Job · chapter 37 of 42
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In Job 37 Elihu ends his speech as the storm draws near. He describes thunder as the voice of God, and snow, rain and ice as his orders over the earth, and asks Job to stop and consider God's wonders. He concludes that the Almighty is beyond our reach, great in power and justice, which is why people fear him.
This chapter ends Elihu's long monologue and closes the human dialogues of the book. Job 37 is a hymn to God's voice in nature, which naturally prepares what follows: the Lord will answer Job from the whirlwind. Elihu says nothing new about Job's suffering, but his closing points to God's greatness.
At the sound of thunder Elihu's heart trembles and leaps from its place. He asks that the roar of God's voice be heard, sounding under the whole heaven, and his lightning reaches the ends of the earth. After it a voice roars; he thunders with his majestic voice and does not restrain the lightning when his voice is heard. God thunders wondrously and does great things we cannot comprehend (vv. 1-5).
He tells the snow to fall on the earth and the shower to be a mighty downpour. He seals up the hand of every man, that all may know his work. The beasts go into their lairs. From its chamber comes the whirlwind and the cold from the scattering winds; by the breath of God ice is given and the waters freeze. He loads the clouds with moisture and scatters his lightning through them; they turn around by his guidance to do whatever he commands them on the face of the world, whether for correction, for his land or for love (vv. 6-13).
Elihu addresses Job: Hear this, stop and consider the wondrous works of God. Do you know how God lays his command upon them or makes the lightning flash from his cloud? Do you know the balancings of the clouds? You whose garments are hot when the earth is still under the south wind, can you with him spread out the skies, hard as a cast metal mirror? Teach us what we shall say to him; we cannot draw up our case because of darkness. Shall it be told him that I want to speak? Now no one can look on the light when it is bright in the skies, but the wind passes and clears them. Out of the north comes golden splendor; God is clothed with awesome majesty. The Almighty we cannot find; he is great in power, in justice and abundant righteousness, and he does not afflict. Therefore men fear him, and he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit (vv. 14-24).
References follow ESV book names and verse numbers. Read each verse in your Bible before the explanation.
Elihu affirms that God thunders wondrously with his voice and does great things we cannot comprehend. It sums up the whole chapter: nature shows a power that surpasses human understanding.
Elihu asks Job to hear, stop and consider God's wondrous works. It is an invitation to contemplation and silence, an attitude Job will have to learn when God speaks to him.
Elihu says we cannot draw up a case before God because of darkness and asks whether he should tell God that he wants to speak. It contrasts with Job, who does want to present his case, and sets the scene in which God will speak to Job.
Elihu concludes that the Almighty is beyond our reach, great in power and justice, and that is why people fear him. It is a correct claim: God is not an opponent who can be beaten in a debate.
6 questions with answers and references, ready for Sunday school, small group or a Bible quiz night.
Answer: His heart trembles and leaps from its place. — Job 37:1
Answer: The voice of God, who thunders wondrously. — Job 37:2-5
Answer: The snow to fall on the earth and the shower to be a mighty downpour. — Job 37:6
Answer: To do whatever he commands on the earth, whether for correction, for his land or for love. — Job 37:12-13
Answer: To hear, stop and consider the wondrous works of God. — Job 37:14
Answer: Beyond our reach, great in power and justice and abundant in righteousness; therefore people fear him. — Job 37:23-24
Job 37 invites us to stop and look. In a world of hurry, nature can remind us that God is greater than our problems. In a class or small group, a good practice is to set aside a moment to contemplate creation and thank God for it.
The chapter also reminds us that neither Elihu nor anyone can take in God. This humility is the first step toward mature faith: it is not about understanding everything but about trusting the one who holds everything. For the Christian, that greatness has come near in Christ, who calmed the storm and invites us to trust.
Job 37 closes Elihu's speech and all the human dialogues: no one else speaks. In chapter 38 the announced storm arrives and the Lord answers Job out of the whirlwind, with questions that do not explain his pain but invite him to trust.
Because the approaching storm prepares God's appearance in the next chapter, where he speaks from the whirlwind. Many readers see Elihu anticipating, without knowing it, the scene of God speaking in the tempest.
It is a poetic expression: winter and rain halt human work, so that people recognize that nature depends on God. Others read it as God stopping human activity so that people reflect on his work.
In what he says about God's greatness, yes. But in the book God does not answer Elihu or mention him at the end, and he does correct the three friends (Job 42:7). That is why many readers value his truths about God without taking his speech as the book's answer.