The Thunder of His Voice
Elihu's heart pounds at the thunder. He describes snow, ice, and clouds wheeling at God's command, sent for correction or for covenant love, and asks whether Job can spread the skies. Stand still and consider, he says, as a storm gathers on the horizon.
37 1"At this also my heart trembles and leaps from its place. 2Listen closely to the thunder of his voice, to the rumbling that goes out from his mouth. 3Under the whole heaven he lets it loose, and his lightning to the corners of the earth. 4After it a voice roars; he thunders with his majestic voice, and he does not hold back the lightning when his voice is heard. 5God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things that we cannot comprehend. 6For to the snow he says, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.' 7He seals up the hand of every person, so that everyone he has made may know his work. a a v7 "Seals up the hand" is a Hebrew idiom: God's storm halts all human work, making people stop and notice what he is doing. 8Then the animals go into their lairs and stay in their dens. 9From its chamber comes the whirlwind, and from the scattering winds the cold. 10By the breath of God ice forms, and the broad waters freeze solid. 11He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning. 12They turn round and round by his guidance, to do whatever he commands them across the face of the inhabited world. 13Whether for correction, or for his land, or for covenant love, he makes it happen.
14"Listen to this, Job; stand still and consider the wonders of God. 15Do you know how God lays his command on them, and makes the lightning of his cloud flash? 16Do you know how the clouds hang balanced, the wonders of the one perfect in knowledge? 17You whose clothes are hot when the land lies still under the south wind, 18can you, with him, spread out the skies, hard as a mirror of cast metal?
19"Teach us what we should say to him; we cannot make our case because of the darkness. 20Should he be told that I want to speak? Would anyone ask to be swallowed up? 21And now no one can look at the light when it is bright in the skies, after the wind has passed and cleared them. 22Out of the north comes golden splendor; awesome majesty surrounds God. 23The Almighty—we cannot reach him; he is great in power, yet in justice and abundant righteousness he does no wrong. 24Therefore people fear him; he pays no attention to those who are wise in their own eyes."
