Job Expounded, Commentary on Job · Chapter 37
¶ THE SVMME AND ORDER of the xxxvii. Chapter.
THe former part of this Chapter vntounto the 14. verse, whollie agreeth with the end of the Chapter goeing before. Afterwarde Elihu by little and little draweth to a most wise conclusion, bringing Iob to this point, that as the wisedome of God, in these dailie and ordinarie workes of nature, doeth farre exceede the reach and capacitie of man, so he should much more, consider the same in this grieuous calamitie which was befalne him. And forasmuch as he could not come to the knowledge of any other secondarie and middle causes, he should rather adore and reuerence the secret counsell and purpose of God herein, then labour in vaine, and without any profit at al, to torment him selfe in searching out that which is not possible for any man to vnderstand. Which argument, God him selfe doeth at large most trulie and deuinelie prosecute, in the foure Chapters following.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
Vers. 1. Therefore at this my heart is astonied, & leapeth out of his place.
2 Harken vntounto the ratling of his voice, and the noise that goeth out of his month.
3 He directeth it vnderunder the whole heauen, and his light (is) vppon the vttermost parts of the earth.
4 After it, a voice roareth, he thundreth with the voice of his highnes, neither doth he deferre them, when his voice is heard.
1 VErily I cannot so much as once thinke of these things, but that my heart panteth within me, as if it vvould presentlie leape out of my bodie. 2 Hereof all you shall beare me vvitnesse, vvho giuegive good heede to the sounde of gods thundring, and to the roaring, as it vvere, of his mouth, vvhichwhich maketh so horrible a noise, & is heard farre & neere. 3 & 4 That roaring, I say, vvhichwhich resoundeth and ringeth in the aire all abroad, according as it is directed to this or that place vnderunder the heauens: and the lightning, the brightnesse vvhereof reacheth vntounto the farthest part of the earth, and vvhichwhich is no sooner seene, but that straightvvay follovveth that roaring voice: vvhichwhich ratling noise of the thunder is doubtlesse, an argument of the great povver and maiestie of god: neither doth the thunderclap come long after the lightning, vvhen it is in such place vvhere it may be heard, but he maketh the one to bee, as it were, the forerunner of the other.
5 God thundreth maruelously with his voice, he worketh great things and we know them not.
Now then it can not be denied, that this voice of God is verie woonderfull: but hee doeth other thinges also no lesse marueilous then this, yea such, as our slender vnderstanding is not able to conceiue.
6 For he saith to the snow, Be thou vponupon the earth, and to the showre of raine, and to the stormie showre of his power.
7 With the hand of eueryevery man hee shutteth vp (that is, hee maketh all men to shut vp their dores, and to keepe within their houses without comming abroad) that they may acknowledge all their workemen.
8 And the wild beastes enter into their dennes and remaine in their caues.
6 For hee it is, who no sooner speaketh the worde, but the snowe commeth downe like flockes of wooll and couereth the earth, as also at his commandement the raine eyther droppeth out of the cloudes in small quantitie, and is called a showre: or falleth with greater violence and more aboundance, which we call a storme. 7. When the cuntrie man hath espied it, he resorteth homeward as fast as he can, hee carefully shutteth vp his dores, and counteth the number of his workemen at leysure. 8 The wilde beasts betake them to their dennes, and abide within their caues and lurking places.
9 The vvhirlewinde commeth out of the inward parts, (that is, from the South) and the colde from the North winde.
10 By the blast of God, (that is, by his owne blast, or by that which he raiseth and ruleth,) he giueth yee and the bredth of the water (is) in a narrow roome.
9 At his commaundement sometimes the South winde gathereth cloudes, whereof ariseth a tempest: sometimes the North winde scattereth and disperseth them, and so maketh colde. 10 At his becke a blaste commeth foorth, which causeth frost, and the waters howsoeuer before they flovved and runne out in breadth, are drawne vp into a narrovve compasse, and are harde compact together.
11 Moreouer hee wearieth the cloudes with watering, and scattereth the cloudes of his light.
12 And they by his cunning are turned about by a circuite, (that is, in a round compasse or circle) that they may do what soeuer he commandeth them vponupon the face of the earth.
13 Whether for a scourge, or for his lande, or for his bountifulnes, he maketh it to be found.
11 Moreouer hee sometimes emptieth the full cloudes and maketh them barren, by watring the earth with the showres that fall from them: at other times againe he doth quite contrarie, dispersing the cloudes, vvhichwhich were readie to send foorth lightning and tempest. 12 Neither are these cloudes caried vp and downe in the aire by anie wandring and vnconstant motion, but they are, as it were by certaine engines of almightie God, turned about at his owne pleasure, when and where hee thinketh good to vse them, to doe whatsoeuer he commandeth to bee done vponupon the face of the earth. 13 Whether by this meanes hee hath purposed iustlie to punish men for their wickednesse, or to make the earth fruitefull, where he will shew his fauour and louing kindenesse: or else hath caused them to appeare for thee good and benefite of his children.
