New English Translation
Job 36:31
31It is by these that he judges the nations and supplies food in abundance.
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
29Who can understand the spreading of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion? 30See how he scattered his lightning about him; he has covered the depths of the sea. It is by these that he judges the nations and supplies food in abundance. 32With his hands he covers the lightning, and directs it against its target. 33His thunder announces the coming storm, the cattle also, concerning the storm’s approach.
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 it is for punishment for his land, or whether it is for mercy, he causes it to find its mark.
- Job 38:22Have you entered the storehouse of the snow, or seen the armory of the hail,
- Genesis 6:17I am about to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy from under the sky all the living creatures that have the breath of life in them. Everything that is on the earth will die,
- Genesis 7:17The flood engulfed the earth for forty days. As the waters increased, they lifted the ark and raised it above the earth.
- Genesis 19:24Then the Lord rained down sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah. It was sent down from the sky by the Lord.
- Exodus 9:23When Moses extended his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire fell to the earth; so the Lord caused hail to rain down on the land of Egypt.
- Deuteronomy 8:2Remember the whole way by which he has brought you these forty years through the desert so that he might, by humbling you, test you to see if you have it within you to keep his commandments or not.
- Joshua 10:11As they fled from Israel on the slope leading down from Beth Horon, the Lord threw down on them large hailstones from the sky, all the way to Azekah. They died – in fact, more died from the hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword.
- 1 Samuel 2:10The Lord shatters his adversaries; he thunders against them from the heavens. The Lord executes judgment to the ends of the earth. He will strengthen his king and exalt the power of his anointed one.”
- 1 Samuel 7:10As Samuel was offering burnt offerings, the Philistines approached to do battle with Israel. But on that day the Lord thundered loudly against the Philistines. He caused them to panic, and they were defeated by Israel.
- 1 Samuel 12:18So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord made it thunder and rain that day. All the people were very afraid of both the Lord and Samuel.
- Job 38:26to cause it to rain on an uninhabited land, a desert where there are no human beings,
- Psalms 65:9You visit the earth and give it rain; you make it rich and fertile with overflowing streams full of water. You provide grain for them, for you prepare the earth to yield its crops.
- Psalms 104:13He waters the mountains from the upper rooms of his palace; the earth is full of the fruit you cause to grow.
- Psalms 136:25to the one who gives food to all living things, for his loyal love endures.
- Acts 14:17yet he did not leave himself without a witness by doing good, by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying you with food and your hearts with joy.”
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
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