King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Its crashing announces its presence and apprises the cattle of what is coming.
Berean Standard Bible:
The thunder declares His presence; even the cattle regard the rising storm.
American Standard Version:
The noise thereof telleth concerning him, The cattle also concerningthe stormthat cometh up.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
The noise{H7452} thereof sheweth{H5046} concerning it, the cattle{H4735} also concerning the vapour{H5927}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Job 37:2
- Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound [that] goeth out of his mouth.
2 Samuel 22:14
- The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.
Joel 1:18
- How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
Joel 2:22
- Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
Jeremiah 14:4
- Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.
Jeremiah 14:6
- And the wild asses did stand in the high places, they snuffed up the wind like dragons; their eyes did fail, because [there was] no grass.
Job 36:29
- Also can [any] understand the spreadings of the clouds, [or] the noise of his tabernacle?
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Job 36:33
Job 36:33 is a part of the speech given by Elihu, one of the characters in the Book of Job, which is a part of the Wisdom Literature in the Hebrew Bible. The Book of Job deals with the problem of theodicy, or why evil exists in the world if God is just and good. It is set in a historical context that is likely the patriarchal period, though the exact time is not specified, and the narrative is more theological and philosophical than historical.
In the verse, Elihu continues his discourse, which began in chapter 32, where he criticizes both Job for justifying himself rather than God and the three friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) for failing to find a convincing answer to Job's suffering. Elihu's speeches emphasize God's greatness and the inability of humans to fully comprehend divine justice.
The verse itself, Job 36:33, can be somewhat enigmatic without broader context. It appears to use natural phenomena as metaphors to convey truths about God's power and the way He communicates with humanity. "The noise thereof sheweth concerning it" suggests that the thunder (often associated with the voice of God in the Bible) declares or reveals something about the divine. "The cattle also concerning the vapour" might be interpreted as the animals sensing the approach of a storm, which in turn symbolizes the intuitive understanding of God's impending judgment or presence.
In summary, Job 36:33 is part of Elihu's attempt to explain the inexplicable nature of suffering and divine justice. It uses the imagery of thunder and the instinctive reactions of animals to atmospheric changes as poetic devices to illustrate the majesty and inscrutability of God's ways. The verse reflects the broader themes of the Book of Job, which grapples with understanding the nature of God and His relationship to human suffering.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H7452
There are 3 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רֵעַ
Transliteration: rêaʻ
Pronunciation: ray'-ah
Description: from רוּעַ; a crash (of thunder), noise (of war), shout (of joy); [idiom] aloud, noise, shouted. - Strong's Number: H5046
There are 344 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָגַד
Transliteration: nâgad
Pronunciation: naw-gad'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praise; bewray, [idiom] certainly, certify, declare(-ing), denounce, expound, [idiom] fully, messenger, plainly, profess, rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, [idiom] surely, tell, utter. - Strong's Number: H4735
There are 64 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִקְנֶה
Transliteration: miqneh
Pronunciation: mik-neh'
Description: from קָנָה; something bought, i.e. property, but only livestock; abstractly, acquisition; cattle, flock, herd, possession, purchase, substance. - Strong's Number: H5927
There are 817 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָלָה
Transliteration: ʻâlâh
Pronunciation: aw-law'
Description: a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative; arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, [idiom] mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, [phrase] perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work.