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“Yes, at this my heart trembles, and is moved out of its place.
Verse 1. This thunder, the effects of which are so terrible, that it is often styled the voice of God. Calmet. Psalms 28. Menochius.—The consideration of rewards (Calmet. 36:33) stimulates the good, while thunder strikes the heart with terror. Worthington.
Hear, oh, hear the noise of his voice, the sound that goes out of his mouth.
He sends it out under the whole sky, and his lightning to the ends of the earth.
Verse 3. Earth. Lightning appears from the east to the west. Matthew 24:27.
After it a voice roars. He thunders with the voice of his majesty. He doesn’t hold back anything when his voice is heard.
Verse 4. After. Light travels faster than sound, ( Bible.) though thunder and lightning are produced at the same instant. Calmet.—Found out. Philosophers can only propose their conjectures on the cause of thunder. This sense is confirmed by the Greek, Chal. and so forth Hebrew may be, “he delays not;” Calmet.—Prot. “he will not stay them;” ( Bible.) rain commonly falling soon after thunder. As the latter is occasioned by the collision of clouds, when they come to a certain distance from the earth, the heat causes them to dissolve into showers, which augments at each crack. Calmet.—Septuagint “For he has done great things, which we have not understood.” This is connected with Calmet. 36:24. Then we read, (verse 7.) “that man may know his own weakness.” All the intermediate verses have been supplied by Origen from Theodotion, or others. Bible.
God thunders marvelously with his voice. He does great things, which we can’t comprehend.
For he says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ likewise to the shower of rain, and to the showers of his mighty rain.
He seals up the hand of every man, that all men whom he has made may know it.
Verse 7. He sealed up, and so forth When he sends those showers of his strength; that is, those storms of rain, he seals up; that is, he shuts up the hands of men from their usual work abroad, and confines them within doors, to consider his works; or to forecast their works; that is, what they themselves are to do. Challoner.—We are all the servants of God. He marks us in the hand, as such. Isaiah 44:5. Ezekiel 9:6. Revelation 13:6. The Romans marked soldiers with a hot iron in the hands. Veget. i. 8.—The abettors of chiromancy have hence vainly pretended that they can discover each person’s future in the lineaments of his hands. Calmet.
Then the animals take cover, and remain in their dens.
Verse 8. Den. Foreseeing the tempest and retreating for shelter.
Out of its room comes the storm, and cold out of the north.
Verse 9. Parts. The south, (Calmet. 9:9) whence storms commonly came in that country, ( Calmet.) from the sea or desert of Idumea. Bible. Psalms 77:26. Zechariah 9:14. Isaiah 21:1.—North wind or pole. Worthington.—Yet the south seems to be designated; (verse 17 and Calmet. 38:32) though cold comes from the north, in Idumea as well as here. Calmet.—Mezarim, is rendered by Prot. “north.” Marg. “scattering winds.” Septuagint ακρωψηριων, “summits” of mountains.
By the breath of God, ice is given, and the width of the waters is frozen.
Verse 10. Abundantly. He cause it to freeze or rain at pleasure. Bible. Psalms 147:17. Menochius.
Yes, he loads the thick cloud with moisture. He spreads abroad the cloud of his lightning.
Verse 11. Corn requires rain. Bible.—Light. As they are transparent, they do not hinder the sun from appearing. Hebrew “the brightness of the sky disperses the clouds, and the clouds shed their light” in the rainbow, (verse 15. Grot.) or lightning. Jun. Calmet. Menochius.—Prot. “Also by watering, he wearieth the thick cloud, he scattereth his bright cloud, (12) and it is turned round about by his counsels, that they may do whatsoever,” and so forth God prohibits or gives rain. Bible.—Nothing is left to chance. Calmet.—He directeth the clouds as a master does his ship. Worthington.
It is turned around by his guidance, that they may do whatever he commands them on the surface of the habitable world,
whether it is for correction, or for his land, or for loving kindness, that he causes it to come.
Verse 13. Tribe. Hebrew also, “for correction.” Bible. Amos 4:7.—Land of promise. Psalms 67:10.
“Listen to this, Job. Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
Do you know how God controls them, and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?
Verse 15. Light: the rain-bow, according to the best interpreters; or the lightning. Calmet.
Do you know the workings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge?
Verse 16. Paths. Hebrew “the balancing of the clouds, the wondrous works of Him whose knowledge is perfect?” Calmet. 36:4. Dost thou know what suspends the heavy clouds in the air? Calmet.
You whose clothing is warm when the earth is still by reason of the south wind?
