Bible Strands
Psalms 147:16
He spreads the snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes;
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses the community of Israel, describing God’s sovereign control over the earth’s climate immediately after noting how His command runs swiftly to the ground.
The words — The Hebrew יְפַזֵּר (ye.pa.zer) means “he scatters,” paired with שֶׁלֶג (she.le.g) for “snow” and כְּצֶמֶר (ke.tse.mer) for “like wool.”
The thread — The text places divine weather control alongside Job 37:6, where God commands the snow to fall on the earth, and Job 38:29, which asks who brings forth frost from heaven.
Why it lands — The passage states that snow and frost are distributed by direct divine action rather than natural accident, requiring the reader to acknowledge God’s authority over creation.
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
King James Version
He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.
Cross-references
- Job 37:6 For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the gentle rain, ‘Pour out a mighty downpour.’
- Job 38:29 From whose womb does the ice emerge? Who gives birth to the frost from heaven,
- Psalms 148:8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds, powerful wind fulfilling His word,
- Isaiah 55:10 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat,
- Job 37:9 The tempest comes from its chamber, and the cold from the driving north winds.