Bible Strands

Job 37:4

Then there comes a roaring sound; He thunders with His majestic voice. He does not restrain the lightning when His voice resounds.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Elihu addresses Job and the assembled listeners during a storm revelation, describing God's sovereign control over atmospheric phenomena. He explains that the thunder and lightning follow immediately after God's initial display of power beneath the whole sky.

The words — The Hebrew יִשְׁאַג (yish.'ag) translates literally as "it roars," describing the storm's sound, while יַרְעֵם (Yar.'em) means "he thunders," attributing the phenomenon directly to God's action. These terms pair with קוֹל (Kol, "voice") to show the audible manifestation of His majesty.

The thread — The connection between God's voice and thundering power runs to Psalms 29:3 and Psalms 68:33. Exodus 15:7 similarly links His mighty voice with the unleashing of overwhelming force and wrath.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that natural forces operate solely under divine command without independent restraint. It requires the reader to acknowledge human limitation when confronted with phenomena that exceed comprehension.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

אַחֲרָ֤יו׀'a.cha.Ra/vafter/ itיִשְׁאַג־yish.'ag-it roarsק֗וֹלKola voiceיַ֭רְעֵםYar.'emhe thundersבְּק֣וֹלbe./Kolwith/ [the] voice ofגְּאוֹנ֑וֹge.'o.N/omajesty/ hisוְלֹ֥אve./Lo'and/ notיְ֝עַקְּבֵ֗םye.'a.ke.Ve/mhe holds back/ themכִּֽי־ki-ifיִשָּׁמַ֥עyi.sha.Ma'it is heardקוֹלֽוֹ׃ko.L/ovoice/ his

King James Version

After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard.

Cross-references