Job 37:14-21

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 37:14-20

Elihu here addresses himself closely to Job, desiring him to apply what he had hitherto said to himself. He begs that he would hearken to this discourse (Job 37:14), that he would pause awhile: Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. What we hear is not likely to profit us unless we consider it, and we are not likely to consider things fully unless we stand still and compose ourselves to the consideration of them. The works of God, being wondrous, both deserve and need our... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 37:21-24

Elihu here concludes his discourse with some short but great sayings concerning the glory of God, as that which he was himself impressed, and desired to impress others, with a holy awe of. He speaks concisely, and in haste, because, it should seem, he perceived that God was about to take the work into his own hands. 1. He observes that God who has said that he will dwell in the thick darkness and make that his pavilion (2 Chron. 6:1; Ps. 18:11) is in that awful chariot advancing towards them,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 37:14

Hearken unto this, O Job ,.... Either to the present clap of thunder then heard; or rather to what Elihu had last said concerning clouds of rain coming for correction or mercy; and improve it and apply it to his own case, and consider whether the afflictions he was under were for the reproof and correction of him for sin, or in mercy and love to his soul and for his good, as both might be the case; or to what he had further to say to him, which was but little more, and he should conclude; ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 37:15

Dost thou know when God disposed them ?.... The clouds, that part of the wondrous works of God he was speaking of; when he decreed concerning them that they should be, when he put into them and stored them with rain, hail, snow, &c.; disposed of them here and there in the heavens, and gave them orders to fall on this and the other spot of ground; wast thou present at all this, and knew what God was doing secretly in the clouds, and before heard what would break out of them, or fall from... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 37:16

Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds ?.... How those ponderous bodies, as some of them are very weighty, full of water, are poised, and hang in the air, without turning this way or the other, or falling on the earth; the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge ; of God, who is a God of knowledge, of knowledges, 1 Samuel 2:3 ; who knows himself and all his works, all creatures and things whatever, see Job 36:4 ; and this is another of his wondrous works, which none... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 37:17

How thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the south wind ? One should think there is no great difficulty in accounting for this, that a man's clothes should be warm, and he so hot as not to be able to bear them, but obliged to put them off in the summer season, when only the south wind blows, which brings heat, a serene sky, and fine weather, Luke 12:55 ; and yet there is something in the concourse of divine Providence attending these natural causes, and his blessing... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 37:18

Hast thou with him spread out the sky ?.... Wast thou concerned with him at the first spreading out of the sky? wast thou an assistant to him in it? did he not spread it as a curtain or canopy about himself, without the help of another? verily he did; see Job 9:8 , Isaiah 44:24 ; which is strong : for though it seems a fluid and thin, is very firm and strong, as appears by what it bears, and are contained in it; and therefore is called "the firmament of his power", Psalm 150:1 ; ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 37:19

Teach us what we shall say unto him ,.... To this wonder working God, of whose common works of nature we know so little; how we should reason with him about his works of Providence, when we know so little of these: for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness ; by reason of darkness in themselves, which is in all men naturally, and even in the saints in this state of imperfection; and by reason of the clouds and darkness which are about the Lord himself, who is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 37:20

Shall it be told him that I speak ?.... And what I speak? there is no need of it, since he is omniscient, and knows every word that is spoken by men; or is anything I have said concerning him, his ways, and his works, worthy relating, or worthy of his hearing, being so very imperfect? nor can the things I have spoken of, though common things, be fully explained to any; or should it be told him, the Lord, that he, Elihu, had spoke as Job had done, and arraigned his justice, and complained of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 37:21

And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds ,.... Here Elihu returns to his subject, it may be, occasioned by black clouds gathering in the heavens, as a preparation for the whirlwind, storm, and tempest, out of which the Lord is said to speak in the next chapter. And this is to be understood, not of the lightning in the cloud, which is not to be seen until it breaks out of it; nor the rainbow in the cloud, formed by the rays of light from the sun, which disappears when the... read more

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