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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Job 37:21-23

JOB—NOTE ON Job 37:21 Elihu likens the light that comes after a storm has cleared to the God who is clothed with awesome majesty, who cannot simply be found, who is extremely powerful, and who does not violate what is right.

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See also Job 37:21-23 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Job 37:21. _AND NOW_ MEN _SEE NOT THE BRIGHT LIGHT_] Mr. _Good_ gives the sense clearer: - "Even now we cannot look at the light When it is resplendent in the heavens. And a wind from the nor...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    AND NOW MEN SEE NOT THE BRIGHT LIGHT WHICH IS IN THE CLOUDS - Either the lightning that plays on the clouds in an approaching tempest, or a glorious light spread over the sky on the approach of God. T...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER S 36:22--37:24 _ 1. God's power and presence in nature (Job 36:22)_ 2. The thunderstorm (Job 37:1) 3. The snow and the rain (Job 37:6) 4. Elihu's concluding remarks ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    How can he, whose mind is dark, address God? Shall I invite Him to converse and court destruction? (Job 37:19 f.). In Job 37:21 follow _mg._ And now men cannot look on the light when it is bright in t...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    WIND. Hebrew. _ruach._ App-9....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Job 36:26-33. The greatness and unsearchableness of God, seen in His marvellous operations in the skies; and exhortation to Job to allow these wonders duly to impress him, and to bow beneath the great...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Elihu's own imagination kindles at the thought of the wonders which he is unfolding, and he beseeches Job to observe them with a reverent awe, and learn from them the unsearchableness of Him who is th...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The natural meaning of this verse is, And now men cannot look upon the light, When it is bright in the skies, And the wind hath passed and cleansed them. The "light," here the sunlight, is too gre...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    2. Man should realize his insignificant position and fear God. (Job 37:14-24) TEXT 37:14-24 14 HEARKEN UNTO THIS, O JOB: Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. 15 Dost thou know how...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND NOW MEN SEE NOT THE BRIGHT LIGHT WHICH IS IN THE CLOUDS: BUT THE WIND PASSETH, AND CLEANSETH THEM._ Cleanseth - i:e., cleareth the air of clouds. When the "light" of the sun (the same Hebrew is...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    RM 'And now men cannot look on the light when it is bright in the skies, when the wind hath passed and chased them.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE SPEECHES OF ELIHU (CONCLUDED) 2. The thunder is frequently called the voice of God: cp. Psalms 29. SOUND] RM 'muttering.'...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    JOB, A SERVANT OF GOD Job _KEITH SIMONS_ Words in boxes (except for words in brackets) are from the Bible. This commentary has been through Advanced Checking. CHAPTER 37 ELIHU INTRODUCES GOD TO...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    We have no right to speak to God, except the right that God has given to us. We do not deserve God’s help. Everybody has done evil things. God will only forgive us because of the things that he himsel...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    AND NOW MEN SEE NOT THE BRIGHT LIGHT — _i.e.,_ the sun. “But he is bright behind the clouds, and when the wind has passed over them and cleared them away, even the north wind, he will come forth like...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ עַתָּ֤ה ׀ לֹ֘א רָ֤אוּ אֹ֗ור בָּהִ֣יר ה֭וּא

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    XXVI. THE DIVINE PREROGATIVE Job 35:1; Job 36:1; Job 37:1 AFTER a long digression Elihu returns to consider the statement ascribed to Job, "It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE LIGHT IN THE CLOUDS Job 37:1 As Elihu spoke a thunder-storm was gathering, and much of the imagery of this chapter is suggested by that fact. The little group listened to the sound of God's voice...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The description of the storm commenced in the previous chapter and is here completed. There is first the drawing up of the water into the clouds, their spreading over the sky, the strange mutterings o...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And now [men] see not the bright light (s) which [is] in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them. (s) The cloud stops the shining of the sun, that man cannot see it till the wind has cha...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Light; being hindered by the clouds, and dazzled when they are removed. Yet we presume to judge of the secrets of Providence! (Calmet) --- Away. As there is a constant vicissitude of these things, so...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (14) В¶ Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. (15) Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine? (16) Dost thou know the b...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 32 THROUGH 37. But these spiritual affections of Job did not prevent his turning this consciousness of integrity into a robe of self-righteousness which hid G...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND NOW MEN SEE NOT THE BRIGHT LIGHT WHICH [IS] IN THE CLOUDS,.... Here Elihu returns to his subject, it may be, occasioned by black clouds gathering in the heavens, as a preparation for the whirlwind...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And now [men] see not the bright light which [is] in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them. Ver. 21. _And now men see not the bright light that is in the clouds_] It seemeth, saith an...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _And now_ Or, for now, as the particle ו, _vau_, is often rendered; the following words containing a reason of those which precede; _men see not the bright light_, &c. Men are not able to look upon th...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds, the brightness which shines behind the clouds being veiled from the eyes; BUT THE WIND PASSETH AND CLEANSETH THEM, clearing the sky, dispel...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    FINAL ADMONITION ADDRESSED TO JOB...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    MAN'S IMPOTENCE IN THE STORM (vv.1-5) As the storm breaks upon them, Elihu himself trembles (v.1). The thunder of God's voice calls for man's close attention and His lightning spreads over the whole...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    If puny man cannot even look at the sun in its brightness without being blinded, how can any man hope to endure in God's presence?...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    21-24 Elihu concludes his discourse with some great sayings concerning the glory of God. Light always is, but is not always to be seen. When clouds come between, the sun is darkened in the clear day....

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    AND; or, _for_, as this particle is oft rendered; the following words containing a reason of those which go before. NOW: this particle is either, 1. A note of time, and so it intimates a sudden chang...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 37:21 look H7200 (H8804) light H216 bright H925 skies H7834 wind H7307 passed H5674 (H8804) cleared...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Job 37:21 I. We live under a cloud, and see God's way only by a dim light. As beings of intelligence, we find ourselves hedged in by mystery on every side. All our seeming knowledge is skirted, close...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Elihu's discourse continued. God's majesty. CHARACTERS: God, Elihu, Job. CONCLUSION: We must all own that our finite understandings cannot comprehend the infinite perfections of God, but w...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Job 37:5. _God thundereth marvellously with his voice._ See on Psalms 29. This chapter is divided from the former, in the midst of a sublime description of a storm. Job 37:22. The golden splendour _co...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds._ LIGHT IN THE CLOUDS Faith can see light when to human sense all is dark and dismal; can distinguish stars in the darkest night, sunbeams...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Teach us what we shall say unto Him._ MAN AND GOD I. Suggestions concerning man. 1. The sublimest act, speaking to God. “Teach us what we shall say unto Him; for we cannot order our speech by reas...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _ELIHU’S FOURTH SPEECH CONTINUED_ Elihu continues his discourse, apparently in the midst of loud thunder-claps, suddenly issuing from the storm-cloud out of which the Almighty was about to speak, and...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JOB 37:1 It has been already remarked that there is no natural division between Job 36:1 and Job 37:1.—the description of the thunderstorm and its effects runs on. From its effect on cattl...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    At this also my heart trembled, and is moved out of his place. Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. He directs it under the whole heaven, and his lightni...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Job 26:9; Job 36:32; Job 38:25...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Light — The sun; which is emphatically called light, and here the bright light: which men cannot behold or gaze on, when the sky is very clear: and therefore it is not strange if we cannot see God, or...

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