The thunder declares His presence; even the cattle regard the rising storm.
Parallel translations
- WEB Its noise tells about him, and the livestock also concerning the storm that comes up.
- KJV The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
- NKJV His thunder declares it, The cattle also, concerning the rising storm.
- NASB “Its thundering voice declares His presence; The livestock also, concerning what is coming up.
- NLT The thunder announces his presence; the storm announces his indignant anger.
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
The thunder announces God's presence, and even the livestock sense the coming storm. Creation itself testifies to the approaching power of God.
Overview
This verse is somewhat difficult, but Elihu seems to say that the thunder declares God's coming and that even animals perceive the rising storm. All creation responds to the signs of God's might. The verse calls humanity to heed what even the beasts sense, the awesome nearness of God, and prepares for the climactic theophany when the LORD speaks from the whirlwind.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Job 37:2Listen closely to the thunder of His voice and the rumbling that comes from His mouth.
- Job 36:29Furthermore, who can understand how the clouds spread out, how the thunder roars from His pavilion?
- 2 Sam 22:14The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.
- Joel 2:22Do not be afraid, O beasts of the field, for the open pastures have turned green, the trees bear their fruit, and the fig tree and vine yield their best.
- Jer 14:4–6The ground is cracked because no rain has fallen on the land. The farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads.
- 1 Kgs 18:41–45And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.”
- Joel 1:18How the cattle groan! The herds wander in confusion because they have no pasture. Even the flocks of sheep are suffering.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 36:33 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.