Job 37

General context

Elihu's speech continues. At this his heart trembles and moves from its place. He tells his hearers to listen to the noise of God's voice, which he directs under the whole heaven with lightning to the ends of the earth; a voice roars after it, God thunders with the voice of his excellency and does great things beyond comprehension. He says to the snow, Be on the earth, and to the small rain and the great rain; he seals up every man's hand so all may know his work, and the beasts go into their dens. The whirlwind comes from the south and cold from the north; by God's breath frost is given and the waters are straitened. He wearies the thick cloud with watering and scatters his bright cloud, which is turned about by his counsels to do what he commands on the face of the world, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy. Elihu tells Job to stand still and consider God's wondrous works: does Job know when God disposed them, or the balancings of the clouds, or how his garments are warm when God quiets the earth by the south wind? Has Job spread out the sky with him, strong as a molten looking glass? Elihu asks to be taught what to say, since they cannot order their speech for darkness; if a man speaks, he will be swallowed up. Men do not now see the bright light in the clouds, but the wind passes and clears them. Fair weather comes from the north, and with God is terrible majesty. The Almighty cannot be found out; he is excellent in power, judgment and justice, and will not afflict. Men therefore fear him; he does not respect any who are wise of heart.

Cited passages: Job 37:1, Job 37:2, Job 37:3, Job 37:4, Job 37:5, Job 37:6, Job 37:7, Job 37:8, Job 37:9, Job 37:10, Job 37:11, Job 37:12, Job 37:13, Job 37:14, Job 37:15, Job 37:16, Job 37:17, Job 37:18, Job 37:19, Job 37:20, Job 37:21, Job 37:22, Job 37:23, Job 37:24

Job 37 (KJV)

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Historical context

There is no new heading; the chapter continues the speech marked at the start of chapter 36 as Elihu's, and it is the last of his words in the book, since the next chapter opens with the Lord answering Job out of the whirlwind. Elihu names Job once, at verse 14, and otherwise speaks of God in the third person and of "we" and "us" when he says that speech fails for darkness. The account of thunder, snow, rain, frost, wind and clouds is Elihu's description; the chapter records no storm taking place. His line that the cloud comes "whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy" lists three purposes without saying which applies to Job. The statement that God "will not afflict" is Elihu's, and stands beside Job's earlier claim that God has afflicted him; the chapter does not reconcile them. The compass points, south and north, describe weather and name no places. Nothing in the chapter reports a response from Job or the friends.

Cited passages: Job 36:1, Job 38:1, Job 37:14, Job 37:19, Job 37:6, Job 37:13, Job 37:23, Job 30:11, Job 37:9

Literary context

The chapter is built on sound and sight. It opens with a trembling heart and a command to hear the noise of God's voice; thunder, roaring and the voice of his excellency fill the first verses, and "voice" occurs five times in the first five verses. Then the images become visible: snow, rain, frost, whirlwind, clouds scattered and turned about. The address narrows to Job at verse 14 and becomes a string of "Dost thou know" and "Hast thou" questions, asking whether Job knows the clouds' balancings or helped spread out the sky. Elihu then includes himself among those who cannot order their speech for darkness and would be swallowed up if they spoke. The ending sets "terrible majesty" and "we cannot find him out" beside "he will not afflict," a claim that answers Job's charge of a cruel God without engaging it. The chapter closes Elihu's speeches with a series of questions about the sky and the weather that Job cannot answer; the next chapter opens with the Lord speaking from a whirlwind, the very thing Elihu said comes out of the south, so Elihu's last theme becomes the setting for what follows.

Cited passages: Job 37:1, Job 37:2, Job 37:4, Job 37:5, Job 37:11, Job 37:14, Job 37:16, Job 37:18, Job 37:20, Job 37:22, Job 37:23, Job 30:21, Job 37:9, Job 38:1

Key moments

1. A trembling heart (Job 37:1). Elihu says his heart trembles at the thought of God's voice.
2. The voice of thunder (Job 37:5). Elihu says God thunders marvellously and does things beyond comprehension.
3. Snow and rain commanded (Job 37:6). Elihu says God speaks to the snow and rain and seals up every man's hand.
4. Correction, land or mercy (Job 37:13). Elihu says the cloud is sent for one of three purposes.
5. Stand still, Job (Job 37:14). Elihu tells Job to stand still and consider God's wondrous works.
6. Did you spread out the sky? (Job 37:18). Elihu asks whether Job helped God spread the sky like a molten mirror.
7. Terrible majesty (Job 37:22). Elihu closes by saying the Almighty cannot be found out and will not afflict.

For reflection

Elihu ends by saying the Almighty cannot be found out and will not afflict, and tells Job to stand still and consider. Job had said God afflicted him. Does pointing at the weather answer that, or set it aside?

People in this chapter

• Job