Job 37:3
New International Version
He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth.

New Living Translation
It rolls across the heavens, and his lightning flashes in every direction.

English Standard Version
Under the whole heaven he lets it go, and his lightning to the corners of the earth.

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

King James Bible
He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth.

New King James Version
He sends it forth under the whole heaven, His lightning to the ends of the earth.

New American Standard Bible
“Under the whole heaven He lets it loose, And His lightning travels to the ends of the earth.

NASB 1995
“Under the whole heaven He lets it loose, And His lightning to the ends of the earth.

NASB 1977
“Under the whole heaven He lets it loose, And His lightning to the ends of the earth.

Legacy Standard Bible
Under the whole heaven He lets it loose, And His lightning to the ends of the earth.

Amplified Bible
“He lets it loose under the whole heaven, And His lightning to the ends of the earth.

Christian Standard Bible
He lets it loose beneath the entire sky; his lightning to the ends of the earth.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He lets it loose beneath the entire sky; His lightning to the ends of the earth.

American Standard Version
He sendeth it forth under the whole heaven, And his lightning unto the ends of the earth.

Contemporary English Version
and when I see his lightning flash across the sky.

English Revised Version
He sendeth it forth under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He flashes his lightning everywhere under heaven. His light flashes to the ends of the earth.

Good News Translation
He sends the lightning across the sky, from one end of the earth to the other.

International Standard Version
He releases his lightning throughout the sky, to the ends of the earth.

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

NET Bible
Under the whole heaven he lets it go, even his lightning to the far corners of the earth.

New Heart English Bible
He sends it forth under the whole sky, and his lightning to the farthest parts of the earth.

Webster's Bible Translation
He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning to the ends of the earth.

World English Bible
He sends it out under the whole sky, and his lightning to the ends of the earth.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
He directs it under the whole heavens, "" And its light [is] over the skirts of the earth.

Young's Literal Translation
Under the whole heavens He directeth it, And its light is over the skirts of the earth.

Smith's Literal Translation
He will let it go free under all the heavens, and his light upon the wings of the earth.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He beholdeth under all the heavens, and his light is upon the ends of the earth.

Catholic Public Domain Version
He beholds everything under the heavens, and his light reaches beyond the ends of the earth.

New American Bible
Everywhere under the heavens he sends it, with his light, to the ends of the earth.

New Revised Standard Version
Under the whole heaven he lets it loose, and his lightning to the corners of the earth.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Under the whole of heaven the people shall praise him, and his light shines upon the ends of the earth.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Under all Heaven they will praise him, and his light upon the edges of the Earth
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
He sendeth it forth under the whole heaven, And His lightning unto the ends of the earth.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
His dominion is under the whole heaven, and his light is at the extremities of the earth.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Elihu Proclaims God's Majesty
2Listen closely to the thunder of His voice and the rumbling that comes from His mouth. 3He unleashes His lightning beneath the whole sky and sends it to the ends of the earth. 4Then there comes a roaring sound; He thunders with His majestic voice. He does not restrain the lightning when His voice resounds.…

Cross References
Psalm 29:3-9
The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the LORD is heard over many waters. / The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic. / The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon. ...

Exodus 9:23-29
So Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning struck the earth. So the LORD rained down hail upon the land of Egypt. / The hail fell and the lightning continued flashing through it. The hail was so severe that nothing like it had ever been seen in all the land of Egypt from the time it became a nation. / Throughout the land of Egypt, the hail struck down everything in the field, both man and beast; it beat down every plant of the field and stripped every tree. ...

Psalm 18:13-14
The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded—hailstones and coals of fire. / He shot His arrows and scattered the foes; He hurled lightning and routed them.

Isaiah 30:30
And the LORD will cause His majestic voice to be heard and His mighty arm to be revealed, striking in angry wrath with a flame of consuming fire, and with cloudburst, storm, and hailstones.

Revelation 4:5
From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne burned seven torches of fire. These are the seven spirits of God.

Jeremiah 10:13
When He thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses.

Psalm 77:18
Your thunder resounded in the whirlwind; the lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.

Ezekiel 1:13-14
In the midst of the living creatures was the appearance of glowing coals of fire, or of torches. Fire moved back and forth between the living creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. / The creatures were darting back and forth as quickly as flashes of lightning.

1 Samuel 12:17-18
Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain, so that you will know and see what a great evil you have committed in the sight of the LORD by asking for a king.” / So Samuel called to the LORD, and on that day the LORD sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

Nahum 1:3-6
The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. His path is in the whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet. / He rebukes the sea and dries it up; He makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts. / The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt away; the earth trembles at His presence—the world and all its dwellers. ...

