God’s Word Translation
Job 36:31
31This is how he uses the rains to provide for people and to give them more than enough food.
Job 36:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
- New International Version (NIV)This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For by these he judges peoples; he gives food in abundance.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For by these He judges the peoples; He gives food in abundance.
Context of Job 36:31
29Can anyone really understand how clouds spread out or how he thunders from his dwelling place? 30Look, he scatters his flashes of lightning around him and covers the depths of the sea. This is how he uses the rains to provide for people and to give them more than enough food. 32He fills his hands with lightning and orders it to hit the target. 33The thunder announces his coming. The storm announces his angry wrath.
Read all of Job 36Job 36:31 word by word
כִּי־בָ֭ם יָדִ֣ין עַמִּ֑ים יִֽתֶּן־אֹ֥כֶל לְמַכְבִּֽיר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 36:31
- Job 37:13Whether for discipline, or for ⌞the good of⌟ his earth, or out of mercy, he makes the storm appear.
- Job 38:22Have you been to the warehouses where snow is stored or seen the warehouses for hail
- Genesis 6:17I’m about to send a flood on the earth to destroy all people under the sky—every living, breathing human. Everything on earth will die.
- Genesis 7:17The flood continued for 40 days on the earth. The water increased and lifted the ship so that it rose high above the ground.
- Genesis 19:24Then the Lord made burning sulfur and fire rain out of heaven on Sodom and Gomorrah.
- Exodus 9:23When Moses lifted his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning struck the earth. So the Lord made it hail on Egypt.
- Deuteronomy 8:2Remember that for 40 years the Lord your God led you on your journey in the desert. He did this in order to humble you and test you. He wanted to know whether or not you would wholeheartedly obey his commands.
- Joshua 10:11As they fled from the Israelites down the slope of Beth Horon toward Azekah, the Lord threw huge hailstones on them. More died from the hailstones than from Israelite swords.
- 1 Samuel 2:10“Those who oppose the Lord are broken into pieces. He thunders at them from the heavens. The Lord judges the ends of the earth. He gives strength to his King and lifts the head of his Messiah.”
- 1 Samuel 7:10While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines came to fight against Israel. On that day the Lord thundered loudly at the Philistines and threw them into such confusion that they were defeated by Israel.
- 1 Samuel 12:18Then Samuel called on the Lord. That day the Lord sent thunder and rain so that all the people feared the Lord and Samuel very much.
- Job 38:26to bring rain on a land where no one lives, on a desert where there are no humans,
- Psalms 65:9You take care of the earth, and you water it. You make it much richer than it was. (The river of God is filled with water.) You provide grain for them. Indeed, you even prepare the ground.
- Psalms 104:13You water the mountains from your home above. You fill the earth with the fruits of your labors.
- Psalms 136:25He gives food to every living creature— because his mercy endures forever.
- Acts 14:17Yet, by doing good, he has given evidence of his existence. He gives you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons. He fills you with food and your lives with happiness.”
Commentaries on Job 36:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31By them judgeth he the people - He makes storms, tempests, winds, hurricanes, tornadoes, thunder and lightning, drought and inundation, the instruments of his justice, to punish rebellious nations. He giveth meat in abundance - Though by these he punishes offenders, yet through the same, as instruments, he provides for the wants of men and animals in general. Storms, tempests, and hurricanes, agitate the lower regions of the atmosphere, disperse noxious…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31For by them judgeth he the people - By means of the clouds, the rain, the dew, the tempest, and the thunderbolt. The idea seems to be, that he makes use of all these to execute his purposes on mankind. He can either make them the means of imparting blessings, or of inflicting the severest, judgments. He can cause the tornado to sweep over the earth; he can arm the forked lightning against the works of art; he can withhold rain and dew, and spread over a…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24-33Verses 24-33 Elihu endeavours to fill Job with high thought of God, and so to persuade him into cheerful submission to his providence. Man may see God's works, and is capable of discerning his hand in them, which the beasts are not, therefore they ought to give him the glory. But while the worker of iniquity ought to tremble, the true believer should rejoice. Children should hear with pleasure their Father's voice, even when he speaks in terror to his…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31The Hebrew yadin typically means he judges or he governs. But some commentators propose an alternate reading, yazun (meaning "he nourishes"). This aligns with the theme of God's provision (Job 38:26; Psalms 65:9–13; 104:13–15, 27–28). The more common meaning of yadin is “judge,” which would mean that God does all things to bless his people and judge his enemies (Job 37:11–13; 38:22–23; see Genesis 6:17; 19:24; Exodus 9:23–25; Joshua 10:11–14; 1 Samuel…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3131. These (rain and lightnings) are marvellous and not to be understood (Job 36:29), yet necessary. "For by them He judgeth (chastiseth on the one hand), &c. (and on the other, by them) He giveth meat" (food), &c. (Job 37:13; 38:23, 27; Ac 14:17).Read the comment
Topics related to Job 36:31
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Job 36
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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