upon his hands." Jerome, In manibus abscondit lucem, he hideth the light in his hands.' Sept., Eni zoo ¿zákvæɛ ɔs—he covereth the light κάλυψε in his hands.' The allusion is, undoubtedly, to the lightning, and the image is, that God takes the lightning in his hands, and directs it as he pleases. There has been great variety, however, in the exposition of this verse and the following. Schultens enumerates no less than twenty-eight different interpretations, and almost every commentator has had his own view of the passage. It is quite evident that our translators did not un derstand it, and were not able to make out of it any tolerable sense. What idea they attached to the two verses (32, 33), it would be very difficult to imagine, for what is the meaning (ver. 33) of the phrase, "the cattle also concerning the vapor?" The general sense of the Hebrew appears to be, that God controls the rapid lightnings which appear so vivid, so quick, and so awful; and that he executes his own purposes with them, and makes them, when he pleases, the instruments of inflicting punishment on his foes. The object of Elihu is to excite admiration of the greatness of God who is able thus to control the lightning's flash, and to make it an obedient instrument in his hands. The particular expression before us, "By his hands he covereth the light," seems to mean that he seizes or holds the lightning in his hands (Herder), or that he covers over his hands with the lightning (Umbreit), and has it under his con9 VOL. II. not to shine, by the cloud that cometh betwixt. trol. Prof. Lee supposes that it means, that he holds the lightning in the palms of his hands, or between his two hands, as a man holds a furious wild animal which he is about to let loose for the purpose of destroying. With this he compares the expression of Shakspeare, "Cry havock, and let slip the dogs of war. There can be no doubt, I think, that the phrase means that God has the lightning hands, and that he directs it as he under his control, that it is in his pleases. According to Umbreit (Note) the allusion is to the double use which God makes of light, in one hand holding the lightning to destroy his foes, and in the other the light of the sun to bless his friends, as he makes use of the rain either for purposes of destruction or mercy. But this idea T is not conveyed in the Hebrew. And commandeth it not to shine. The phrase "not to shine" is not in the Hebrew, and destroys the sense. The simple idea in the original is, he commandeth it;' that is, he has it pleases, makes under his control, directs it as he use even of the execute his pleasure. ¶ By the cloud forked lightning as an instrument to that cometh betwixt. The words "the cloud" are also inserted by our translators, and destroy the sense. There is no allusion to a cloud, and the idea that the light is intercepted by any object is not in the original. The Hebrew word (2) means in occurring, in meeting, in striking upon, (from to strike upon, to impinge, to fall upon, to light upon), and the sense here would be well expressed by the phrase "in striking.” The idea is exactly that which we have when we apply the word strike or struck to lightning, and the meaning is, that he gives the lightning commandment in striking, or when it strikes. Nothing could better answer the purpose of an illustration for Elihu in exciting elevated views of a 1 Ki. 18. 41, 45. α 33 The noise thereof shew-| eth concerning it, the cattle also 1 that which goeth up. concerning the vapour God, for there is no exhibition of his power more wonderful than that by which he controls the lightning. 33. The noise thereof showeth concerning it. The word "noise" here has been inserted by our translators as a version of the Hebrew word (*), and if the translators attached any idea to the language which they have used, it seems to have been that the noise attending the lightning, that is, the thunder, furnished an il lustration of the power and majesty of God. But it is not possible to educe this idea from the original, and perhaps it is not possible to determine the sense of the passage. Herder renders it, "He pointeth out to them the wicked.". Prof. Lee, "By it he announceth his will." Umbreit, "He makes known to it his friend;" that is, he points out his friend to the light so that it may serve for the happiness of that friend." Noyes, "He uttereth to him his voice; to the herds and the plants." Rosenmüller, "He announces what he has decreed against men, and the flocks which the earth has produced." Many other expositions have been proposed, and there is no reasonable ground of hope that an interpretation will be arrived at which will be free from all difficulty. The principal difficulty in this part of the verse arises from the word, rendered in our version, "The noise thereof." This may be from, and may mean a noise, or outcry, and so it is rendered here by Gesenius, "He makes known to him his thunder, i. e. to man, or to his enemies." Or the word may mean his friend, as the word is often used. Job ii. 11, xix. 21. Prov. xxv. 17. Cant. v. 16. Hos. iii. 1. Or it may denote will, thought, desire. Ps. cxxxix. 