23 Touching the Almighty, H7706 we cannot find him out: H4672 he is excellent H7689 in power, H3581 and in judgment, H4941 and in plenty H7230 of justice: H6666 he will not afflict. H6031
Who G3588 only G3441 hath G2192 immortality, G110 dwelling G3611 in the light G5457 which no man G3762 can approach unto; G676 whom G3739 no man G444 hath seen, G1492 nor G3761 can G1410 see: G1492 to whom G3739 be honour G5092 and G2532 power G2904 everlasting. G166 Amen. G281
He is wise H2450 in heart, H3824 and mighty H533 in strength: H3581 who hath hardened H7185 himself against him, and hath prospered? H7999
He hath made H6213 every thing beautiful H3303 in his time: H6256 also he hath set H5414 the world H5769 in their heart, H3820 so that H1097 no man H120 can find out H4672 the work H4639 that God H430 maketh H6213 from the beginning H7218 to the end. H5490
For G1063 they verily G3303 for G4314 a few G3641 days G2250 chastened G3811 us after G2596 their own G846 pleasure; G1380 but G1161 he for G1909 our profit, G4851 that G1519 we might be partakers G3335 of his G846 holiness. G41
All things G3956 are delivered G3860 to me G3427 of G5259 my G3450 Father: G3962 and G2532 no man G3762 knoweth G1097 who G5101 the Son G5207 is, G2076 but G1508 the Father; G3962 and G2532 who G5101 the Father G3962 is, G2076 but G1508 the Son, G5207 and G2532 he to whom G3739 G1437 the Son G5207 will G1014 reveal G601 him.
And G2532 lead G1533 us G2248 not G3361 into G1519 temptation, G3986 but G235 deliver G4506 us G2248 from G575 evil: G4190 For G3754 thine G4675 is G2076 the kingdom, G932 and G2532 the power, G1411 and G2532 the glory, G1391 for G1519 ever. G165 Amen. G281
But though he cause grief, H3013 yet will he have compassion H7355 according to the multitude H7230 of his mercies. H2617 For he doth not afflict H6031 willingly H3820 nor grieve H3013 the children H1121 of men. H376
In all their affliction H6869 he was afflicted, H6862 and the angel H4397 of his presence H6440 saved H3467 them: in his love H160 and in his pity H2551 he redeemed H1350 them; and he bare H5190 them, and carried H5375 them all the days H3117 of old. H5769
Tell H5046 ye, and bring them near; H5066 yea, let them take counsel H3289 together: H3162 who hath declared H8085 this from ancient time? H6924 who hath told H5046 it from that time? have not I the LORD? H3068 and there is no God H430 else beside H1107 me; a just H6662 God H410 and a Saviour; H3467 there is none H369 beside H2108 me.
Doth God H410 pervert H5791 judgment? H4941 or doth the Almighty H7706 pervert H5791 justice? H6664
I neither learned H3925 wisdom, H2451 nor have H3045 the knowledge H1847 of the holy. H6918 Who hath ascended up H5927 into heaven, H8064 or descended? H3381 who hath gathered H622 the wind H7307 in his fists? H2651 who hath bound H6887 the waters H4325 in a garment? H8071 who hath established H6965 all the ends H657 of the earth? H776 what is his name, H8034 and what is his son's H1121 name, H8034 if thou canst tell? H3045
Which made H6213 heaven, H8064 and earth, H776 the sea, H3220 and all that therein is: which keepeth H8104 truth H571 for ever: H5769 Which executeth H6213 judgment H4941 for the oppressed: H6231 which giveth H5414 food H3899 to the hungry. H7457 The LORD H3068 looseth H5425 the prisoners: H631
The LORD H3068 reigneth, H4427 he is clothed H3847 with majesty; H1348 the LORD H3068 is clothed H3847 with strength, H5797 wherewith he hath girded H247 himself: the world H8398 also is stablished, H3559 that it cannot be moved. H4131
God H430 hath spoken H1696 once; H259 twice H8147 have I heard H8085 this; H2098 that power H5797 belongeth unto God. H430
Thy mercy, H2617 O LORD, H3068 is in the heavens; H8064 and thy faithfulness H530 reacheth unto the clouds. H7834 Thy righteousness H6666 is like the great H410 mountains; H2042 thy judgments H4941 are a great H7227 deep: H8415 O LORD, H3068 thou preservest H3467 man H120 and beast. H929 How excellent H3368 is thy lovingkindness, H2617 O God! H430 therefore the children H1121 of men H120 put their trust H2620 under the shadow H6738 of thy wings. H3671
Teach H3045 us what we shall say H559 unto him; for we cannot order H6186 our speech by reason H6440 of darkness. H2822
