Job 37:22 kjv
Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty.
Job 37:22 nkjv
He comes from the north as golden splendor; With God is awesome majesty.
Job 37:22 niv
Out of the north he comes in golden splendor; God comes in awesome majesty.
Job 37:22 esv
Out of the north comes golden splendor; God is clothed with awesome majesty.
Job 37:22 nlt
So also, golden splendor comes from the mountain of God.
He is clothed in dazzling splendor.
Job 37 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 48:2 | Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King, on the sides of the north. | God's holy mountain and dwelling associated with the north. |
| Isa 14:13 | You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far north.’ | References "mount of assembly in the far north" as God's divine domain. |
| Ezek 1:4 | As I looked, behold, a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with raging fire...and within it was a radiance. | Divine manifestation/theophany from the north with powerful radiance. |
| Exod 34:29 | ...Moses came down from Mount Sinai…the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. | Human reflection of divine glory/splendor after encountering God. |
| Psa 104:1-2 | Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty...covering yourself with light as with a garment. | God explicitly described as "clothed with splendor and majesty" and "light." |
| 1 Tim 6:16 | ...who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light... | God's dwelling in light too bright for human approach. |
| Hab 3:3-4 | God came from Teman...His splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise. And a radiance like light was His. | God's glory as light filling creation upon His arrival. |
| Psa 19:1 | The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. | Nature's declaration of God's glory, echoing Elihu's argument. |
| Job 9:9-10 | He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south...He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number. | God's inscrutable power over creation. |
| Psa 8:1 | O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! | General declaration of God's pervasive majesty. |
| Deut 10:17 | For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God... | Description of God as "awesome" (nora'). |
| Psa 47:2 | For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared, a great King over all the earth. | Emphasizes God's awe-inspiring nature, warranting fear and reverence. |
| Job 26:14 | Behold, these are but the fringes of his ways, and how small a whisper we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand? | Elihu's foreshadowing, God's power is incomprehensible. |
| Isa 6:3 | ...and one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” | God's pervasive glory filling the entire earth. |
| Rev 4:3 | ...and He who sat there was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. | God's heavenly appearance associated with dazzling preciousness and light. |
| Job 38:1 | Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind... | The immediate fulfillment: God's manifestation from a storm. |
| Matt 17:2 | And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. | Jesus' transfiguration, a display of divine glory and light on earth. |
| Phil 2:9-11 | Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... | Exaltation to divine status evokes universal awe and worship. |
| Heb 1:3 | He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature... | Christ as the manifestation of God's glory and divine essence. |
| Neh 9:6 | You are the LORD, You alone. You have made heaven...and all their host...And the host of heaven worships You. | God as the supreme Creator deserving all worship due to His majesty. |
| Psa 96:6 | Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. | Directly linking "splendor and majesty" to God's presence and holy place. |
| 2 Cor 3:18 | And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another... | Believers reflecting the transformative glory of God. |
| Judg 5:4 | LORD, when You went out from Seir, when You marched from the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens also dropped water... | God's powerful march and manifestation from specific directions, affecting nature. |
Job 37 verses
Job 37 22 Meaning
Job 37:22 culminates Elihu's discourse by declaring that God's presence and attributes manifest with overwhelming glory and unapproachable majesty. It describes a resplendent light or splendor originating from the north, a direction often associated with divine revelation or the source of great phenomena, asserting that this breathtaking beauty and might are inherent to God, who is clothed in awe-inspiring majesty. This verse prepares Job for the imminent divine encounter by underscoring God's immeasurable power and transcendence.
Job 37 22 Context
Job 37:22 is the climax of Elihu's fourth and final speech (Job 36-37), immediately preceding the Lord's direct intervention and response to Job (Job 38-41). Throughout his speeches, Elihu positions himself as an impartial mediator, aiming to correct Job's perspective by magnifying God's incomprehensible greatness, justice, and sovereignty, especially as manifested in nature. Chapter 37 specifically focuses on God's control over natural phenomena like storms, lightning, thunder, rain, snow, and clouds. Elihu uses these displays of divine power to underscore God's majesty and wisdom, which are beyond human comprehension or challenge.
Historically, the "north" (צָפוֹן - tsaphon) held various symbolic meanings in the ancient Near East. For some pagan traditions (e.g., Ugaritic Baal worship), Mount Zaphon was considered the dwelling place of the gods. In biblical literature, "the north" is often associated with the direction from which powerful events or even divine judgment would come, or at times, Mount Zion, the place of God's dwelling (Ps 48:2). Elihu's use here, describing a 'golden splendor' from the north leading to God's 'awesome majesty,' could be a subtle polemic asserting Yahweh's dominion over this traditional 'divine' region or simply signifying a point of awe-inspiring divine manifestation. The verse thus serves as Elihu's final appeal for Job to grasp the sheer, unapproachable glory and terrifying holiness of God, making Job's desire to contend with God seem utterly futile.
Job 37 22 Word analysis
מִצָּפוֹן (mitsaphon): "from the north."
- Meaning: Denotes origin or direction.
- Significance: In biblical cosmology and geography, the north (tsaphon) is sometimes associated with God's dwelling (e.g., Psa 48:2) or with powerful phenomena (e.g., Ezek 1:4 where God's manifestation appears from the north). It can signify a place of majesty, mystery, or divine activity. Its appearance here suggests a cosmic or grand scale of God's manifestation, not a simple weather event.
כָּל־זָהָב (Kol-zahav): "all gold" or "pure gold" or "brightest gold."
