For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:
Parallel translations
- WEB For he draws up the drops of water, which distill in rain from his vapor,
- BSB For He draws up drops of water which distill the rain from the mist,
- NKJV For He draws up drops of water, Which distill as rain from the mist,
- NASB “For He draws up the drops of water; They distill rain from its celestial stream,
- NLT He draws up the water vapor and then distills it into rain.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God draws up drops of water that distill as rain from His vapor. He governs the cycle that brings rain to the earth.
Overview
Elihu begins a meditation on God's control of the weather, describing how He lifts water that falls as rain. This reflects accurate observation of the water cycle, all of it under God's providential hand (cf. Jer. 10:13). Such reflection on God's care over creation magnifies His wisdom and power, reminding us that the Maker of rain is also the faithful Provider for His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Ps 147:8Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
- Job 38:25–28Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;
- Ps 65:9–13Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.
- Ps 148:8Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word:
- Job 5:9Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:
- Gen 2:5–6And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
- Isa 5:6And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
- Job 36:33The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
- Job 38:34Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?
- Jer 14:22Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.
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Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 36:27 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.