But now he hath made me weary: H3811 thou hast made desolate H8074 all my company. H5712 And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, H7059 which is a witness H5707 against me: and my leanness H3585 rising up H6965 in me beareth witness H6030 to my face. H6440 He teareth H2963 me in his wrath, H639 who hateth H7852 me: he gnasheth H2786 upon me with his teeth; H8127 mine enemy H6862 sharpeneth H3913 his eyes H5869 upon me. They have gaped H6473 upon me with their mouth; H6310 they have smitten H5221 me upon the cheek H3895 reproachfully; H2781 they have gathered H4390 themselves together H3162 against me. God H410 hath delivered H5462 me to the ungodly, H5760 and turned me over H3399 into the hands H3027 of the wicked. H7563 I was at ease, H7961 but he hath broken me asunder: H6565 he hath also taken H270 me by my neck, H6203 and shaken me to pieces, H6327 and set me up H6965 for his mark. H4307 His archers H7228 compass me round about, H5437 he cleaveth H6398 my reins H3629 asunder, H6398 and doth not spare; H2550 he poureth out H8210 my gall H4845 upon the ground. H776 He breaketh H6555 me with breach H6556 upon H6440 breach, H6556 he runneth H7323 upon me like a giant. H1368 I have sewed H8609 sackcloth H8242 upon my skin, H1539 and defiled H5953 my horn H7161 in the dust. H6083 My face H6440 is foul H2560 with weeping, H1065 and on my eyelids H6079 is the shadow of death; H6757 Not for any injustice H2555 in mine hands: H3709 also my prayer H8605 is pure. H2134
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Job 37
Commentary on Job 37 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 37
Job 37:1-24.
1. At this—when I hear the thundering of the Divine Majesty. Perhaps the storm already had begun, out of which God was to address Job (Job 38:1).
2. Hear attentively—the thunder (noise), &c., and then you will feel that there is good reason to tremble.
sound—muttering of the thunder.
3. directeth it—however zigzag the lightning's course; or, rather, it applies to the pealing roll of the thunder. God's all-embracing power.
ends—literally, "wings," "skirts," the habitable earth being often compared to an extended garment (Job 38:13; Isa 11:12).
4. The thunderclap follows at an interval after the flash.
stay them—He will not hold back the lightnings (Job 37:3), when the thunder is heard [Maurer]. Rather, take "them" as the usual concomitants of thunder, namely, rain and hail [Umbreit] (Job 40:9).
5. (Job 36:26; Ps 65:6; 139:14). The sublimity of the description lies in this, that God is everywhere in the storm, directing it whither He will [Barnes]. See Ps 29:1-11, where, as here, the "voice" of God is repeated with grand effect. The thunder in Arabia is sublimely terrible.
6. Be—more forcible than "fall," as Umbreit translates Ge 1:3.
to the small rain, &c.—He saith, Be on the earth. The shower increasing from "small" to "great," is expressed by the plural "showers" (Margin), following the singular "shower." Winter rain (So 2:11).
7. In winter God stops man's out-of-doors activity.
sealeth—closeth up (Job 9:7). Man's "hands" are then tied up.
his work—in antithesis to man's own work ("hand") which at other times engages men so as to make them liable to forget their dependence on God. Umbreit more literally translates, That all men whom He has made (literally, "of His making") may be brought to acknowledgment."
8. remain—rest in their lairs. It is beautifully ordered that during the cold, when they could not obtain food, many lie torpid, a state wherein they need no food. The desolation of the fields, at God's bidding, is poetically graphic.
9. south—literally, "chambers"; connected with the south (Job 9:9). The whirlwinds are poetically regarded as pent up by God in His southern chambers, whence He sends them forth (so Job 38:22; Ps 135:7). As to the southern whirlwinds (see Isa 21:1; Zec 9:14), they drive before them burning sands; chiefly from February to May.
the north—literally, "scattering"; the north wind scatters the clouds.
10. the breath of God—poetically, for the ice-producing north wind.
frost—rather, "ice."
straitened—physically accurate; frost compresses or contracts the expanded liquid into a congealed mass (Job 38:29, 30; Ps 147:17, 18).
11-13. How the thunderclouds are dispersed, or else employed by God, either for correction or mercy.
by watering—by loading it with water.
wearieth—burdeneth it, so that it falls in rain; thus "wearieth" answers to the parallel "scattereth" (compare, see on Job 37:9); a clear sky resulting alike from both.
bright cloud—literally, "cloud of his light," that is, of His lightning. Umbreit for "watering," &c., translates; "Brightness drives away the clouds, His light scattereth the thick clouds"; the parallelism is thus good, but the Hebrew hardly sanctions it.
