideration of his works.

Verse 4

37:4 After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay {c} them when his voice is heard.

(c) Meaning, the rains and thunders.

Verse 6

37:6 For he saith to the snow, Be thou [on] the earth; {d} likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.

(d) So that neither small rain nor great, snow nor anything else comes without God’s appointment.

Verse 7

37:7 He {e} sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work.

(e) By rains and thunders God causes men to keep themselves within their houses.

Verse 9

37:9 Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the {f} north.

(f) In Hebrew it is called the scattering wind, because it drives away the clouds and purges the air.

Verse 10

37:10 By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters {g} is straitened.

(g) That is, frozen up and dried.

Verse 11

37:11 Also by watering he {h} wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his {i} bright cloud:

(h) Gather the vapours and move to and fro to water the earth.

(i) That is, the cloud that has lightning in it.

Verse 13

37:13 He causeth it to come, whether for {k} correction, or for his land, or for mercy.

(k) Rain, cold, heat, tempests and such like are sent from God, either to punish man, or to profit the earth, or to declare his favour toward man, as in Job 36:31.

Verse 15

37:15 Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the {l} light of his cloud to shine?

(l) That is, the lightning to break forth in the clouds?

Verse 16

37:16 Dost thou know the {m} balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?

(m) Which is sometimes changed into rain, or snow, hail or such like.

Verse 17

37:17 How thy garments [are] {n} warm, when he quieteth the earth by the south [wind]?

(n) Why your clothes should keep you warm when the south wind blows rather than when any other wind blows?

Verse 18

37:18 Hast thou with him spread out the sky, [which is] strong, [and] as a molten looking {o} glass?

(o) For the clearness.

Verse 19

37:19 Teach us what we shall say unto him; [for] we cannot order [our speech] by reason of {p} darkness.

(p) That is, our ignorance: signifying that Job was so presumptuous, that he would control the works of God.

Verse 20

37:20 Shall it be {q} told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up.

(q) Has God need that any should tell him when man murmurs against him?

Verse 21

37:21 And now [men] see not the bright light {s} which [is] in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them.

(s) The cloud stops the shining of the sun, that man cannot see it till the wind has chased away the cloud: and if man is not able to attain to the knowledge of these things, how much less God’s judgments?

Verse 22

37:22 {t} Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God [is] terrible majesty.

(t) In Hebrew, gold, meaning fair weather and clear as gold.

Verse 23

37:23 [Touching] the Almighty, we cannot find him out: [he is] excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not {u} afflict.

(u) Meaning, without cause.