Job 37 12

Job 37:12 kjv

And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth.

Job 37:12 nkjv

And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance, That they may do whatever He commands them On the face of the whole earth.

Job 37:12 niv

At his direction they swirl around over the face of the whole earth to do whatever he commands them.

Job 37:12 esv

They turn around and around by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them on the face of the habitable world.

Job 37:12 nlt

The clouds churn about at his direction.
They do whatever he commands throughout the earth.

Job 37 verses

Job 37 12 Meaning

This verse proclaims God's supreme and active sovereignty over all natural phenomena. It teaches that the immense power of nature, symbolized by the swirling clouds and storms (referring to the preceding verses in Job 37), does not act randomly but rather shifts and moves with deliberate purpose, guided by God's perfect and strategic counsel. These elements precisely execute every command He issues, demonstrating His universal rule over the entire earth.

Job 37 12 Context

Job chapter 37 forms part of Elihu's extensive discourse (chapters 32-37), which immediately precedes God's direct address to Job. In this section, Elihu particularly focuses on God's overwhelming majesty and power, specifically highlighted through His control of natural phenomena like storms, thunder, lightning, and rain. Elihu's aim is to show Job that God is not a distant or indifferent observer, but an actively sovereign Creator whose ways are beyond human comprehension. He contrasts Job's limited understanding with God's infinite wisdom and power demonstrated in the visible world. Verse 12 serves as a pivotal summary of this idea, emphasizing that even the chaotic forces of nature are precisely directed by God's intentional design and for His specific purposes across the entire world, laying the groundwork for God's subsequent challenges to Job.

Job 37 12 Word analysis

• And it turneth about: (Hebrew: `וְהוּא מִתְהַפֵּךְ`, v'hu mithaphekh) The "it" refers back to the mass of clouds, winds, and other weather phenomena Elihu describes in Job 37:9-11 (whirlwind, cold, lightning, clouds). `Mithaphekh` is a Hithpael form of the verb, conveying an intensive or reflexive turning, shifting, or swirling. This is not passive movement but active, intentional change of direction and course, yet fully directed by an external will, in this case, God's. It conveys a dynamic movement, like a vast storm front.
• by his counsels: (Hebrew: `בְּתַחְבֻּלֹתָיו`, b'takhbulotav) `Takhbulot` means counsels, wise guidance, skillful management, or strategies. This plural noun is often found in Proverbs (e.g., Prv 11:14, 24:6), where it denotes wise leadership or skillful plans leading to victory or success. Here, applied to God, it highlights that the movements of nature are not random or chaotic but orchestrated by God's profound, well-ordered, and strategic wisdom. Every turn and shift has a purpose from God's mind.
• that they may do: (Hebrew: `לְפָעֹל`, l'fa'ol) This is a purposive infinitive, indicating the goal or intent. The storm phenomena "do" or "effect" or "accomplish." It marks these natural elements as instruments in God's hands. Their existence and actions are entirely for carrying out divine will.
• whatsoever he commandeth them: (Hebrew: `כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֵּם`, kol asher yetzaweim) This phrase explicitly states the direct agency and divine authority. `Yetzaweim` means "He commands them." It emphasizes God's sovereign will and nature's complete obedience. The elements are not merely operating by laws but are being directed by specific, moment-by-moment, or overarching divine commands. This counters any notion of natural determinism or deism.
• upon the face of the world in the earth: (Hebrew: `פְּנֵי תֵבֵל בָּאָרֶץ`, p'ney teveyl ba'arets) This is a powerful, double emphasis on the universal scope of God's dominion. `Teveyl` refers to the habitable world, emphasizing its vast global extent. `Ba'arets` means "in the earth" or "in the land," reinforcing the physical reality and totality of His reach. No corner of the physical creation, no part of the terrestrial sphere, is beyond the direct influence and control of God's command.

• "And it turneth about by his counsels": This phrase unites the visible dynamism of nature ("turneth about") with an invisible, profound divine intelligence ("his counsels"). It removes chance or arbitrary movement, revealing intentional direction behind all natural processes. It emphasizes God's active, thoughtful engagement in directing every twist and turn of a storm or weather pattern.
• "that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them": This segment highlights the ultimate subservience and obedient instrumentality of creation. Natural forces are depicted as direct agents of God's will, ensuring that His specific decrees for the earth are flawlessly executed. Nature is portrayed as a responsive army awaiting divine orders.
• "upon the face of the world in the earth": This dual phrase emphatically broadens the scope to the entire global environment. It signifies the all-encompassing reach of God's sovereignty. No part of the world, however remote or seemingly chaotic, operates outside His meticulous, purposeful command.

Job 37 12 Bonus section

This verse from Elihu's discourse serves as a theological bridge, setting the stage for God's dramatic appearance and direct address to Job in chapters 38-41. Elihu, unlike Job's other friends, does not accuse Job of specific sins but attempts to vindicate God's justice and sovereignty by appealing to His incomprehensible majesty in creation. This statement directly refutes any ancient Near Eastern pagan notions that natural forces like storms were governed by capricious deities, competing gods, or were themselves divine and chaotic entities. Instead, Elihu clearly attributes all direction and purpose to the one sovereign God. It presents a robust, active theism where God is intimately engaged, ensuring that all aspects of creation, however grand or mundane, obediently serve His ultimate, wise plans and carry out His commands for the entire world.

Job 37 12 Commentary

Job 37:12, as articulated by Elihu, stands as a profound testament to God's universal and meticulous sovereignty over creation. It captures the essence of divine order behind apparent natural chaos. The swirling storms, described earlier by Elihu, are not arbitrary displays of power but are meticulously directed by God's counsels. This underscores that every natural phenomenon, from a gentle breeze to a violent tempest, serves a specific, predetermined divine purpose. It elevates God from a mere Creator to an ever-present Director, intimately involved in every movement of the physical world. This perspective invites profound awe, humility, and trust, acknowledging that even events humans perceive as destructive or random are within the grand, wise plan of God.

• Examples for practical usage: When a destructive storm hits, believers can recall that even in turmoil, God's wise counsel is at work, fulfilling a larger divine purpose beyond human understanding (Isa 55:11).
• It can provide comfort during natural disasters, reminding that nothing happens outside of God's sovereign command (Lam 3:37-38).
• It promotes a biblical worldview that sees creation not as a self-operating machine but as a dynamic theater for God's continuous purposeful action (Col 1:17).