Job 37:16

_DOST THOU KNOW THE BALANCINGS OF THE CLOUDS, THE WONDROUS WORKS OF HIM WHICH IS PERFECT IN KNOWLEDGE?_ Hebrew, 'Hast thou understanding of the balancings,' etc., how the clouds are poised in the air, so that their watery gravity does not bring them to the earth? The condensed moisture, descending by gravity, meets a warmer temperature, which dissipates it into vapour (the tendency of which is to ascend) and so counteracts the descending force. PERFECT IN KNOWLEDGE - God: not here in the sense that Elihu uses it of himself (Job 36:4). DOST THOU KNOW - how, etc....

14-20 Due thoughts of the works of God will help to reconcile us to all his providences. As God has a powerful, freezing north wind, so he has a thawing, composing south wind: the Spirit is compared to both, because he both convinces and comforts, Song of Solomon 4:16. The best of men are much in the dark concerning the glorious perfections of the Divine nature and the Divine government. Those who, through grace, know much of God, know nothing, in comparison with what is to be known, and of what will be known, when that which is perfect is come....

Verse Job 37:16. _DOST THOU KNOW THE BALANCINGS OF THE CLOUDS_] How are the clouds suspended in the atmosphere? Art thou so well acquainted with the nature of _evaporation_, and the _gravity_ of the _air_ at different heights, to support different _weights_ of aqueous vapour, so as to keep them floating for a certain portion of time, and then let them down to water the earth; dost thou know these things so as to determine the laws by which they are regulated? _WONDROUS WORKS OF HIM WHICH IS PERFECT IN KNOWLEDGE_] This is a paraphrase. Mr. _Good's_ translation is much better: - "Wonders, perfections of wisdom!...

DOST THOU KNOW THE BALANCINGS OF THE CLOUDS? - That is, Dost thou know how the clouds are poised and suspended in the air? The difficulty to be explained was, that the clouds, so full of water, did not fail to the earth, but remained suspended in the atmosphere. They were poised and moved about by some unseen hand. Elihu asks what kept them there; what prevented their falling to the earth; what preserved the equilibrium so that they did not all roll together. The phenomena of the clouds would be among the first that would attract the attention of man, and in the early times of Job it is not to be supposed that the subject could be explained. Elihu assumes that they were held in the sky by the power of God, but what was the nature of his agency, he says, man could not understand, and hence, he infers that God should be regarded with profound veneration. We know more of the facts and laws...

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 cattle, Elihu passes to its effect on man (Job 37:1); and thence goes on to speak of other natural manifestations of God's power and marvellousness—snow, violent rain, whirlwind, frost, and the like (Job 37:6). He then makes a final appeal to Job to acknowledge his own weakness and God's perfection and unsearchableness, and to bow down in wonder and adora

DOST THOU KNOW THE BALANCINGS OF THE CLOUDS?.... How those ponderous bodies, as some of them are very weighty, full of water, are poised, and hang in the air, without turning this way or the other, or falling on the earth; THE WONDROUS WORKS OF HIM WHICH IS PERFECT IN KNOWLEDGE; of God, who is a God of knowledge, of knowledges, 1 Samuel 2:3; who knows himself and all his works, all creatures and things whatever, see Job 36:4; and this is another of his wondrous works, which none but he, whose knowledge is perfect, and is the author and giver of knowledge, can know, even the poising and balancing of the clouds in the air; we see they are balanced, but we know not how it is done....

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

Job is invited to consider God's wonders. Does he know how God lays His charge upon them, _i.e._ probably the phenomena just described by Elihu in Job 37:1? Does he understand the flashing of the lightning, the balancing of the clouds, the warmth and stillness accompanying the sirocco? Can he spread out the firmament firm and bright as a metal mirror?...

CLOUDS. thick clouds....

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