Its noise tells about him, and the livestock also concerning the storm that comes up.
Parallel translations
- KJV The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
- BSB The thunder declares His presence; even the cattle regard the rising storm.
- 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 37:2Hear, oh, hear the noise of his voice, the sound that goes out of his mouth.
- Job 36:29Yes, can any understand the spreading of the clouds, and the thunderings of his pavilion?
- 2 Sam 22:14Yahweh thundered from heaven. The Most High uttered his voice.
- Joel 2:22Don’t be afraid, you animals of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness spring up, for the tree bears its fruit. The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.
- Jer 14:4–6Because of the ground which is cracked, because no rain has been in the land. The plowmen are disappointed. They cover their heads.
- 1 Kgs 18:41–45Elijah said to Ahab, “Get up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.”
- Joel 1:18How the animals groan! The herds of livestock are perplexed, because they have no pasture. Yes, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
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.