Keep listening to the thunder of his voice and the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse urges us to listen closely not just to the loud claps of thunder, but also to the "muttering" or "rumbling" – the subtler sounds that precede and follow. It calls us to recognize that God's powerful voice isn't only in the dramatic moments, but also in the quiet hints and murmurs that remind us of His presence and might.
Keep listening to the thunder of his voice and the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The young Elihu, having declared God's righteousness and wisdom, points to the ongoing storm and declares that the thunder is the very voice of God. He urges Job and his companions to stop and truly listen to these powerful sounds, as they are direct pronouncements from God's majestic presence. This sets the stage for God Himself to speak out of the whirlwind in the following chapter.
Elihu tells us to 'hear attentively' the thunder. Why would God's voice sound like thunder, and what does that reveal about Him?
Elihu uses thunder as a powerful metaphor for God's voice. It's not just a sound; it's a declaration of His immense power and presence.
A Majestic Sound
Think about the sheer force of thunder – it shakes the ground and fills the sky. Elihu points to this natural phenomenon and says, 'That's God speaking!' This isn't a gentle whisper; it's a mighty roar that demands attention.
More Than Just Noise
While thunder can be frightening, Elihu encourages listening attentively. This implies that the sound carries meaning. It's a reminder of God's sovereignty and majesty, a way He makes His greatness known to us.
The text suggests a storm is brewing. What does this dramatic weather imply about how God is about to reveal Himself?
The context around Job 37:2 strongly suggests that a literal storm is beginning to gather. Elihu isn't just speaking abstractly; he's using the immediate, unfolding weather event to point to something even bigger.
A Divine Entrance
Commentators noted that it was likely thundering while Elihu spoke, and that God Himself would soon speak out of this storm (as seen in Job 38:1). This means the thunder isn't just a symbol; it's the prelude to God's direct address.
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Urgent Invitation
Elihu's call to 'hear attentively' during this storm is an urgent invitation. He's urging Job and his friends not to miss the divine revelation unfolding before them. It's a call to be present and receptive when God makes His power and presence known in dramatic ways.
Understand the original words
qol · Hebrew Noun
The audible manifestation of divine authority, communication, and judgment. In Scripture, it is often associated with theophany (God appearing), signifying His sovereign control over creation and His direct interaction with humanity.
Elihu's words, spoken amidst a gathering storm, frame the thunder not just as a natural phenomenon but as a powerful, audible manifestation of God's majestic voice and sovereign authority.
c. 1200-1100 BC
Period of the Judges
This era in Israel's history was marked by cycles of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance, creating a climate where divine judgment and intervention were keenly felt.
c. 1000 BC
United Monarchy under David
The establishment of a strong, centralized kingdom under David brought a period of relative peace and prosperity, yet also set the stage for later division and covenantal consequences.
c. 900 BC
Prophetic Ministry Begins
The rise of prophets like Elijah and Elisha signaled God's continued direct communication with His people, often through powerful signs and pronouncements, addressing both spiritual and political issues.
c. 750 BC
Assyrian Empire Rises
The burgeoning power of the Assyrian Empire cast a long shadow over the ancient Near East, foreshadowing future exiles and divine judgments for the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.
c. 740 BC— this verse
Elihu's Rebuke of Job
Elihu, a younger contemporary of Job, offers a passionate rebuke, challenging Job's self-righteousness and beginning to reveal God's awesome power through the imagery of a dramatic storm.
c. 740 BC
God Appears in the Whirlwind
Following Elihu's words, God Himself speaks to Job out of a whirlwind, emphasizing His sovereignty and power through a series of rhetorical questions about creation and the natural world.
c. 730 BC
Exile of Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian conquest led to the deportation of the northern kingdom of Israel, serving as a stark warning of the consequences of disobedience to God's covenant.
This Psalm directly equates the thunder with God's voice, describing its powerful and majestic sound that echoes across the earth, directly paralleling the imagery in Job.
Psalm 77:18This verse describes the thunder as God's voice sounding, with the lightning illuminating the world, reinforcing the idea that natural phenomena like storms are audible and visible manifestations of God's presence and power.
Exodus 20:18When God gave the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, the people heard the thunder and saw the lightning, and they understood it as the very voice of God speaking to them, a profound moment of divine communication through natural power.
Job 40:9In God's own speeches to Job later in the book, He asks if Job can thunder with a voice like His, directly linking the immense power of thunder to God's own voice and authority.
cambridgeJob 37:2: "Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth."
2 . the sound that goeth ] Or, the muttering . The thunder is the voice of God, going forth out of His mouth.
wesleyJob 37:2: "Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth."
37:2 Hear - It is probable that while Elihu was speaking it thundered, and that tempest was begun, wherewith God ushered in his speech. And this might occasion his return to that subject of which he had discoursed before. Voice - The thunder is called God's voice. Because by it God speaks to the children of men, to fear before him. Mouth - That is produced by God's word or command, which is often sig…
This verse urges us to listen closely not just to the loud claps of thunder, but also to the "muttering" or "rumbling" – the subtler sounds that precede and follow. It calls us to recognize that God's powerful voice isn't only in the dramatic moments, but also in the quiet hints and murmurs that remind us of His presence and might.
The young Elihu, having declared God's righteousness and wisdom, points to the ongoing storm and declares that the thunder is the very voice of God. He urges Job and his companions to stop and truly listen to these powerful sounds, as they are direct pronouncements from God's majestic presence. This sets the stage for God Himself to speak out of the whirlwind in the following chapter.
The young Elihu, having declared God's righteousness and wisdom, points to the ongoing storm and declares that the thunder is the very voice of God. He urges Job and his companions to stop and truly listen to these powerful sounds, as they are direct pronouncements from God's majestic presence. This sets the stage for God Himself to speak out of the whirlwind in the following chapter.
"Keep listening to the thunder of his voice and the rumbling that comes from his mouth." — This verse urges us to listen closely not just to the loud claps of thunder, but also to the "muttering" or "rumbling" – the subtler sounds that precede and follow. It calls us to recognize that God'…
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Last reviewed October 2026