Job 37:13
He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.
Original Language Analysis
אִם
H518
אִם
Strong's:
H518
Word #:
1 of 7
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
לְשֵׁ֥בֶט
whether for correction
H7626
לְשֵׁ֥בֶט
whether for correction
Strong's:
H7626
Word #:
2 of 7
a scion, i.e., (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan
אִם
H518
אִם
Strong's:
H518
Word #:
3 of 7
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
לְאַרְצ֑וֹ
or for his land
H776
לְאַרְצ֑וֹ
or for his land
Strong's:
H776
Word #:
4 of 7
the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
אִם
H518
אִם
Strong's:
H518
Word #:
5 of 7
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
Cross References
1 Kings 18:45And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.Job 36:31For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.Job 37:6For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.2 Samuel 21:10And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.Ezra 10:9Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.
Historical Context
Ancient agricultural societies understood rain's ambiguity: too little meant drought and famine; too much meant flood and destruction. Elihu theologically interprets this variability as purposeful divine speech—God communicates different messages through the same meteorological vocabulary.
Questions for Reflection
- How do you discern whether your current hardship is God's correction, provision for future growth, or undeserved mercy?
- Why might God use the same tool (suffering/storms) for opposite purposes in different people's lives?
- What does it mean that mercy (<em>hesed</em>) is listed alongside correction and provision—how is grace 'caused to come'?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy (im-le-shevet im-le-'artso im-le-hesed yamtsi'ehu, אִם־לְשֵׁבֶט אִם־לְאַרְצוֹ אִם־לְחֶסֶד יַמְצִאֵהוּ)—God sends weather with three distinct purposes: shevet (שֵׁבֶט, 'rod' or 'correction'), provision for artso ('His land'), or hesed (חֶסֶד, 'covenant loyalty/mercy'). The tripartite structure is masterful: same phenomenon (rain/storm), radically different intentions.
This verse is key to theodicy: suffering is not random. Rain may discipline rebels (correction), sustain crops (provision), or demonstrate undeserved grace (mercy). The same storm can simultaneously accomplish all three for different recipients. Elihu challenges Job to discern which purpose God intends, anticipating Jesus's question: 'Do you think those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell were worse sinners?' (Luke 13:4).