After it his voice roars; he thunders with his majestic voice, and he does not restrain the lightnings when his voice is heard.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that God doesn't hold back His lightnings when He thunders, emphasizing that His powerful displays are unleashed without restraint. This isn't just about a storm's fury, but how God’s awesome power is shown in its full, untamed majesty, reminding us of His overwhelming might.
After it his voice roars; he thunders with his majestic voice, and he does not restrain the lightnings when his voice is heard.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Elihu is speaking to Job, describing God's immense power as demonstrated in the weather. He's emphasizing that the thunder and lightning, though terrifying, are under God's control and speak of His majesty. This passage follows Elihu's rebuke of Job and his friends for their limited understanding of God's ways and precedes his detailed description of God's control over snow, rain, and storms.
When lightning flashes and thunder roars, it's easy to feel small and overwhelmed. But Job's friend Elihu uses this dramatic display of nature to point to something even greater.
Elihu describes the thunder and lightning not just as natural phenomena, but as direct expressions of God's power and majesty.
God's Grand Announcement
The verse paints a vivid picture: 'After it his voice roars; he thunders with his majestic voice.' The lightning is seen first, and then the powerful sound of thunder follows. This isn't just noise; it's God announcing His presence.
Majesty in Every Rumble
Elihu emphasizes that this isn't a wild, uncontrolled outburst. The thunder is 'with his majestic voice.' It’s a deliberate, awe-inspiring display of God’s sovereign authority. It commands attention and declares His greatness.
Have you ever felt helpless against the forces of nature? The Bible shows us that even the most powerful storms are completely under God's control.
Elihu highlights that when God unleashes His voice through thunder, His accompanying lightning is not restrained. This speaks to the unstoppable nature of God's actions.
Lightning Unleashed
'and he does not restrain the lightnings when his voice is heard.' This means that when God 'speaks' with thunder, the lightning, often seen as God's 'arrow' or 'sword,' is allowed to flash freely. It's a complete, unhindered demonstration of His power.
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No Limits to God's Work
This imagery suggests that God's power and the execution of His will are not limited. While we might perceive a delay between the flash and the sound of thunder based on distance, in God's command, these forces act according to His purpose without being held back. They serve His ultimate plan.
Understand the original words
gaon · Hebrew Adjective
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.
This Psalm describes the voice of the Lord over the waters, using language very similar to Job's, highlighting God's majestic and powerful voice in storms.
Psalm 104:7This passage recounts God's power over the waters and storms, noting that His voice makes them flee and thunder, directly paralleling the imagery in Job.
Jeremiah 10:13Jeremiah echoes Job's description, stating that when God thunders, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, linking divine voice with stormy downpours.
Luke 8:23This New Testament account shows Jesus directly commanding a storm, demonstrating His authority over the very forces Job describes as expressions of God's majestic voice.
cambridgeJob 37:4: "After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard."
4 . with the voice of his excellency ] Rather, with his voice of majesty . he will not stay them ] Rather, he stayeth them not; He restrains not His lightnings. The words describe the play of the lightning, rapidly succeeding the thunder. When God’s presence is announced by His terrible voice, there also are His awful ministers, the lightnings, swift to do His…
clarkeJob 37:4: "After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard."
After it a voice roareth - After the flash has been seen, the peal is heard; and this will be more or fewer seconds after the peal, in proportion to the distance of the thunder cloud from the ear. Lightning traverses any space without any perceivable succession of time; nothing seems to be any obstacle to its progress. A multitude of persons taking hands, the…
The verse highlights that God doesn't hold back His lightnings when He thunders, emphasizing that His powerful displays are unleashed without restraint. This isn't just about a storm's fury, but how God’s awesome power is shown in its full, untamed majesty, reminding us of His overwhelming might.
Elihu is speaking to Job, describing God's immense power as demonstrated in the weather. He's emphasizing that the thunder and lightning, though terrifying, are under God's control and speak of His majesty. This passage follows Elihu's rebuke of Job and his friends for their limited understanding of God's ways and precedes his detailed description of God's control over snow, rain, and storms.
Elihu is speaking to Job, describing God's immense power as demonstrated in the weather. He's emphasizing that the thunder and lightning, though terrifying, are under God's control and speak of His majesty. This passage follows Elihu's rebuke of Job and his friends for their limited understanding of God's ways and precedes his detailed description of God's control over snow, rain, and storms.
"After it his voice roars; he thunders with his majestic voice, and he does not restrain the lightnings when his voice is heard." — The verse highlights that God doesn't hold back His lightnings when He thunders, emphasizing that His powerful displays are unleashed without restraint. This isn't just about a storm's fury, but how…
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Last reviewed October 2026