14 Harken vntounto this, O Iob, stand, and consider the wonders of the mightie one.
Now surely, Iob, if thou bee wise, withdrawe thy minde from all other cogitations, which hauehave caried thee out of the right waie I knowe not whether, and giuegive eare to that which I speake, neither doe thou thus torment and grieue thy selfe, but with a quiet and setled minde consider with mee those woonderfull workes of the almightie: by vvhichwhich thou shalt learne, howe to behaue thy selfe in this thy miserie, bee it neuer so grieuous and seeme it neuer so intollerable.
15 Doest thou know in what place to d…spose them, and to make the light of his cloud to shine?
16 Doest thou know the iust weight of the cloudes, the woonders of him that is persit in knowledge?
17 And how thy garments are warme, when hee maketh the earth quiet from the South.
18 Hast thou stretched out the heauens with him: (and) that firme (bodie) like to a molten glasse.
15 This calamitie, whereunto thou art fallen, & whervvith thou findest thy selfe so much grieued, because thou canst not finde out the true cause thereof, is as it vvere an obscure and darke cloude ouershadovving the light of the sunne, vvhichwhich began to shine bright vponupon thee: vvhy doest thou not here make vse of that, vvhichwhich thou seest daily with thine eyes? For art thou the man, that knowest in vvhat places and in what order euerie cloude is to be set? Canst thou scatter the cloudes vvherewith God doeth ouershadovv the earth? Canst thou cause the sunne to shine, or make faire weather vvhen it pleaseth thee? 16 Doest thou knovve in what vveight and measure the cloudes hang in the aire? and is thy minde able to conceiue, what miracles God there worketh, God, I say, vvho most perfitely knoweth all things? 17 And that I maie come yet a litle neerer vntounto thy selfe, canst thou tell mee vvhence commeth so sudden a change, that so soone as the South vvinde ceaseth to raise vp tempests vponupon the earth, there follovveth by and by such calme and hote vveather, that thou canst not abide the heate of thy garments? 18 Finallie, vverte thou present vvith God, vvhen hee spred the heauens like a curtaine, beeing compact of a firme and sound matter, no lesse cleare then the cristall, or as a smooth and polished glasse of pure and shining steele?
19 Tell vsus what vve shall say vntounto him: we will not addresse our selues to speake because of darkenes.
20 Shall it not be told him, if I speake? if anie man shall speak he shall be swallowed vp.
If thou still continue obstinate, and thinke that God is to bee spoken vntounto, concerning these matters: goe too, teach vsus vvhat vvordes wee shall vse vvhen wee come before him, that herein wee doe not rashly and vnaduisedly take anie thing in hand. For trulie if the case vvere our ovvne, vvee in no vvise durst attempt to put foorth any such speech, no not in secret when vve are alone by our selues, and vvhen vvee lie hidden as it were in darkenesse, so that none can behold vsus, much lesse before his tribunall seate. 20 For vvhat can I speake so secretlie, but that he will come to the knowledge thereof? and who shall open his mouth to reason with him, but that he shall be swallowed vp in destruction?
21 And now that shining light which is in the skie, is not seene, but the winde passeth and clenseth it.
22 From the North shall come golde. In God there is light, which is greatlie to be feared.
21 And surely Iob, thy state and condition at this present, is not much vnlike. For the heauens doe not now shine vponupon thee, but rather on euerie side are ouercast with miste and darkenesse. Neuerthelesse, there is a winde, with the blast whereof the cloudes vanish awaie, and the sunne shineth againe in his strength. 22 To thee, I say, a light shal arise more bright then anie golde, the North winde, which causeth faire weather, shall blow vponupon thee. But alwaies remember this, that the light of God which shineth in all his workes is rather with trembling to bee reuerenced, then with curiositie to be searched into.
23 The almightie! we can not finde him out; he is great in power and iudgement, and aboundance of iustice: neither doth hee oppresse anie.
24 And therefore he is to be feared of men: (but) he seeth not all wise in heart.
23 And that I may shut vp al in few wordes, the almightie is not within the reach and compasse of mans vnderstanding, being no lesse perfite in iustice and equitie, then mightie in power: vvhichwhich power he neuer abuseth to violence and oppression: and therefore of dutie men ought to feare and reuerence his maiestie: but he findeth not all wise, whom he beholdeth here vponupon earth