2, 17. A choice must be made between these different meanings according to the view entertained of the scope of the passage. To me it seems that the word "friend" | will better suit the connection than any one of the other interpretations proposed. According to this, the idea is, that God points out his friends to the lightning which he holds in his hand, and bids it spare them. He has entire control of it, and can direct it where he pleases, and indiscriminate destruction, he carefully stead of sending it forth to work indesignates those on whom he wishes it to strike, but bids it spare his friends. ¶ The cattle also concerning the vapor. Marg. that which goeth up. What idea the translators attached to this phrase it is impossible now to know, and the probability is, that being conscious of utter inability to give any meaning to the passage, words of the original as literally as they endeavored to translate the possible. Coverdale evidently felt the same perplexity, for he renders it, "The rising up thereof showeth he to his friends and to the cattle." Indeed almost every translator and expositor has had the same difficulty, and each one has proposed a version of his own. An examination of the words employed is the only hope of arriving at any satisfactory view of the passage. The word rendered cattle (p), means properly, (1,) expectation, hope, confidence. 1 Chron. xxix. 15. Ezra x. 2; (2,) a gathering together, a collection, as (a) of waters, Gen. i. 10. Ex. vii. 19, (b) a gathering together, a collection, or company of men, horses, &c.—a caravan. So it may possibly mean in 1 Kings x. 28, where interpreters have greatly differed. The word cattle, therefore, by no means expresses its usual signification. That would be better expressed by gathering, collecting, or assembling. The word rendered also (N), denotes (1,) also, even, more, besides, &c., and (2,) the nose, and then anger-from the effect of anger in producing hard breathing. Prov. xxii. 24. Deut. xxxii. 22, xxix 19. out impropriety, anger, and then the phrase will mean, the collecting, or gathering together of anger.' The The word rendered vapor (if from ), means that which ascends, and would then mean any thing that ascends—as smoke, vapor; or, as Rosenmüller supposes, what ascends, or grows from the ground-that is, plants and vegetables. And so Umbreit, das Gewächs-" plants of any kind. " Note. But with a slight variation in the pointing (—instead of), the word means evil, wickedness, iniquity-whence our word evil; Job xxiv. 20, vi. 29, xi. 14, xiii. 7; and it may, without impropriety, be regarded as having this signification here, as the points have no authority. The meaning of the whole phrase then will be, the gathering, or collecting Here it may he rendered, with- | of his wrath is upon evil, i. e. upon the wicked;' and the sense is, that while, on the one hand God, who holds the lightning in his hands, points out to it his friends, so that they are spared; on the other handdensation, of his wrath is upon the the gathering together, or the conevil. vivid, so mighty, and apparently so That is, the lightnings-so wholly beyond law or control, are under his direction, and he makes pleasure. His friends are spared; them the means of executing his and the condensation of his wrath is on his foes. This exposition of the passage accords with the general scope of the remarks of Elihu, and this view of the manner in which God controls even the lightning, was with exalted conceptions of the majesone that was adapted to fill the mind ty and power of the Most High. CHAPTER XXXVII. ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER. THIS chapter is a continuation of the argument commenced in the previous chapter to demonstrate the majesty and glory of God. The object is to show that his works are past finding out. and that therefore it becomes man to bow with submission under the dealings of his hand. See the analysis of ch. xxxvi. In the prosecution of this argument, Elihu refers to the following things as illustrating the majesty of God, and as showing how incomprehensibly wise he is. To the tempest, or thunder-storm, vs. 1-5; to the snow and rain, vs. 6-8; to the whirlwind, the cold, and to frost, vs. 9-13; to the phenomena of the clouds, vs. 14-16; to his own garments as imparting heat to the body, ver. 17; to the sky, spread out like a molten looking-glass, ver. 18; to the bright light on the clouds, and to the fair weather that comes out of the North, vs. 21, 22. In view of all this, he says that he was unable to speak of God in any adequate manner (vs. 19, 20); that we cannot hope to find him out, and that we ought to fear him, and to believe that he is wise and impartial in all his doings. place. a AT this also my heart tremb-leth, and is moved out of his a Da. 10.7, 8. Mat. 28. 2-4. Ac. 16. 26-29. 1. At this also. That is, in view of the thunder-storm, for it is that which Elihu is describing. This description was commenced in ch. xxxvi. 29, and is continued to ver. 5 of this chap ter, and should not have been separated by the division into chapters. Elihu sees a tempest rising. The clouds gather, the lightnings flash, the thunder rolls, and he is awed as b Ps. 68. 33. b 4 After it a voice roareth : of his hearers to the gathering storm, and to the low muttering thunder in the distance. T The noise of his voice. Thunder is often represented as the voice of God, and this was one of the most natural of all suppositions when its nature was little understood, and is at all times a beautiful poetic conception. See the whole of Ps. xxix The word rendered "noise (1), means properly commotion, that which is fitted to produce perturbation, or disquiet (see ch. iii. 17, 26. Isa. xiv. 3), and is here used to denote the commotion, or raging of thunder. ¶ And the sound. The word here used 1 hear in hearing. 2 light. 