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“6. He commandeth the snow to go down upon the earth, and the winter rain and the shower of his strength “—­("the great rain of his strength,” says the King James version).

“7.  He sealeth up the hand of every man.”

This means, says one commentator, that “he confines men within doors” by these great rains.  Instead of houses we infer it to mean “the caves of the earth,” already spoken of, (chap. xxx, v. 6,) and this is rendered more evident by the next verse: 

“8.  And the beast shall go into his covert and shall abide in his den.

“9.  Out of the inner parts” (meaning the south, say the commentators and the King James version) “shall tempest come, and cold out of the north.

“10.  When God bloweth, there cometh frost, and again the waters are poured forth abundantly.”

The King James version continues: 

“11.  Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud.”

That is to say, the cloud is gradually dissipated by dropping its moisture in snow and rain.

“12.  And it is turned round about by his counsels that they may do whatsoever be commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth.

“13.  He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.”

There can be no mistaking all this.  It refers to no ordinary events.  The statement is continuous.  God, we are told, will call Job out from his narrow-mouthed cave, and once more give him plenty of food.  There has been a great tribulation.  The sun has sucked up the seas, they have fallen in great floods; the thick clouds have covered the face of the sun; great noises prevail; there is a great light, and after it a roaring noise; the snow

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falls on the earth, with winter rains, (cold rains,) and great rains; men climb down ropes into deep shafts or pits; they are sealed up, and beasts are driven to their dens and stay there:  there are great cold and frost, and more floods; then the continual rains dissipate the clouds.

“19.  Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we can not order our speech by reason of darkness.

“20.  Shall it be told him that I speak?  If a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up?”

And then God talks to Job, (chap. xxxviii,) and tells him “to gird up his loins like a man and answer him.”  He says: 

“8.  Who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth as issuing out of the womb?

119.  When I made a cloud the garment thereof, and wrapped it in mists as in swaddling-bands,

“10.  I set my bounds around it, and made it bars and doors.” . . .

“22.  Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, or hast thou beheld the treasures of the hail?” . . .

“29.  Out of whose womb came the ice? and the frost from heaven, who hath gendered it?