Job 37:5-13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 37:1-5

Thunder and lightning, which usually go together, are sensible indications of the glory and majesty, the power and terror, of Almighty God, one to the ear and the other to the eye; in these God leaves not himself without witness of his greatness, as, in the rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, he leaves not himself without witness of his goodness (Acts 14:17), even to the most stupid and unthinking. Though there are natural causes and useful effects of them, which the philosophers undertake... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 37:6-13

The changes and extremities of the weather, wet or dry, hot or cold, are the subject of a great deal of our common talk and observation; but how seldom do we think and speak of these things, as Elihu does here, with an awful regard to God the director of them, who shows his power and serves the purposes of his providence by them! We must take notice of the glory of God, not only in the thunder and lightning, but in the more common revolutions of the weather, which are not so terrible and which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 37:5

God thundereth marvellously with his voice ,.... Or "marvels" F3 נפלאות "mirabilia", Pagninus, Montanus. , or marvellous things, which may respect the marvellous effects of thunder and lightning: such as rending rocks and mountains; throwing down high and strong towers; shattering to pieces high and mighty oaks and cedars, and other such like effects, mentioned in Psalm 29:5 ; and there are some things reported which seem almost incredible, were they not well attested facts; as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 37:6

For he saith to the snow, be thou on the earth ,.... In the original it is, be thou earth: hence one of the Rabbins formed a notion, that the earth was created from snow under the throne of glory, which is justly censured by Maimonides F6 Moreh Nevochim, par. 2. c. 26. ; for there is a defect of the letter ב , as in 2 Chronicles 34:30 ; as Aben Ezra observes; and therefore rightly supplied by us, on the earth. This is one of the great and incomprehensible things of God. What is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 37:7

He sealeth up the hand of every man ,.... That is, by deep snows and heavy rains being on the earth; where, as travellers are stopped in their journeys, and cannot proceed, so various artificers are hindered from their work, and husbandmen especially from their employment in the fields; so that their hands are as it were shut up and sealed, that they cannot work with them. Sephorno interprets this of the fruits and increase of the earth being produced and brought to perfection by means of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 37:8

Then the beasts go into dens ,.... When snow and rains are on the earth in great abundance, then the wild beasts of the field, not being able to prowl about, betake themselves to dens; where they lie in wait, lurking for any prey that may pass by, from whence they spring and seize it; and remain in their places ; until the snow and rains are finished. As for other beasts, Olaus Magnus F13 Ut supra. (De Ritu Gent. Septentr. l. 19. c. 15.) observes, that when such large snows fall,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 37:9

Out of the south cometh the whirlwind ,.... Or "from the chamber" F14 מן החדר "de penetali", Montanus; so Junius and Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Schultens. ; from the chamber of the cloud, as Ben Gersom, from the inside of it; or from the treasury of God, who bringeth the wind out of his treasures; alluding to chambers where treasures are kept; or from the heavens, shut up and veiled around with clouds like a pavilion: but because we read of the chambers of the south, Job 9:9 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 37:10

By the breath of God frost is given ,.... By the word of God, as the Targum; at his command it is, at his word it comes, and at his word it goes, Psalm 147:15 ; or by his will, as Ben Gersom interprets it, when it is his pleasure it should be, it appears; it may be understood of a freezing wind from the Lord, for a wind is sometimes expressed by the breath of his nostrils, Psalm 18:15 ; and as the word "God" added to things increases the signification of them, as mountains of God are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 37:11

Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud ,.... By filling it with a multitude of water, it is as it were loaded and made weary with it; and especially by sending it about thus loaded from place to place before discharged, when it becomes as a weary traveller; and then by letting down the water in it, whereby it spends itself like one that is weary; an emblem of ministers that spend and are spent for the good of men: some render it by serenity or fair weather, and so Mr. Broughton, "by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 37:12

And it is turned round about by his counsels ,.... The cloud is, and that by the wind, which is turned about to all points of the compass, according to the will of God; by the counsels of him who sits at the helm, as the word signifies, and orders all things according to the counsel of his own will: to which owing every shifting of the wind, and the various motions of the clouds; that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth ; as all his creatures... read more

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