Job 36:28 kjv
Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
Job 36:28 nkjv
Which the clouds drop down And pour abundantly on man.
Job 36:28 niv
the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind.
Job 36:28 esv
which the skies pour down and drop on mankind abundantly.
Job 36:28 nlt
The rain pours down from the clouds,
and everyone benefits.
Job 36 28 Cross References
h2| Verse | Text | Reference ||---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|| Ps 65:9-10 | You visit the earth and water it... enrich it; you provide their grain... | God provides rain for sustenance. || Ps 104:13 | From your lofty dwelling you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied. | God waters earth from above. || Jer 5:24 | ...who gives the rain in its season, both autumn rain and spring rain... | God controls seasonal rains. || Acts 14:17 | Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving... | God's provision of rain is a witness of Him. || Matt 5:45 | ...sends rain on the just and on the unjust. | God's universal generosity with rain. || Lev 26:4 | ...then I will give you your rains in their season... land shall yield. | Rain as a blessing for obedience. || Ps 135:7 | He it is who makes the clouds rise... makes lightnings for the rain... | God's absolute control over weather phenomena.|| Jer 14:22 | Are there any among the idols... who can bring rain? Are you not he... | Only God controls rain, not idols. || Amos 4:7 | I withheld the rain from you when there were still three months to harvest.| God's sovereignty over rain and drought. || Nah 1:3 | His way is in whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet. | God's immense power revealed in clouds/storms.|| Isa 5:6 | I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. | God can command clouds to withhold rain. || Deut 11:14 | ...he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain... | Rain crucial for agricultural provision. || Ezek 34:26 | ...and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be...| Showers as blessings of God. || Hos 6:3 | He will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains... | God's presence likened to life-giving rain. || Ps 145:15-16 | The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. | God satisfies the needs of all living things. || Isa 55:10 | For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return... | Rain as a metaphor for God's effective word. || Prov 3:19-20 | The Lord by wisdom founded the earth... clouds drop down the dew. | God's wisdom evident in the water cycle. || Ps 19:1 | The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his... | Creation as a testament to God's glory. || Isa 55:8-9 | For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways... | God's ways and thoughts are infinitely higher.|| Rom 11:33 | Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How... | God's judgments and ways are unfathomable. || Job 37:5 | God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things that we... | God performs incomprehensible great works. |
Job 36 verses
Job 36 28 Meaning
Elihu describes a fundamental act of divine providence, explaining that clouds, as instruments of God, release their water in a measured and generous manner, showering abundant rain upon all of humanity. This continuous and essential provision for life highlights God’s sovereign power over creation and His steadfast care for mankind.
Job 36 28 Context
h2Job 36 is part of Elihu’s lengthy discourse (chapters 32-37) where he attempts to defend God's righteousness against Job's lamentations and the misguided arguments of his three friends. Unlike the friends, Elihu emphasizes God's sovereign power and profound wisdom, especially as revealed in the intricate workings of creation. Verse 28 specifically builds upon Elihu's description of the water cycle in verse 27, where God draws up drops of water that distill into rain from His mist. This particular verse sets the stage for Elihu’s extensive portrayal of God's awesome control over mighty natural phenomena like storms, lightning, and hail, which continues into chapter 37. Elihu’s aim is to instill awe and humility, directing attention to God's incomprehensible greatness as a means of understanding His actions, even amidst suffering.
Job 36 28 Word analysis
h2
"which": This relative pronoun connects the current statement back to the previous verse (Job 36:27), specifically referring to the "drops of water" and the "mist" which God draws up. It establishes a direct cause-and-effect in the water cycle.
"the clouds" ('abim, עָבִים): Refers to the visible masses of condensed water vapor in the atmosphere. In biblical understanding, clouds frequently symbolize God's majestic presence (Ex 16:10), a covering of His glory, or the very medium through which He expresses His power or blessing. This phrase emphasizes God's command over celestial elements, asserting His sovereignty over nature, contrary to any pagan beliefs in separate deities for atmospheric control.
"do drop" (nataph, נָטָף): This verb means to drip or to let fall, often used poetically for a gentle, yet steady and rich outpouring. It conveys the idea of a controlled release, implying precision and intentionality in God's provision.
"and distill" (ra`aph, רָעַף): To trickle down or pour gently. This verb reinforces the meticulous and steady nature of the rainfall. The pairing with nataph (do drop) emphasizes a thorough, beneficent, and complete precipitation, not a harsh or destructive downpour, but one conducive to life and growth.
"upon man" ('ādām, אָדָם): Refers to humanity in general, signifying all people, not just a specific group or individual. This highlights the universal reach of God’s benevolent provision. The rain, essential for life, crops, and fresh water, demonstrates God’s consistent, active, and impartial providential care for all His created beings.
"abundantly" (la-rōḇ, לָרֹב): Literally translated "to the much" or "in great measure." This adverb signifies a bountiful, generous, and sufficient supply, not merely adequate, but ample and overflowing provision. It underscores God's immense goodness and His desire to meet the needs of His creation in plenitude, dispelling any notion of a scarce or grudging deity.
"which the clouds do drop and distill": This collective phrase details God's precise control over the meteorological process. It implies a deliberate and careful action on God's part, where moisture is meticulously released from the clouds. The double verb intensifies the image of a steady, permeating, and life-giving rainfall. This counters the idea of natural processes occurring by chance or random forces, attributing precise orchestration to the Creator.
"upon man abundantly": This grouping of words pinpoints the beneficiary and the nature of the blessing. It establishes that God’s elaborate control over the water cycle has a direct and beneficial purpose for humanity, supplying needs generously and sufficiently for sustenance and flourishing. It is a powerful affirmation of God's active, universal, and overflowing care.
Job 36 28 Bonus section
h2This verse is pivotal in Elihu’s strategy to shift Job's perspective from self-pity and challenging God's justice to contemplating God’s sheer incomprehensible power and majesty in the natural world. The use of atmospheric phenomena like rain and clouds would have resonated deeply with an agricultural society dependent on water. It also served as an indirect polemic against ancient Near Eastern pagan religions, particularly the worship of Baal, who was considered the storm god responsible for rain and fertility. By asserting Yahweh's sole and absolute control over rain, Elihu unequivocally places all creation and sustenance under the dominion of the one true God. This detailed description of the rain also sets a theological precedent, foreshadowing later scriptural passages where God's word and blessings are poetically likened to rain and dew, bringing forth life and nourishment (e.g., Isa 55:10). The meticulous precision implied by "drop and distill abundantly" underscores that God's actions are not random, but perfectly ordered and purposeful for the benefit of His creation.
Job 36 28 Commentary
h2Job 36:28, delivered by Elihu, presents a theological statement about God's sovereign power and benevolent nature, using the ubiquitous example of rain. Elihu emphasizes that the rain cycle, from its formation in mists to its gentle and abundant descent from the clouds, is under God's precise control. This divine command over a vital natural process illustrates His meticulous wisdom and unwavering care for "man." The steady and ample provision of rain signifies not just survival, but thriving, portraying God as a generous sustainer rather than an aloof or capricious deity. Elihu uses this undeniable display of God’s providence to build his argument that despite human inability to fully grasp God’s ways, His active presence and just governance are evident throughout creation, encouraging humility and trust in His inscrutable wisdom.