Jeremiah 10:13
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It's easy to read this as just a description of a storm, but the text emphasizes God's deliberate, even hidden, control over these powerful elements. The phrase "out of his treasures" suggests that the wind, like all of creation, is not random but comes from a divine, well-stocked reserve, under His sovereign command.
When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is contrasting the true God with lifeless idols by showcasing God's power over the natural world. He describes how God orchestrates storms, bringing thunder, rain, lightning, and wind from His divine stores. This imagery emphasizes that unlike idols, God is alive, powerful, and actively controls creation, making Him the only one worthy of worship.
Have you ever felt the raw power of a thunderstorm? Jeremiah connects this awesome display to God's direct command.
Jeremiah 10:13 opens with "When he utters his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens." The "voice" here is universally understood by commentators to be thunder. This isn't just random noise; it's the sound of God's authoritative command. And what happens when God speaks thunder? A 'multitude of waters' – a torrential downpour – immediately follows. This highlights that even the most dramatic and seemingly chaotic weather events are orchestrated by God's word. He doesn't just cause storms; He commands them into being.
How does rain get into the sky to begin with? This verse points to God's invisible work all around us.
The verse continues, 'and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth.' This describes the unseen process of evaporation and condensation that forms clouds. God is at work not just in the dramatic thunder and lightning, but also in the subtle, continuous lifting of moisture from the very edges of the planet. It's a reminder that God's power is present in both the grand spectacles and the quiet, foundational processes that sustain the world.
Where do wind and lightning come from? Jeremiah reveals they are not random, but stored and released by God.
Finally, Jeremiah states, 'he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.' The connection of lightning rain shows God orchestrating these elements together, not as separate forces but as parts of a unified display of His power. Even more striking is the concept of wind coming 'out of his treasures.' This imagery suggests that wind isn't just atmospheric movement; it's something God stores and releases at will from His infinite reserves. It speaks to His complete sovereignty over all atmospheric phenomena, including the powerful and often unpredictable winds.
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This Psalm directly parallels Jeremiah's description of God bringing forth vapor, lightning, and wind, highlighting God's sovereign control over the elements.
Psalm 29:3This Psalm vividly describes God's voice (thunder) over the waters, connecting the sound of thunder to God's powerful pronouncements that shake the natural world.
Job 38:22-24Here, God challenges Job by asking if he has entered the storehouses of snow and hail, or directed the wind and rain, emphasizing that these powerful forces are under God's exclusive command and provision.
Psalm 104:4This verse describes God making His messengers (winds) and His ministers (flames of fire), connecting divine power with natural phenomena like wind and lightning as His instruments.
barnesJeremiah 10:13: "When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures."
When ... - i. e., the rushing downpour of rain follows immediately upon the thunder. The rest of the verse is identical with marginal reference; but probably the words belong to Jeremiah, the Psalm being of comparatively late date. With rain - For the rain Ps…
calvinJeremiah 10:12-13: "He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion."
When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.
Ad vocem dando sonitum aquarum (vel potius copiam aquarum) in coelis; et ascendere faciens elevationes ab extre…
It's easy to read this as just a description of a storm, but the text emphasizes God's deliberate, even hidden, control over these powerful elements. The phrase "out of his treasures" suggests that the wind, like all of creation, is not random but comes from a divine, well-stocked reserve, under His sovereign command.
Jeremiah is contrasting the true God with lifeless idols by showcasing God's power over the natural world. He describes how God orchestrates storms, bringing thunder, rain, lightning, and wind from His divine stores. This imagery emphasizes that unlike idols, God is alive, powerful, and actively controls creation, making Him the only one worthy of worship.
Jeremiah is contrasting the true God with lifeless idols by showcasing God's power over the natural world. He describes how God orchestrates storms, bringing thunder, rain, lightning, and wind from His divine stores. This imagery emphasizes that unlike idols, God is alive, powerful, and actively controls creation, making Him the only one worthy of worship.
"When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses." — It's easy to read this as just a description of a storm, but the text emphasizes God's deliberate, even hidden, control over these powerful elements. The phrase "out of his treasures" suggests that t…
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Last reviewed October 2026