Verse 17. Are. Hebrew “How thy,” and so forth It is also beyond thy comprehension, why thou shouldst be too hot when the south winds blows ( Bible.) moderately, though tempests generally proceed from the same quarter, verse 9. If thou art in the dark, respecting these things, which thou feelest, how canst thou pretend to fathom and condemn the counsels of God? Calmet.—Job was far from doing either. His friends rather undertook to explain God’s reasons for punishing thus his servants, which Job acknowledged was to him a mystery, ( Bible.) till God had enlightened him. Calmet. 22:3. Houbigant.
Can you, with him, spread out the sky, which is strong as a cast metal mirror?
Verse 18. Brass. Hebrew “Hast thou with him stretched out (or beaten, as brass, tarkiang; which word Moses uses for the firmament) the heavens, which are as solid (Chal. and like) a molten looking-glass?” which was formerly made of metal. Exodus 38:8. The Hebrews looked upon the sky as a sheet of brass; and the poets speak of the brazen heaven. Pindar. Nem. vi. Iliad A.
Teach us what we will tell him, for we can’t make our case by reason of darkness.
Verse 19. Darkness. Thou who art so learned, give us some information, what we may blame in the works of God. Cutting irony! Calmet.
Will it be told him that I would speak? Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up?
Verse 20. He shall be swallowed up. All that man can say, when he speaks of God, is so little and inconsiderable in comparison with the subject, that man is lost, an das it were swallowed up in so immense an ocean. Challoner.—The man who should are to mention what I could reprehend in God’s works, would soon be overwhelmed with majesty. Calmet.—Alphonsus IX. king of Leon, (A.D. 1252) surnamed “the wise and the astronomer,” said “he could have given some good advice respecting the motions of the stars, if he had been consulted by God;” meaning to ridicule some vain systems of philosophers, then in vogue. Dict. 1774. Bible.
Now men don’t see the light which is bright in the skies, but the wind passes, and clears them.
Verse 21. Light; being hindered by the clouds, and dazzled when they are removed. Yet we presume to judge of the secrets of Providence! Calmet.—Away. As there is a constant vicissitude of these things, so there is of happiness and misery. Menochius.—Septuagint “For the light is not seen by all. It is refulgent in beauties, as that which comes thence upon the clouds.” If, therefore, this light does not pervade all places, why should we wonder that all do not understand the ways of God? Bible.
Out of the north comes golden splendor. With God is awesome majesty.
Verse 22. Gold. Septuagint “from the north, gold-coloured clouds. Above these, great is the praise and honour of the Almighty.” Bible.—When the wind blows, the clouds are dispersed, and the sky appears serene. Each country has its peculiar advantages. In the north, Ophir, and so forth may boast of gold: but what ought to be most conspicuous in the praises given to God, is an humble fear. Pindar begin his Olympic Odes somewhat in the same style. Calmet.—“Water is excellent, and gold … But if, dear heart, thou wilt sing of games, regard no other star … as brighter than the sun … nor shall we celebrate any game more excellent than that of Olympia.” Bible.—God disposes of all things as he pleases. He makes the golden day succeed a tempest. But it is our duty to praise him with awe, whatever he may ordain. This is the epilogue. Pineda.—Man must praise God with fear, as he cannot do it sufficiently. Worthington.
We can’t reach the Almighty. He is exalted in power. In justice and great righteousness, he will not oppress.
Verse 23. Worthily. Hebrew “the Almighty, we cannot find him out,” ( Bible.) or comprehend his nature or mysteries. Calmet.
Therefore men revere him. He doesn’t regard any who are wise of heart.”
Verse 24. Fear him, and receive with respect whatever he shall appoint. Bible.—And all. Hebrew “he fears not any that are wise of heart.” He knows that the most intelligent ( Calmet.) must confess their ignorance, when they attempt to examine his divine nature. Simonides being desired by Hiero to express his sentiments on this subject, always requested more time to consider of it. Quia, inquit, res videtur mihi tanto obscurior, quanto diutius eam considero. Cicero, Nat. i. 60. Selectæ e Prof. i. 3.—“With thee (says Saint Augustine Conf. i. 6.) stand the causes of all instable things,” and so forth Bible.—Those who are really wise, will therefore adore God’s judgments in silence, while the presumptuous will be forced to yield. This is the excellent conclusion of all that had been said. Pineda.—The sentence is beautiful, but ill-applied ( Bible.) to Job. Philip. See Proverbs 3:7. Bible.—He convinced the other three with sound arguments, “and this last and most arrogant disputant with silence.” Worthington.