12. it—the cloud of lightning.
counsels—guidance (Ps 148:8); literally, "steering"; the clouds obey God's guidance, as the ship does the helmsman. So the lightning (see on Job 36:31, 32); neither is haphazard in its movements.
they—the clouds, implied in the collective singular "it."
face of the world, &c.—in the face of the earth's circle.
13. Literally, "He maketh it (the rain-cloud) find place," whether for correction, if (it be destined) for His land (that is, for the part inhabited by man, with whom God deals, as opposed to the parts uninhabited, on which rain is at other times appointed to fall, Job 38:26, 27) or for mercy. "If it be destined for His land" is a parenthetical supposition [Maurer]. In English Version, this clause spoils the even balance of the antithesis between the "rod" (Margin) and "mercy" (Ps 68:9; Ge 7:1-24).
14. (Ps 111:2).
15. when—rather, "how."
disposed them—lays His charge on these "wonders" (Job 37:14) to arise.
light—lightning.
shine—flash. How is it that light arises from the dark thundercloud?
16. Hebrew, "Hast thou understanding of the balancings," &c., how the clouds are poised in the air, so that their watery gravity does not bring them to the earth? The condensed moisture, descending by gravity, meets a warmer temperature, which dissipates it into vapor (the tendency of which is to ascend) and so counteracts the descending force.
perfect in knowledge—God; not here in the sense that Elihu uses it of himself (Job 36:4).
dost thou know—how, &c.
17. thy garments, &c.—that is, dost thou know how thy body grows warm, so as to affect thy garments with heat?
south wind—literally, "region of the south." "When He maketh still (and sultry) the earth (that is, the atmosphere) by (during) the south wind" (So 4:16).
18. with him—like as He does (Job 40:15).
spread out—given expanse to.
strong pieces—firm; whence the term "firmament" ("expansion," Ge 1:6, Margin; Isa 44:24).
molten looking glass—image of the bright smiling sky. Mirrors were then formed of molten polished metal, not glass.
19. Men cannot explain God's wonders; we ought, therefore, to be dumb and not contend with God. If Job thinks we ought, "let him teach us, what we shall say."
order—frame.
darkness—of mind; ignorance. "The eyes are bewilderingly blinded, when turned in bold controversy with God towards the sunny heavens" (Job 37:18) [Umbreit].
20. What I a mortal say against God's dealings is not worthy of being told Him. In opposition to Job's wish to "speak" before God (Job 13:3, 18-22).
if … surely he shall be swallowed up—The parallelism more favors Umbreit, "Durst a man speak (before Him, complaining) that he is (without cause) being destroyed?"
21. cleanseth—that is, cleareth the air of clouds. When the "bright light" of the sun, previously not seen through "clouds," suddenly shines out from behind them, owing to the wind clearing them away, the effect is dazzling to the eye; so if God's majesty, now hidden, were suddenly revealed in all its brightness, it would spread darkness over Job's eyes, anxious as he is for it (compare, see on Job 37:19) [Umbreit]. It is because now man sees not the bright sunlight (God's dazzling majesty), owing to the intervening "clouds" (Job 26:9), that they dare to wish to "speak" before God (Job 37:20). Prelude to God's appearance (Job 38:1). The words also hold true in a sense not intended by Elihu, but perhaps included by the Holy Ghost. Job and other sufferers cannot see the light of God's countenance through the clouds of trial: but the wind will soon clear them off, and God shall appear again: let them but wait patiently, for He still shines, though for a time they see Him not (see on Job 37:23).
22. Rather, "golden splendor." Maurer translates "gold." It is found in northern regions. But God cannot be "found out," because of His "Majesty" (Job 37:23). Thus the twenty-eighth chapter corresponds; English Version is simpler.
the north—Brightness is chiefly associated with it (see on Job 23:9). Here, perhaps, because the north wind clears the air (Pr 25:23). Thus this clause answers to the last of Job 37:21; as the second of this verse to the first of Job 37:21. Inverted parallelism. (See Isa 14:13; Ps 48:2).
with God—rather, "upon God," as a garment (Ps 104:1, 2).
majesty—splendor.
23. afflict—oppressively, so as to "pervert judgment" as Job implied (see on Job 8:3); but see on Job 37:21, end of note. The reading, "He answereth not," that is, gives no account of His dealings, is like a transcriber's correction, from Job 33:13, Margin.
24. do—rather, "ought."
wise—in their own conceits.