3 wings. with the conscious presence of God. There is nowhere to be found a more graphic and impressive description of a thunder-storm than this. Comp. Herder on Heb. Poetry, vol. i., 85 seq., by Marsh, Burlington, 1833. ¶ My heart trembleth. With fear. He refers to the palpitation or increased action of the heart produced by alarm. ¶ And is moved out of his place. That is, by violent palpitation. The heart seems to leave its calm resting-place, and to burst away by affright. The increased action of the heart under the effects of fear, as described here by Elihu, has been experienced by all. tion is supposed to be this. The im-(), means properly a muttering, mediate effect of fear is on the ex- growling-as of thunder. It is often tremities of the nerves of the system, used to denote sighing, moaning, and which are diffused over the whole meditation, in contradistinction from body. The first effect is to prevent clear enunciation. Here it refers to The cause of this increased ac the circulation of the blood to the extremities, and to drive it back to the heart, and thus to produce paleness. The blood thus driven back on the heart produces an increased action there to propel it through the lungs and the arteries, thus causing at the same time the increased effort of the heart, and the rapid action of the lungs, and of course the quick breathing and the palpitation observed in fear. See Scheutzer, Physica. Sacra, in loc. An expression similar to that which occurs here, is used by Shakspeare, in Macbeth: "Why do I yield to that suggestion, Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, 2. Hear attentively. Marg. as in Heb. hear in hearing; that is, hear with attention. It has been supposed by many, and not without probability, that the tempest was already seen rising, out of which God was to address Job (ch. xxxviii.), and that Elihu here calls the special attention T the thunder which seems to mutter or growl in the sky. 3. 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 murmuring from every part of the heavens. T And his lightning. Marg. as in Heb. light. There can be no doubt that the lightning is intended. ¶ Unto the ends of the earth. Marg. as in Heb. wings. The word wings is given to the earth, from the idea of its being spread out or expanded like the wings of a bird. Comp. ch. xxxviii. 13. Ezek. vii. 2. The earth was spoken of as an expanse or plain that had corners or boundaries (Notes on Isa. xi. 12, xxiv. 16, xlii. 5), and the meaning here is, that God spread the lightning at pleasure over the whole of that vast expanse. After 4. After it a voice roareth the lightning; that is, the flash 19 seen before the thunder is heard This is apparent to all, the inter he thundereth" with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. a Ps. 29. 3. val between the lightning and the Sed tonitrum fit, uti post auribus accipiamus, aures Tardius adveniunt, quam visum, quam move ant res. Nunc etiam licet id cognoscere, cædere si quem Ancipiti videas ferro procul arboris actum, aures ¶ He thundereth with the voice of his excellency. That is, with a voice of majesty and grandeur. ¶ And he will not stay them. That is, he will not hold back the rain, hail, and other things which accompany the storm, when he begins to thunder. Rosenmüller. Or, according to others, he will not hold back and restrain the lightnings when the thunder commences. But the connection seems rather to demand that we should understand it of the usual accompaniments of a storm-the wind, hail, rain, &c. Herder renders it, "We cannot explore his thunderings." Prof. Lee, "And none can trace them, though their voice be heard." According to him, the meaning is, that 'great and terrific as this exhibition of God's power is, still the progress of these, his ministers, cannot be followed by the mortal eye.' But the usual interpretation given to the Hebrew word is that of holding back or retarding, and this idea accords well with the connection. 5. God thundereth marvellously. He thunders in a wonderful manner. The idea is, that the voice of his thunder is an amazing exhibition of his majesty and power. ¶ Great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. That is, not only in regard to the thunder and the tempest, but in other things. The description of the storm properly ends here, and in the subsequent verses Elihu proceeds to specify various other phenomena, which were wholly incomprehensible by man. The reference here to the storm, and to the ot: er grand and incomprehensible pheromena of nature, is a most appropriate introduction to the manifestation of God himself as described in the next chapter, and could not but have done much to preJob and his friends for that subpare lime close of the controversy. 29-33, xxxvii. 1-5), is probably the The passage before us (ch. xxxvi. earliest description of a thunder-storm on record. A tempest is a phemomenon which must early have attracted attention, and which we may expect to find described or alluded to in all early poetry. It may be interesting, therefore, to compare this description of a storm, in probably the oldest poem in the world, with what has been furnished by the masters of song in ancient and modern times, and we shall find that in sublimity and beauty the Hebrew poet will suffer nothing in comparison. In one respect, which constitutes the chief sublimity of the description, he surpasses them all; I mean in the recognition of God. In the Hebrew description, God is every where in the storm. He excites it; he holds the lightnings in both hands; he directs it where he pleases; he makes it the instrument of his pleasure, and of executing his purposes. Sublime, therefore, as is the description of the storm itself, furious as is the tempest; bright as is the lightning; and heavy and awful as is the roar of the thunder, yet the |