Job 37:2-5
Keep listening to the thunder of his voice and the rumbling that comes from his mouth. Under the whole heaven he lets it go, and his lightning to the corners of the earth. After it his voice roars; he thunders with his majestic voice, and he does not restrain the lightnings when his voice is heard. God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things that we cannot comprehend.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Beyond just the loud crashes, pay attention to the rumbling, the "muttering" sounds of distant thunder. This subtle distinction highlights that God's powerful voice isn't always a sudden roar; it can also be a low, persistent warning or a deep, profound thought that draws us in.
As Elihu continues his powerful defense of God's justice and sovereignty, a massive storm begins to brew, signaled by rumbling thunder. He uses this dramatic natural event, which he believes is God speaking, to urge Job and his friends to pay close attention to the awesome power and divine communication happening right before their eyes. This direct, sensory experience of God's might in the storm is meant to underscore Elihu's argument that humanity is far too limited to understand God's ways.
When the sky cracks open with thunder, do you just hear noise, or something more? Elihu calls us to listen in a way that shakes us.
Elihu isn't just talking about weather patterns; he's pointing to the thunder as a direct communication from God. It's not just a sound; it's described as the 'noise of his voice' and the 'rumbling that comes from his mouth.'
More Than Just Noise
Think about it: thunder is powerful, awe-inspiring, and can even be terrifying. Elihu uses this dramatic force of nature to highlight God's immense power and presence. It's a call to attention, a reminder that the God who created the universe speaks through the very forces that shape it.
A Divine Announcement
This isn't just poetic language; for the people of that time, thunder was a tangible way God revealed himself. It was a sound that demanded to be heard, a message that couldn't be ignored. Elihu is urging Job and his friends to recognize this divine announcement in the storm.
Elihu doesn't just say 'listen,' he says 'listen attentively.' What does it really mean to give God our full attention, especially when He speaks through something as overwhelming as a storm?
The Hebrew word for 'listen' here is emphatic, suggesting a deep, focused attention—'hear in hearing.' It's not a passive hearing, but an active engagement.
More Than Passive Observation
Elihu is contrasting this divine speech with the way people usually disregard natural phenomena. We might see a storm and think about canceled plans or a ruined picnic. Elihu insists we see it as a divine address, demanding a response of awe and perhaps even trembling.
A Call to Reverence
This attentive listening isn't just about information gathering; it's about reverence. The 'rumbling from his mouth' is a manifestation of God's power and majesty. To truly 'hear' it is to acknowledge who God is and to respond with humility and respect, recognizing His authority over all creation.
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.
shamayim · Hebrew Noun
The expanse of the sky or firmament that God created to separate the waters and serve as a canvas for His glory. It signifies the realm over which God exercises His sovereign rule and physical presence.
or · Hebrew Noun
A visible manifestation of divine brilliance and power, often associated with judgment or illumination. It symbolizes the speed and terrifying nature of God’s intervention in the world.
gaon · Hebrew Adjective
The verse emerges from a dramatic moment where a storm is not just a weather event, but a palpable manifestation of God's power and presence, prompting Elihu's urgent call to listen.
c. 1000 BC
Davidic Kingdom Flourishes
The Book of Job is traditionally attributed to the time of King David, a period of relative peace and prosperity in ancient Israel, allowing for philosophical and theological reflection.
c. 1000 BC
Temple Construction Planned
King David's reign saw plans for the First Temple, symbolizing Israel's covenant with God and its central place in worship. This backdrop influences the understanding of God's presence and power.
c. 1000 BC
Job's Story Takes Shape
The narrative of Job, a righteous man who suffers immensely, emerges during this era. The wisdom literature of ancient Israel grappled with the problem of suffering and God's justice.
c. 1000 BC— this verse
Elihu's Rebuke and Divine Revelation
Elihu, a younger character, steps in to offer a new perspective before God Himself speaks. His discourse, punctuated by a powerful storm, sets the stage for God's direct address to Job.
This Psalm directly calls the thunder God's voice, echoing Elihu's poetic language and emphasizing the majestic power that the sound represents.
Exodus 20:18The Israelites heard God's voice and saw the thunder and lightning, experiencing the awe and fear that Elihu is invoking when he speaks of God's voice from the heavens.
Job 38:1This verse immediately follows Elihu's speech and describes God speaking out of the storm, fulfilling Elihu's exhortation to listen to the sounds of nature as a divine communication.
Isaiah 30:30Here, God's voice is described as a majestic sound, like thunder, affirming the powerful and awe-inspiring nature of divine communication through natural phenomena.
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…
Beyond just the loud crashes, pay attention to the rumbling, the "muttering" sounds of distant thunder. This subtle distinction highlights that God's powerful voice isn't always a sudden roar; it can also be a low, persistent warning or a deep, profound thought that draws us in.
As Elihu continues his powerful defense of God's justice and sovereignty, a massive storm begins to brew, signaled by rumbling thunder. He uses this dramatic natural event, which he believes is God speaking, to urge Job and his friends to pay close attention to the awesome power and divine communication happening right before their eyes. This direct, sensory experience of God's might in the storm is meant to underscore Elihu's argument that humanity is far too limited to understand God's ways.
As Elihu continues his powerful defense of God's justice and sovereignty, a massive storm begins to brew, signaled by rumbling thunder. He uses this dramatic natural event, which he believes is God speaking, to urge Job and his friends to pay close attention to the awesome power and divine communication happening right before their eyes. This direct, sensory experience of God's might in the storm is meant to underscore Elihu's argument that humanity is far too limited to understand God's ways.
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Relating to excellence, grandeur, or the display of kingly authority. When applied to God, it highlights His incomparable majesty, sovereignty, and the awe-inspiring nature of His character.
El · Hebrew Noun
The supreme Being, the Creator, and Sustainer of all things. The term emphasizes His power, authority, and covenant relationship with humanity as the one true object of worship.
pala · Hebrew Adjective/Verb
Actions or occurrences that are extraordinary, miraculous, or beyond normal human understanding. It denotes something that evokes astonishment and points directly to divine power rather than natural cause.
chaqar · Hebrew Verb
The inability of the human mind to fully grasp the depth, wisdom, or ways of God. It acknowledges the infinite transcendence of the Creator compared to the finite understanding of human creatures.
c. 1000 BC
God Speaks from the Whirlwind
God answers Job not with an explanation for his suffering, but with awe-inspiring displays of His power and wisdom in creation, humbling Job and confirming His sovereignty.
"Keep listening to the thunder of his voice and the rumbling that comes from his mouth. Under the whole heaven he lets it go, and his lightning to the corners of the earth. After it his voice roars; he thunders with…" — Beyond just the loud crashes, pay attention to the rumbling, the "muttering" sounds of distant thunder. This subtle distinction highlights that God's powerful voice isn't always a sudden roar; it can…
