Job 37 4

Job 37:4 kjv

After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard.

Job 37:4 nkjv

After it a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, And He does not restrain them when His voice is heard.

Job 37:4 niv

After that comes the sound of his roar; he thunders with his majestic voice. When his voice resounds, he holds nothing back.

Job 37:4 esv

After it his voice roars; he thunders with his majestic voice, and he does not restrain the lightnings when his voice is heard.

Job 37:4 nlt

Then comes the roaring of the thunder ?
the tremendous voice of his majesty.
He does not restrain it when he speaks.

Job 37 verses

Job 37 4 Meaning

Job 37:4 portrays God's majestic power as revealed through the elements of a storm, specifically the thunder that follows lightning. Elihu describes the voice of God roaring like an uncontrollable storm, emphasizing that when God speaks or acts through nature, His power is absolute, irresistible, and cannot be restrained by any force. This serves to humble humanity and magnify God's unchallengeable sovereignty, wisdom, and judgment.

Job 37 4 Context

This verse is part of Elihu’s lengthy discourse in the book of Job (chapters 32-37), which immediately precedes God's own speeches to Job. Elihu, as the youngest of Job's companions, steps forward to offer a corrective perspective after Job and his three friends have exhausted their arguments. His primary aim in chapters 36-37 is to emphasize God’s majestic greatness, unsearchable wisdom, and incomprehensible power, particularly through His control over natural phenomena like storms.

Job 37:4 builds upon the description of God's control over lightning in the preceding verse. Elihu uses the sequential arrival of thunder "after it" (the lightning) to underscore the precise and orchestrated nature of God's workings. In the ancient Near East, storm deities (like Baal) were prominent, often associated with chaotic, unpredictable power. Elihu's detailed depiction of Yahweh’s calculated and overwhelming command over thunder and lightning serves as a direct, though implicit, polemic against these beliefs, asserting the singular and ultimate sovereignty of the one true God over all creation, not merely a segment of it. He highlights that God's power is not chaotic, but purposeful and unassailable, thereby challenging Job's complaints and inviting him to view suffering through the lens of God's incomprehensible greatness and justice.

Job 37 4 Word analysis

• After it: (Hebrew: אַחֲרָיו, ʾaḥăráyw) Signifies sequence. It points back to the lightning mentioned in Job 37:3, indicating that the thunder (God's voice) directly follows and is inherently connected to the visual manifestation of His power. This order reinforces God's orchestrated control over the natural world, rather than mere chaotic phenomena.
• a voice: (Hebrew: קוֹל, qōl) Refers to the thunder. In biblical contexts, qōl can denote any sound, but when attributed to God in natural phenomena, it consistently signifies a powerful, divine utterance that conveys His presence, authority, or action.
• roars: (Hebrew: יִשְׁאָג, yišʾāg) Derived from the root שָׁאַג (sha'ag), meaning to roar like a lion. This strong verb is often associated with the terrifying and majestic roar of a lion, metaphorically linking God’s thunderous voice to the absolute power, authority, and intimidating presence of a formidable beast of prey. It communicates raw, untamed power that commands attention and fear.
• He thunders: (Hebrew: יַרְעֵם, yarʿēm) Directly identifies God as the active agent producing thunder. The root רָעַם (ra'am) explicitly means "to thunder." This verb highlights God's direct involvement and complete command over atmospheric phenomena, demonstrating that thunder is not an independent natural event but a specific action of the Almighty.
• with His majestic voice: (Hebrew: בְּקוֹל גְּאוֹנוֹ, bəqōl gəʾōnōw)
  • with His voice: Reinforces the idea that thunder is God's voice, not merely a sound He creates.
  • majestic: (Hebrew: גְּאוֹנוֹ, gəʾōnōw) From גָּאוֹן (ga'on), meaning "majesty," "excellency," "dignity," or even "pride" (in a divine, not sinful, sense). It denotes the supreme and incomparable greatness of God, implying His absolute authority, glory, and irresistible power. His voice is majestic because He is majestic. This term emphasizes the divine eminence and dignity that underpins the thunder's awe-inspiring power.
• And He will not restrain them: (Hebrew: וְלֹא יְעַקְּבֵם, wəloʾ yəʿaqqəvēm)
  • He will not restrain: From the root עָקַב (ʿāqab), meaning "to seize by the heel," "to supplant," or "to restrain/hold back." It signifies the impossibility of stopping or holding back God's action once initiated. Once God speaks or unleashes His power, it is inevitable and irresistible.
  • them: The referent of "them" is generally understood to be the accompanying forces and effects of the storm – the lightning, the rain, the hail, or indeed, the successive peals of thunder themselves. More profoundly, it may refer to God's preordained purposes or judgments that manifest through these natural phenomena, which once set in motion, cannot be hindered.
• when His voice is heard: (Hebrew: בְּהִשָּׁמַע קוֹלוֹ, bəhiššāmaʿ qōlōw) Emphasizes the inevitability and immediacy of the divine action once His voice (the thunder) is audibly manifest. It signifies that there is no stopping or questioning the accompanying events once God's audible declaration of power commences. This reinforces the unstoppable nature of God’s will and activity.

Job 37 4 Bonus section

The build-up of Elihu's discourse in Job 37, culminating in God's direct address from the whirlwind (Job 38:1), is pivotal. This verse is not just a description of a storm; it's a theological pre-echo, a grand overture to the arrival of God Himself. Elihu’s objective is to humble Job not through human argument but by pointing to the unanswerable display of God’s magnificent control over the universe. The storm imagery prepares Job, and the reader, for the very tangible, overwhelming, and unchallengeable presence of God who then silences Job's complaints by asking unanswerable questions about creation. Thus, Job 37:4 functions as a rhetorical and theological bridge, drawing Job's attention from his suffering to the overwhelming glory of his Creator, prompting awe and surrender rather than disputation.

Job 37 4 Commentary

Job 37:4, spoken by Elihu, serves as a profound testament to God’s sovereign power as displayed through the raw force of a thunderstorm. The "roaring" of God's voice, akin to a lion, underscores His untamed might and authoritative presence, leaving no room for human questioning or challenge. This thunder, directly attributed as "His majestic voice," reveals God’s inherent glory and transcendent dignity that dictates the entire cosmic order. Crucially, the phrase "He will not restrain them when His voice is heard" highlights the absolute and unstoppable nature of God's actions. Once God speaks, through thunder or any other means, His power is unleashed without reservation, bringing to pass His intended will—whether it be rain, judgment, or simply a manifestation of His awesome presence. Elihu uses this magnificent natural display to correct Job’s limited perception, reminding him and us that God’s ways are unfathomable, His power is limitless, and His dominion over all creation is unchallengeable. This calls for reverence, humility, and trust in the One whose works surpass all human comprehension.