After it a voice roars. He thunders with the voice of his majesty. He doesn’t hold back anything when his voice is heard.
Parallel translations
- KJV After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them 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 29:3–9Yahweh’s voice is on the waters. The God of glory thunders, even Yahweh on many waters.
- Ps 68:33To him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which are of old; behold, he utters his voice, a mighty voice.
- Exod 15:7–8In the greatness of your excellency, you overthrow those who rise up against you. You send out your wrath. It consumes them as stubble.
- Deut 33:26“There is no one like God, Jeshurun, who rides on the heavens for your help, in his excellency on the skies.
- Job 36:27–33For he draws up the drops of water, which distill in rain from his vapor,
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 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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