Attributed commentary excerpt
Barnes' Notes on Job 37:5
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Notes on the Whole Bible
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · 19th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
God thundereth marvelously - He thunders in a wonderful manner. The idea is, that the voice of his thunder is an amazing exhibition of his majesty and power. Great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend - That is, not only in regard to the thunder and the tempest, but in other things. The description of the storm properly ends here, and in the subsequent verses Elihu proceeds to specify various other phenomena, which were wholly incomprehensible by man. The reference here to the storm, and to the other grand and incomprehensible phenomena of nature, is a most appropriate introduction to the manifestation of God himself as described in the next chapter, and could not but have done much to prepare Job and his friends for that sublime close of the controversy. The passage before us Job 36:29-33; Job 37:1-5, is probably the earliest description of a thunderstorm on record. A tempest is a phenomenon which must early have attracted attention, and which we may expect to find described or alluded to in all early poetry. It may be interesting, therefore, to compare this description of a storm, in probably the oldest poem in the world, with what has been furnished by the masters of song in ancient and modern times, and we shall find that in sublimity and beauty the Hebrew poet will suffer nothing in comparison. In one respect, which constitutes the chief sublimity of the description. he surpasses them all: I mean in the recognition of God. In the Hebrew description. God is every where in the storm He excites it; he holds the lightnings in both hands; he directs it where he pleases; he makes it the instrument of his pleasure and of executing his purposes. Sublime, therefore, as is the description of the storm itself, furious as is the tempest; bright as is the lightning: and heavy and awful as is the roar of the thunder, yet the description derives its chief sublimity from the fact that “God” presides over all, riding on the tempest and directing the storm as he pleases. Other poets have rarely attempted to give this direction to the thoughts in their description of a tempest, if we may except Klopstock, and they fall, therefore, far below the sacred poet. The following is the description of a storm by Elihu, according to the exposition which I have given: Who can understand the outspreading of the clouds, And the fearful thunderings in his pavilion? Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it; He also covereth the depths of the sea. By these he executeth judgment upon the people, By these he giveth food in abundance. With his hands he covereth the lightning, And commandeth it where to strike. He pointeth out to his friends - The collecting of his wrath is upon the wicked. At this also my heart palpitates, And is moved out of its place. Hear, O hear, the thunder of his voice! The muttering thunder that goes from his mouth! He directeth it under the whole heaven. And his lightning to the end of the earth. After it, the thunder roareth; He thundereth with the voice of his majesty, And he will not restrain the tempest when his voice is heard. God thundereth marvelously with his voice; He doeth wonders, which we cannot comprehend. The following is the description of a Tempest by Aeschylus, in the Prometh. Desm., beginning, - Χθὼν αεσάλευται; Βρυχία δ ̓ ἠχὼ παραμυκᾶται Βροντῆς, κ.τ.λ. - Chthōn sesaleutai; Bruchia d' ēchō paramukatai Brontēs, etc. - “I feel in very deed The firm earth rock: the thunder’s deepening roar Rolls with redoubled…
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