After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard.
Parallel translations
- WEB After it a voice roars. He thunders with the voice of his majesty. He doesn’t hold back anything when his voice is heard.
- BSB Then there comes a roaring sound; He thunders with His majestic voice. He does not restrain the lightning when His voice resounds.
- NKJV After it a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, And He does not restrain them when His voice is heard.
- NASB “After it, a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, And He does not restrain the lightning when His voice is heard.
- NLT Then comes the roaring of the thunder— the tremendous voice of his majesty. He does not restrain it when he speaks.
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
After the lightning a voice roars; God thunders majestically and holds nothing back when His voice is heard. His voice is full of unrestrained majesty.
Overview
Elihu describes the roaring thunder following the lightning as the majestic voice of God, unleashed in full power. The imagery conveys the irresistible and glorious authority of God's speech (Ps. 29:3-4). This portrayal of God's majestic voice prepares for the LORD speaking from the whirlwind and reminds us to listen with awe to the God who has spoken finally in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Ps 29:3–9The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.
- Ps 68:33To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.
- Exod 15:7–8And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.
- Deut 33:26There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.
- Job 36:27–33For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:
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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 37:4 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
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