New English Translation
Job 37:12
12The clouds go round in circles, wheeling about according to his plans, to carry out all that he commands them over the face of the whole inhabited world.
Job 37:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth.
- New International Version (NIV)At his direction they swirl around over the face of the whole earth to do whatever he commands them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)They turn around and around by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them on the face of the habitable world.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance, That they may do whatever He commands them On the face of the whole earth.
Context of Job 37:12
10The breath of God produces ice, and the breadth of the waters freeze solid. 11He loads the clouds with moisture; he scatters his lightning through the clouds. The clouds go round in circles, wheeling about according to his plans, to carry out all that he commands them over the face of the whole inhabited world. 13Whether it is for punishment for his land, or whether it is for mercy, he causes it to find its mark. 14“Pay attention to this, Job! Stand still and consider the wonders God works.
Read all of Job 37Job 37:12 word by word
וְה֤וּא מְסִבּ֨וֹת׀ מִתְהַפֵּ֣ךְ בְּתַחְבּוּלֹתָ֣יו לְפָעֳלָ֑ם כֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְצַוֵּ֓ם׀ עַל־פְּנֵ֖י תֵבֵ֣ל אָֽרְצָה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it is turnedהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
- round aboutמֵסַבmêsab mesibbîym mesibbôth · surroundsH4524
- by his counselsתַּחְבֻּלָהtachbûlâh tachbûlâh · counselH8458
- that they may doפֹּ֫עַלpô‛al · workH6467
- whatsoever he commandethצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- them upon the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: surfaceH6440
- of the worldתֵּבֵלtêbêl · worldH8398
- in the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
Cross-references for Job 37:12
- 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 104:24How many living things you have made, O Lord! You have exhibited great skill in making all of them; the earth is full of the living things you have made.
- Jeremiah 14:22Do any of the worthless idols of the nations cause rain to fall? Do the skies themselves send showers? Is it not you, O Lord our God, who does this? So we put our hopes in you because you alone do all this.”
- Joel 2:23Citizens of Zion, rejoice! Be glad because of what the Lord your God has done! For he has given to you the early rains as vindication. He has sent to you the rains – both the early and the late rains as formerly.
- Amos 4:7“I withheld rain from you three months before the harvest. I gave rain to one city, but not to another. One field would get rain, but the field that received no rain dried up.
- Psalms 148:8O fire and hail, snow and clouds, O stormy wind that carries out his orders,
- James 5:17Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months!
- Revelation 11:6These two have the power to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the time they are prophesying. They have power to turn the waters to blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague whenever they want.
Commentaries on Job 37:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12And it is turned round about by his counsels - The original is difficult: בתחבולתו מתהפך מסבות והוא vehu mesibboth mithhappech bethachbulothav ; which has been thus paraphrased: And he - the sun, makes revolutions - causes the heavenly bodies to revolve round him, turning round himself - turning round his own axis, by his attachments - his attractive and repulsive influences, by which the heavenly bodies revolve round him, and by which, as if strongly…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12And it is turned round about - The word here rendered “it” (הוא hû' ) may refer either to the “cloud,” and then it will mean that it is driven about at the pleasure of God; or it may refer to God, and then it will mean that “he” drives it about at pleasure. The sense is not materially varied. The use of the Hebrew participle rendered “turned about” (in Hithpael), would rather imply that it refers to the cloud. The sense then is, that it turns itself…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1311-13. How the thunderclouds are dispersed, or else employed by God, either for correction or mercy. by watering--by loading it with water. wearieth--burdeneth it, so that it falls in rain; thus "wearieth" answers to the parallel "scattereth" (compare, see on Job 37:9); a clear sky resulting alike from both. bright cloud--literally, "cloud of his light," that is, of His lightning. Umbreit for "watering," &c., translates; "Brightness drives away the…Read the comment
Topics related to Job 37:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Job 37
- 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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