Job 36:26–37:24

²⁶“Look, God is greater than we can understand.

His years cannot be counted.

²⁷He draws up the water vapor

and then distills it into rain.

²⁸The rain pours down from the clouds,

and everyone benefits.

²⁹Who can understand the spreading of the clouds

and the thunder that rolls forth from heaven?

³⁰See how he spreads the lightning around him

and how it lights up the depths of the sea.

³¹By these mighty acts he nourishes the people,

giving them food in abundance.

³²He fills his hands with lightning bolts

and hurls each at its target.

³³The thunder announces his presence;

the storm announces his indignant anger.

Chapter 37

¹“My heart pounds as I think of this.

It trembles within me.

²Listen carefully to the thunder of God’s voice

as it rolls from his mouth.

³It rolls across the heavens,

and his lightning flashes in every direction.

⁴Then comes the roaring of the thunder—

the tremendous voice of his majesty.

He does not restrain it when he speaks.

⁵God’s voice is glorious in the thunder.

We can’t even imagine the greatness of his power.

⁶“He directs the snow to fall on the earth

and tells the rain to pour down.

⁷Then everyone stops working

so they can watch his power.

⁸The wild animals take cover

and stay inside their dens.

⁹The stormy wind comes from its chamber,

and the driving winds bring the cold.

¹⁰God’s breath sends the ice,

freezing wide expanses of water.

¹¹He loads the clouds with moisture,

and they flash with his lightning.

¹²The clouds churn about at his direction.

They do whatever he commands throughout the earth.

¹³He makes these things happen either to punish people

or to show his unfailing love.

¹⁴“Pay attention to this, Job.

Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God!

¹⁵Do you know how God controls the storm

and causes the lightning to flash from his clouds?

¹⁶Do you understand how he moves the clouds

with wonderful perfection and skill?

¹⁷When you are sweltering in your clothes

and the south wind dies down and everything is still,

¹⁸he makes the skies reflect the heat like a bronze mirror.

Can you do that?

¹⁹“So teach the rest of us what to say to God.

We are too ignorant to make our own arguments.

²⁰Should God be notified that I want to speak?

Can people even speak when they are confused?

²¹We cannot look at the sun,

for it shines brightly in the sky

when the wind clears away the clouds.

²²So also, golden splendor comes from the mountain of God.

He is clothed in dazzling splendor.

²³We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty;

but even though he is just and righteous,

he does not destroy us.

²⁴No wonder people everywhere fear him.

All who are wise show him reverence.”