Revelation 11:19
Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple. And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.

Psalm 104:7
At Your rebuke the waters fled; at the sound of Your thunder they hurried away—

Isaiah 29:6
you will be visited by the LORD of Hosts with thunder and earthquake and loud noise, with windstorm and tempest and consuming flame of fire.

Matthew 24:27
For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Luke 17:24
For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will be the Son of Man in His day.


Treasury of Scripture

He directs it under the whole heaven, and his lightning to the ends of the earth.

He

Psalm 77:13
Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?

Psalm 97:4
His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.

Matthew 24:27
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

lightning.

Job 38:13
That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

Isaiah 11:12
And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

Jump to Previous
Beneath Corners Directeth Earth Ends Forth Heaven Heavens Lightening Lightning Sends Skirts Sky Thunder-Flame Whole
Jump to Next
Beneath Corners Directeth Earth Ends Forth Heaven Heavens Lightening Lightning Sends Skirts Sky Thunder-Flame Whole
Job 37
1. God is to be feared because of his great works
15. His wisdom is unsearchable in them














He unleashes His lightning
This phrase speaks to the sovereign power and majesty of God. The Hebrew word for "unleashes" is "shalach," which conveys the idea of sending forth or releasing with purpose and authority. In the context of Job, this demonstrates God's control over the natural world, emphasizing His omnipotence. Lightning, often seen as a symbol of divine presence and power, serves as a reminder of God's ability to command the elements. Historically, lightning was viewed with awe and fear, a direct manifestation of divine will, reinforcing the idea that God is actively involved in the world He created.

beneath the whole sky
The phrase "beneath the whole sky" underscores the universality of God's dominion. The Hebrew word "shamayim" for "sky" can also mean "heavens," indicating the vast expanse of God's creation. This suggests that there is no part of the earth that is outside of God's reach or influence. The imagery of the entire sky being under God's control serves to remind believers of His omnipresence. In the ancient Near Eastern context, the sky was often associated with the divine realm, and this phrase reinforces the belief that God's authority extends over all creation.

and sends it to the ends of the earth
Here, the phrase "sends it to the ends of the earth" highlights the extent of God's power and the reach of His actions. The Hebrew word "yatsa" for "sends" implies a deliberate action, indicating that God's works are intentional and purposeful. The "ends of the earth" is a phrase that conveys the idea of the farthest reaches of the world, suggesting that there is no place beyond God's influence. This serves as a powerful reminder of God's omnipotence and the idea that His will is executed throughout the entire earth. In a scriptural context, this reinforces the theme of God's sovereignty and His active role in the world, providing comfort and assurance to believers that God is in control, no matter how distant or remote a situation may seem.

(3) He directeth it.--Or, sendeth it forth: i.e., the noise and rumbling which fills all heaven.

Verse 3. - He directeth it under the whole heaven. The reverberations of the thunderclap roll along the entire cloud-canopy, from one end of the heavens to the other, beginning often faint in the distance, then growing loud over our heads, finally sinking into low muttered rumblings on the far horizon. And his lightning unto the ends of the earth. Similarly, the lightning, though originating in a flash at some definite spot, sets the whole sky aglow, shining from side to side of the heavens, and, as it were, to the very "ends of the earth." Both have a character of universality which is marvellous, and which makes them fitting emblems of him of whom they are the messengers and ministers (see Matthew 24:27).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He unleashes
יִשְׁרֵ֑הוּ (yiš·rê·hū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3474: To be straight, even, to be, right, pleasant, prosperous

His lightning
וְ֝אוֹר֗וֹ (wə·’ō·w·rōw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 216: Illumination, luminary

beneath
תַּֽחַת־ (ta·ḥaṯ-)
Preposition
Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

the whole
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

sky
הַשָּׁמַ֥יִם (haš·šā·ma·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

and sends it
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

to the ends
כַּנְפ֥וֹת (kan·p̄ō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 3671: An edge, extremity, a wing, a flap, a quarter, a pinnacle

of the earth.
הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land


Links
Job 37:3 NIV
Job 37:3 NLT
Job 37:3 ESV
Job 37:3 NASB
Job 37:3 KJV

Job 37:3 BibleApps.com
Job 37:3 Biblia Paralela
Job 37:3 Chinese Bible
Job 37:3 French Bible
Job 37:3 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Job 37:3 He sends it forth under the whole (Jb)
Job 37:2
Top of Page
Top of Page