Job 36:28

_FOR HE MAKETH SMALL THE DROPS OF WATER: THEY POUR DOWN RAIN ACCORDING TO THE VAPOUR THEREOF:_ The marvelous formation of rain (so Job 5:9; Job 37:13). MAKETH SMALL - rather, 'He draweth (up) to Him; He attracts х_ YªGAARA`_ (H1639) - literally, draws off] (from the earth below) the drops of water; they (the drops of water) pour down rain, (which is) His vapour.' "Vapour" is in apposition with "rain," marking the way in which rain in formed-namely, from the vapour drawn up by God into the air and then condensed into drops, which fall (Psalms 147:8). The suspension of such a mass of water, and its descent, not in a deluge, but in drops of vapoury rain, are the m

24-33 Elihu endeavours to fill Job with high thought of God, and so to persuade him into cheerful submission to his providence. Man may see God's works, and is capable of discerning his hand in them, which the beasts are not, therefore they ought to give him the glory. But while the worker of iniquity ought to tremble, the true believer should rejoice. Children should hear with pleasure their Father's voice, even when he speaks in terror to his enemies. There is no light but there may be a cloud to intercept it. The light of the favour of God, the light of his countenance, the most blessed light of all, even that light has many a cloud. The clouds of our sins cause the Lord to his face, and hinder the light of his loving-kindness from shining on our souls....

Verse Job 36:28. _WHICH THE CLOUDS DO DROP_] In proportion to the _evaporation_ will be the _clouds_ or _masses of volatilized_ and _suspended vapour_; and in proportion to this will be the quantum of _rain_ which in different forms will fall upon the earth. There is a remarkable addition to this verse in the _Septuagint_. I shall insert the whole verse: Ῥυησονται παλαιωματα, εσκιασε δε νεφη επι αμυθητῳ βροτῳ· ὡραν εθετο κτηνεσιν, οιδασι δε κοιτης ταξιν· επι τουτοις πασιν ουκ εξισταται σου ἡ διανοια, ουδε διαλλασσεται σου ἡ καρδια απο σωματος; "The rains descend, and the clouds cover with their shadows multitudes of men: he hath appointed to animals to know the order of their dwellings. At the contemplation of these things is not thy mind transported, and thy heart ready to part from thy body?...

UPON MAN ABUNDANTLY - That is, upon many people. The clouds having received the ascending vapor, retain it, and pour it down copiously for the use of man. The arrangement, to the eye even of one who did not understand the scientific principles by which it is done, is beautiful and wonderful; the beauty and wonder are increased when the laws by which it is accomplished are understood. Elihu does not attempt to explain the mode by which this is done. The fact was probably all that was then understood, and that was sufficient for his purpose. The Septuagint has given a translation of this verse which cannot be well accounted for, and which is certainly very unlike the original. It is, “But when the clouds east a shade over the dumb creation, he impresseth a care on beasts, and they know the order for retiring to rest - κοίτης τάξιν _koitēs_ _taxin_. At all these things is not their

EXPOSITION JOB 36:1 The two chapters, Job 36:1; Job 37:1, form a single discourse, and ought not to have been separated; or, at any rate, not so unskilfully as they are, in the middle of a description of a thunderstorm. They constitute a final appeal to Job, who is exhorted to submission, resignation, and patience, in consideration of God's inscrutability, and of his perfect justice, wisdom, and strength. Job 36:1 begins with a short preface (Job 36:1), in which Elihu seeks to prove his right to offer counsel to Job, after which God's justice is

WHICH THE CLOUDS DO DROP [AND] DISTIL UPON MAN ABUNDANTLY. Not upon the persons of men, which they take care as much as possible to shun and avoid, but upon the fields of men, and so for the profit and advantage of men; and this denotes both the gentle manner in which the clouds let down rain, and the liberal profusion of them; they let it down both in an easy and plentiful manner, and upon an abundance of men, or upon an abundance of fields and lands belonging to men; though sometimes rain falls upon the wilderness, where no man is, Job 38:26. The Targum is, "at the prayer of a son of a great man,'' or at the prayer of a man that has great interest with God; that is famous for his faith and piety, as Elijah was, to whom perhaps the Targumist may have respect. The rain is an emblem of the word of God, the Gospel of Christ, which drops and distils on the souls of men like

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 (Job 37:17) Job 36:22. The chapter division in the Authorized Version is at fault. These concluding verses of the thirty-sixth chapter begin the final section of Elihu's testimony. Unspeakably great in every way, in diction and reverence, is this man's witness to the ways of God in creation's work. They show that he speaks not of himself, but the One who is perfect in

God draws up the water-drops and lets them fall in rain. Who can understand the distribution of the clouds, the thunders which fill the cloud where He dwells? (_cf._ Psalms 18:11). He is surrounded with light (Job 36:30). By the thunderstorm He judges the peoples and supplies humanity with food (by the fertilising rain). He fills His hands with the lightning and sends it home to its mark. JOB 36:30 B is unintelligible. Budde reads, and the roots of the sea He lays bare. Duhm corrects the whole verse, Behold He spreadeth His cloud about him, and He covereth the tops of the mountains. In Job 36:33 read His war-cry announceth Him, kindling His wra

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 greatness of God, who surpasses all comprehension The passage has two sections: First, ch. Job 36:26 to Job 37:13, the incomprehensible greatness of God, seen in the phenomena of the atmosphere: in the formation of the rain-drops (ch. Job 36:26-28); in the thunder-storm (ch. Job 36:29 to Job 37:5

3. God knows what he is doing and his work should be magnified. (Job 36:22-33) TEXT 36:22-33 22 BEHOLD, GOD DOETH LOFTILY IN HIS POWER: Who is a teacher like onto him? 23 Who hath enjoined him his way? Or who can say, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness? 24 Remember that thou magnify his work, Whereof men have sung. 25 All men have looked thereon; Man beholdeth it afar off. 26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not; The number of his years is unsearchable. 27 For he draweth up the drops of water, Which distil in ram from his vapor, 28 Which the skies pour down And drop upon man abundantly. 29 Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, The thunderings of his pavilion? 30 Behold, he spreadeth his light around him; And he covereth the bottom of the sea. 31 For b