Job 37:6

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

¶ For he saith to the snow, Be thou [on] the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.

Complete Jewish Bible:

He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth!'-likewise to the light rain, also to the downpour.

Berean Standard Bible:

For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the gentle rain, ‘Pour out a mighty downpour.’

American Standard Version:

For he saith to the snow, Fall thou on the earth; Likewise to the shower of rain, And to the showers of his mighty rain.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

For he saith^{H559} to the snow^{H7950}, Be thou^{H1933} on the earth^{H776}; likewise to the small^{H4306} rain^{H1653}, and to the great^{H4306} rain^{H1653} of his strength^{H5797}.

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Commentary for Job 37:6

Job 37:6 is a part of the poetic discourse found in the Book of Job, which is traditionally ascribed to the authorship of Moses and is one of the Wisdom Books in the Hebrew Bible. The Book of Job deals with the themes of suffering, faith, and the nature of divine justice. It recounts the story of Job, a righteous man who is tested by God through immense suffering, including the loss of his wealth, children, and health.

The verse itself is located within a speech by Elihu, one of Job's friends, who offers his perspective on God's power and majesty. Elihu, although not one of the primary characters, plays a significant role in the dialogue by asserting that God's ways are beyond human understanding and that suffering may be a means of divine instruction.

In Job 37:6, Elihu speaks of God's command over the natural elements, emphasizing God's sovereignty and control. The verse illustrates how God commands the snow to fall upon the earth, as well as the gentle and the heavy rains, indicating the breadth of God's power over weather and climate. This imagery serves to underscore the vast difference between the almighty Creator and human beings, who are subject to God's creation and cannot control the forces of nature.

The historical context of the Book of Job is somewhat uncertain, with scholars proposing various dates for its composition, ranging from the time of Moses (around the 13th century BCE) to as late as the 5th century BCE. The reference to snow and rain in this verse reflects an understanding of meteorology that would have been common in the ancient Near East, where agricultural societies were deeply attuned to the cycles of weather that could bring both blessing and calamity.

In summary, Job 37:6 highlights the theme of God's absolute authority over nature, a theme that is central to the Book of Job's exploration of theodicy—the question of why a good God permits the existence of evil and suffering. The verse uses the imagery of snow and rain to convey the awesomeness of God's power, which is a recurring motif throughout the book, intended to provoke reflection on the limits of human knowledge and the inscrutability of divine wisdom.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H559
   There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָמַר
   Transliteration: ʼâmar
   Pronunciation: aw-mar'
   Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
   
2. Strong's Number: H7950
   There are 20 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שֶׁלֶג
   Transliteration: sheleg
   Pronunciation: sheh'-leg
   Description: from שָׁלַג; snow (probably from its whiteness); snow(-y).
   
3. Strong's Number: H1933
   There are 6 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: הָוָא
   Transliteration: hâvâʼ
   Pronunciation: haw-vaw'
   Description: or הָוָה; a primitive root (compare אָוָה, הָיָה) supposed to mean properly, to breathe; to be (in the sense of existence); be, [idiom] have.
   
4. Strong's Number: H776
   There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֶרֶץ
   Transliteration: ʼerets
   Pronunciation: eh'-rets
   Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.
   
5. Strong's Number: H4306
   There are 36 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מָטַר
   Transliteration: mâṭar
   Pronunciation: maw-tawr'
   Description: from מָטַר; rain; rain.
   
6. Strong's Number: H1653
   There are 33 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: גֶּשֶׁם
   Transliteration: geshem
   Pronunciation: gheh'-shem
   Description: from גָּשַׁם; a shower; rain, shower.
   
7. Strong's Number: H5797
   There are 92 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עֹז
   Transliteration: ʻôz
   Pronunciation: oze
   Description: or (fully) עוֹז; from עָזַז; strength in various applications (force, security, majesty, praise); boldness, loud, might, power, strength, strong.