Job 37:11 meaning, Cross Ref, ai commentary KJV NIV ESV NLT

Job 37:11 kjv

Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud:

Job 37:11 nkjv

Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds; He scatters His bright clouds.

Job 37:11 niv

He loads the clouds with moisture; he scatters his lightning through them.

Job 37:11 esv

He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning.

Job 37:11 nlt

He loads the clouds with moisture,
and they flash with his lightning.

Job 37 11 Cross References

Verse	Text	Reference
Ps 104:13	He waters the mountains from His upper chambers; The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works.	God's provision through water cycles.
Ps 147:8	Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth...	God's control over clouds and rain.
Jer 10:13	When He utters His voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; He causes the vapors to ascend... He makes lightnings with rain...	God's voice commands weather, produces lightning with rain.
Jer 51:16	...when He utters His voice, There is a multitude of waters in the heavens... He makes lightnings with rain...	Reinforces God's authority over rain and lightning.
Amos 4:7	"I also withheld rain from you... I made it rain on one city... yet it did not rain."	God controls rain distribution as judgment or blessing.
Lev 26:4	"then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its increase..."	God's promise of rain tied to obedience.
Deut 11:14	"that I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain..."	God provides timely rain.
Job 26:8	He binds up the water in His thick clouds, Yet the clouds do not burst under it.	God's amazing control over immense amounts of water in clouds.
Job 28:26	When He made a law for the rain, And a path for the thunderbolt...	God establishes order and paths for rain and lightning.
Job 36:27-33	For He draws up drops of water... Then they drip on mankind abundantly... Also can anyone understand the spreading of clouds...?	God's process of rain and human inability to comprehend His power.
Job 38:25	"Who has divided a channel for the overflowing water, Or a path for the thunderbolt...?"	God's exclusive authority to direct water and lightning.
Job 38:28	"Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew?"	God as the source of all moisture.
Job 38:34-35	"Can you lift up your voice to the clouds... Can you send out lightnings...?"	Challenges human inability to command nature, contrasting God's power.
Ps 29:3-9	The voice of the LORD is over the waters; The God of glory thunders... The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.	The powerful, majestic voice of God revealed in thunder and lightning.
Ex 19:16	Then it came to pass... that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud...	God's majestic presence manifested with storms at Sinai.
Rev 4:5	And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices.	Heavenly manifestations reflecting God's ultimate power.
Ps 77:18	Your thunder was in the whirlwind; The lightnings lit up the world...	God's powerful manifestation through storm phenomena.
Matt 5:45	"...for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."	God's common grace manifested in sending rain universally.
Acts 14:17	Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven...	God's witness through provision, including rain.
Ps 135:7	He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightnings for the rain...	God as the orchestrator of atmospheric events.
Isa 55:10	"For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there... so shall My word be..."	God's dependable natural processes likened to His faithful word.
Nahum 1:3	The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And clouds are the dust of His feet.	God's power and transcendence; storms as His manifestation.

Job 37 verses

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Job 37 11 Meaning

Job 37:11 describes God's direct and purposeful control over atmospheric phenomena. Elihu proclaims that God actively fills the dense clouds with abundant moisture, ensuring their capacity to release rain. Furthermore, God precisely directs and scatters lightning bolts according to His divine will, demonstrating His complete sovereignty over both life-sustaining water and the awesome, destructive power of storms. This verse emphasizes God's meticulous involvement in nature, affirming His majesty and unsearchable power.

Job 37 11 Context

Job 37:11 is part of Elihu’s final discourse, specifically within his awe-filled description of God's power in nature. Chapters 36 and 37 showcase Elihu's attempt to humble Job by directing his attention to the unsearchable greatness of God as displayed in meteorological phenomena. Elihu emphasizes that God is wise and mighty, using storms not just as natural events but as instruments of His purpose, whether for correction, provision, or a display of His glory.

This verse fits into a broader sequence (Job 37:1-13) where Elihu details the coming of a storm: the thunder, the snow, the wind, and the ice, all attributed to God's deliberate control. By asserting God loads clouds and scatters lightning as He wills, Elihu establishes divine sovereignty over phenomena that to humans might appear chaotic or random. Historically and culturally, in the ancient Near East, storms were often attributed to various nature deities like Baal, who was worshiped as the god of rain, thunder, and lightning. Elihu’s declaration directly challenges such polytheistic beliefs by affirming that the God of Israel alone commands these forces, underscoring YHWH's unparalleled and exclusive power.