- Meaning: "All" (כָּל) intensifying "gold" (זָהָב). Can imply total, complete, or purest form. Gold symbolizes purity, preciousness, and divine glory throughout the Bible (e.g., for temple artifacts, Psa 45:9).
- Significance: This isn't literal gold but a metaphorical description of extreme brilliance, dazzling light, or intense radiance. It conveys superlative beauty and value, suggesting a splendor of unparalleled quality—divine splendor. Translations like "golden splendor" or "glorious splendor" capture this inferred meaning, connecting the imagery of pure gold with the manifestation of divine glory and light.
יֶאֱתֶה (ye'etheh): "comes," "appears."
- Meaning: A verb indicating movement or emergence.
- Significance: This emphasizes the arrival or manifestation of this "golden splendor." It's not static but actively coming, suggesting a dynamic, living display of God's power. It describes an active display, leading into the declaration of God's inherent presence and attributes.
עַל־אֱלוֹהַּ (al-Eloah): "upon God," "with God," "God has."
- Meaning: al is a preposition meaning "upon," "over," "belonging to," or "in the possession of." Eloah is a specific, formal name for God frequently used in the Book of Job, emphasizing His power and unique divine nature.
- Significance: This phrase asserts that the ensuing "awesome majesty" is inherently God's. It doesn't merely describe something that happens to God, but something that belongs to Him or defines Him. The "splendor from the north" converges "upon" or is attributed "to" God, indicating He is the source and embodiment of such grandeur.
הוֹד (hod): "majesty," "splendor," "glory," "honor."
- Meaning: A rich noun describing external grandeur, regal splendor, inherent glory, and imposing dignity. Often used to describe divine attributes (Psa 104:1).
- Significance: This directly describes the quality that defines God's appearance and essence. It is a visible, imposing eminence that commands respect and awe, distinguishing God as supremely exalted above all creation. It links to concepts of God's kabod (glory), which can manifest as light.
נוֹרָא (nora'): "awesome," "dreadful," "terrifying," "fear-inspiring."
- Meaning: A participle from the root yare' (to fear, to dread), conveying that which evokes reverential awe or terror due to its immense power or holiness.
- Significance: This adjective describes the effect of God's majesty on humans. It's not merely impressive but terrifying in its holiness and power, demanding absolute reverence and obedience. It highlights the vast qualitative difference between God and humanity, underpinning the call to fear the Lord (e.g., Deut 10:17). Elihu uses it to prepare Job to confront God not as an equal but as the Almighty.
Word-Group Analysis:
- "From the north, golden splendor comes": This phrase paints a vivid image of divine manifestation. It evokes a brilliant, overwhelming light emanating from a significant direction, signaling an imminent theophany. It's interpreted by some scholars as descriptive of rare natural phenomena like aurora borealis or intense celestial light (e.g., sunrise on a clear sky after a storm). More broadly, it serves as a metaphorical pointer to the ultimate source of all glory and light – God Himself. The "north" (Zaphon) as a direction could implicitly contrast God's true divine abode with human presumptions or pagan deities.
- "God is clothed with awesome majesty": This declares the core attribute being highlighted. It signifies that God is inherently wrapped in overwhelming splendor and a grandeur that evokes both fear and profound respect. The majesty is not something God acquires but His very garment, expressing His intrinsic nature. The "awesome" aspect (nora') elevates this majesty from mere beauty to something sacred, transcendent, and profoundly powerful, demanding humble submission and a recognition of human insignificance before divine omnipotence. It encapsulates Elihu's core argument: God is incomprehensible in His greatness.
Job 37 22 Bonus section
- A Theophanic Gateway: This verse acts as Elihu's ultimate preparatory statement for God's dramatic appearance in Job 38. The meteorological descriptions throughout Job 37 lead directly to this climactic statement of divine splendor, priming Job (and the reader) for the direct voice of God that follows. Elihu's speech concludes as a "curtain-raiser" to the Divine King's arrival.
- Divine Revelation in Nature: Elihu argues that God speaks and reveals Himself not just through direct revelation, but also powerfully through His creation, especially overwhelming natural events like storms. The "golden splendor" and "awesome majesty" are visible signs that humanity, if truly discerning, can perceive God's character and power.
- The Inscrutability of God: Despite Elihu's elaborate explanations, Job 37:22 still points to God's incomprehensibility. The splendor "from the north" emphasizes a source beyond human grasp, and the "awesome majesty" asserts God's transcendence over human attempts to define or understand Him fully. This serves to humble the human spirit before the divine.
Job 37 22 Commentary
Job 37:22 functions as a grand climax to Elihu's arguments, building a theological bridge directly into God's ensuing appearance from the whirlwind. The verse vividly portrays God's glorious and unapproachable nature, emphasizing that even the most stunning natural phenomena, depicted as "golden splendor from the north," serve merely as heralds or facets of God's inherent majesty. This isn't simply an observation of natural beauty, but a declaration of divine attributes. The phrase "awesome majesty" (hod nora') succinctly encapsulates the dual impact of God's glory: it is both beautiful and terrifying, splendid and dreadful, evoking reverence and profound humility. Elihu's intention is to disabuse Job of any notion of contending with God, showing that human reason and righteousness pale before the overwhelming, majestic power and holiness of the Almighty. The verse underscores God's absolute sovereignty and incomprehensibility, serving as a powerful call to humility and fear of the Lord in the face of His transcendent glory, preparing Job for a transformative encounter where God will reveal Himself as beyond human questioning.