Albert Barnes

He unleashes His lightning beneath the whole sky and sends it to the ends of the earth.

“He directeth it under the whole heaven - It is under the control of God, and he directs it where he pleases. It is not confined to one spot, but seems to be complaining from every part of the heavens.”

God thunders wondrously with His voice; He does great things we cannot comprehend.

“God thundereth marvelously - He thunders in a wonderful manner. The idea is, that the voice of his thunder is an amazing exhibition of his majesty and power.”

He seals up the hand of every man, so that all men may know His work.

“He sealeth up the hand of every man - That is, in the winter, when the snow is on the ground, when the streams are frozen, and when the labors of the husbandman cease.”

The wild animals enter their lairs; they settle down in their dens.

“Then the beasts go into dens - In the winter. This fact appears to have been early observed, that in the season of cold the wild animals withdrew into caves, and that many of them became torpid.”

The tempest comes from its chamber, and the cold from the driving north winds.

“Out of the south - Margin, “chamber.” Jerome, “ab interioribus - from the interior,” or “inner places.” Septuagint, ἐκ ταυείων ek taueiōn - “from their chambers issue sorrows” - ὀωύνας othunas.”

He loads the clouds with moisture; He scatters His lightning through them.

“Also by watering - Very various interpretations have been given of this phrase. Herder renders it, “His brightness rendeth the clouds.” Umbreit, Und Heiterkeit vertreibt die Wolke - “and serenity or clearness drives away the clouds.” Prof.”

Whether for punishment or for His land, He accomplishes this in His loving devotion.

“He causeth it to come - That is, the rain, or the storm. It is entirely under the hand of God, like the lightning Job 36:30, and designed to accomplish his purposes of mercy and of justice.”

Do you know how God dispatches the clouds or makes the lightning flash?

“Dost thou know when God disposed them? - That is, the winds, the clouds, the cold, the snow, the sky, etc. The question refers to the manner in which God arranges and governs them, rather than to the time when it was done.”

You whose clothes get hot when the land lies hushed under the south wind,

“How thy garments are warm - What is the reason that the garments which we wear produce warmth? This, it would seem, was one of the philosophical questions which were asked at that time, and which it was difficult to explain.”

Teach us what we should say to Him; we cannot draw up our case when our faces are in darkness.

“Teach us what we shall say unto him - This seems to be addressed to Job. It is the language of Elihu, implying that he was overawed with a sense of the majesty and glory of such a God.”

Now no one can gaze at the sun when it is bright in the skies after the wind has swept them clean.

“And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds - Either the lightning that plays on the clouds in an approaching tempest, or a glorious light spread over the sky on the approach of God.”

The Almighty is beyond our reach; He is exalted in power! In His justice and great righteousness He does not oppress.

“Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out - See the notes at Job 11:7-9. This sentiment accords with all that Elihu had said, and indeed is what he designed particularly to enforce.”

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

“Then the Lord answered Job - This speech is addressed particularly to Job, not only because he is the principal personage referred to in the book, but particularly because he had indulged in language of murmuring and complaint.”

Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me.

“Gird up now thy loins like a man - To gird up the loins, is a phrase which has allusion to the mode of dress in ancient times.”

Who fixed its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched a measuring line across it?

“Who hath laid the measures thereof - That is, as an architect applies his measures when he rears a house. If thou knowest - Or rather, “for thou knowest.””

while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

“When the morning-stars - There can be little doubt that angelic beings are intended here, though some have thought that the stars literally are referred to, and that they seemed to unite in a chorus of praise when another world was added to their number.”

when I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its blanket,

“When I made the cloud the garment thereof - Referring to the garment in which the new-born infant is wrapped up. This image is one of great beauty.”

and I declared: ‘You may come this far, but no farther; here your proud waves must stop’?

“And said, Hitherto shalt thou come - This is a most sublime expression, and its full force can be felt only by one who has stood on the shores of the ocean, and seen its mighty waves roll toward the beach as if in their…”

that it might spread to the ends of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?

“That it might take hold of the ends of the earth - Margin, as in Hebrew “wings.” Wings are in the Scriptures frequently given to the earth, because it seems to be spread out, and the expression refers to its extremities.”

Light is withheld from the wicked, and their upraised arm is broken.

“And from the wicked their light is withholden - While the light thus spreads over the earth, rendering every object beautiful and blessing the righteous, light and prosperity are withheld from the wicked; see the notes at Job 24:17.”

Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

“Have the gates of death been opened unto thee - That is, the gates of the world where death reigns; or the gates that lead to the abodes of the dead. The allusion here is to “Sheol,” or “Hades,” the dark abodes of the dead.”

Surely you know, for you were already born! And the number of your days is great!

“Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? - This may either be a question, or it may be spoken ironically.”

to satisfy the parched wasteland and make it sprout with tender grass?

“To satisfy the desolate and waste ground - As if it lifted an imploring voice to God, and he sent down the rain to satisfy it. The desert is thus like a thirsty pilgrim.”

Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loosen the belt of Orion?

“Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades? - The seven stars. On the meaning of the word used here (כימה kı̂ymâh), see the notes at Job 9:9.”

Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth?

“Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? - The laws or statutes by which the motions of the heavenly bodies are governed.”