Job 37 11 Word analysis

Also (אַף - 'af): An emphatic particle meaning "even," "moreover," or "indeed." It links this specific act of God's power to other grand displays already mentioned by Elihu, enhancing the weight of the statement.
with moisture (בְּרִ֣י - bə-rî): Derived from beri, meaning "fatness," "richness," "fullness," or "freshness/moisture." In this context, it clearly signifies the abundance of water or wetness. It implies that God thoroughly saturates the clouds, not just dampens them.
He loads (יַטְרִ֣יחַ - yaṭrīaḥ): From the root ṭāraḥ, meaning "to burden," "to weigh down," or "to weary." Here, it describes God actively causing the clouds to become heavy with moisture. It conveys the deliberate and strenuous effort God, in His power, exerts in preparing the clouds for rain.
the thick clouds (עָ֑ב - 'āḇ): Refers to ʿāḇ, denoting dense, dark, and often pregnant clouds—those that bring heavy rain or a storm. It signifies not just any cloud, but those carrying a significant burden, highlighting the power and scope of the coming downpour.
He scatters (יָפִ֑יץ - yāp̄îṣ): From the verb pūṣ, meaning "to break apart," "to disperse," "to spread out." This verb illustrates God's active role in deploying or distributing the lightning. It is not a haphazard discharge but a directed, intentional dispersion.
His lightnings (בָּרֹ֥ק - bārōq): Bārōq is the Hebrew word for "lightning," the swift, brilliant flashes of electricity.
as He wills (עָ֜ב חָזְיִכּ - ʿāḇ ḥāzyikk): This phrase is challenging. While ʿāḇ usually means "cloud" as seen earlier, and ḥāzyikk (often written as ḥāzīk) relates to "vision" or "revelation," in this specific construction with "lightning," many translations like the NKJV interpret it in a more dynamic sense reflecting divine intention. Scholarly consensus or deep textual analysis suggests it refers to lightning manifesting for God's intended purpose or vision. It implies intentionality, direct control, and execution of His divine plan rather than random occurrence.
"Also with moisture He loads the thick clouds": This phrase emphasizes God’s detailed, powerful, and deliberate act of supernaturally filling clouds to their maximum capacity with life-sustaining water. It reveals divine foresight and control over a fundamental part of Earth’s climate. This act speaks to God's providence, not just creating the conditions for rain but actively participating in its provision.
"He scatters His lightnings as He wills": This part stresses God's absolute sovereignty and directed power over even the most sudden and awe-inspiring natural forces like lightning. It dispels any idea of randomness, asserting that every flash serves a divine intention or purpose. This combination of water (essential for life) and light/power (lightning) signifies God’s comprehensive dominion over both beneficial and fearsome aspects of nature. It means lightning isn't a chaotic force but an instrument perfectly controlled by God's will.

Job 37 11 Bonus section

Polemics against Contemporary Beliefs: Elihu’s assertion that YHWH loads clouds and directs lightning "as He wills" is a direct and forceful theological polemic against the pervasive ancient Near Eastern (specifically Canaanite) worship of Baal, who was revered as the storm god, controller of rain, thunder, and lightning. By attributing these specific powers exclusively to YHWH, Elihu affirms God's unique and unchallenged supremacy over all creation, including phenomena that ancient peoples often deified.
Literary Foreshadowing: Elihu's extensive discourse on the storm (Job 36-37), culminating in descriptions like verse 11, serves as a significant literary and theological precursor to God's own appearance to Job "out of the whirlwind" in Job 38. The awe and reverence Elihu instills through these natural descriptions prepare the audience for the magnitude of the divine presence about to be revealed.
Emphasis on Divine Purpose: The phrase "as He wills" (or "for His vision/purpose") for lightning underscores that God’s power is not chaotic or arbitrary, but intrinsically purposeful. Even the seemingly random flash of lightning serves a divine intention, reinforcing the orderly, intentional nature of God's sovereignty over the cosmos.
Bridging Wisdom and Theology: Elihu integrates observational wisdom about nature with deep theological insights. He uses common understanding of weather to teach profound truths about God's character, particularly His wisdom, power, and righteousness, which ultimately Job is called to recognize.

Job 37 11 Commentary

Job 37:11 stands as a powerful testament to the sovereign and active involvement of God in His creation. Elihu’s portrayal challenges human assumptions of understanding or control over the natural world, emphasizing the divine agency behind what might appear to be mere natural processes. God meticulously burdens "thick clouds" ('ab) with "moisture" (beri), indicating His intentional and complete provision for the earth's needs through the water cycle. This is not a passive or hands-off creation; it is God’s active yaṭrīaḥ—His powerful work of loading and preparing the skies.

Further, the scattering of "His lightnings" (bārōq) "as He wills" reinforces divine autonomy over formidable forces. Lightning, sudden and powerful, often inspires awe and fear. Yet, Elihu insists it is not random but subservient to God's explicit intention. This profound truth rejects any notion of independent chaotic forces or rival deities (like Baal worship in the ANE). Instead, all elements, both life-giving and potentially destructive, move according to the singular purpose of the one true God. This verse compels reflection on God’s majesty, His constant presence in creation, and the inherent limits of human comprehension regarding His vast and deliberate power.

For instance, when a storm brings heavy rain after a drought, this verse reminds us that it is God, not merely atmospheric conditions, who has "loaded the thick clouds." When a lightning storm electrifies the sky, this verse teaches that each flash is scattered "as He wills," fulfilling His specific design, whether to purify the air, ignite wildfires, or simply manifest His glory.