Albert Barnes Commentary Job 37:16

"Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, The wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge?" — Job 37:16 (ASV)

Do you know the balancings of the clouds? — That is, do you know how the clouds are poised and suspended in the air? The difficulty to be explained was that the clouds, so full of water, did not fall to the earth but remained suspended in the atmosphere. They were poised and moved about by some unseen hand. Elihu asks what kept them there, what prevented their falling to the earth, and what preserved the equilibrium so that they did not all roll together.

The phenomena of the clouds would be among the first that would attract human attention. In the early times of Job, it is not to be supposed that the subject could be explained. Elihu assumes that they were held in the sky by the power of God. However, he says, humans could not understand the nature of His agency, and therefore, he infers that God should be regarded with profound veneration.

We know more of the facts and laws concerning the clouds than was understood then, but our knowledge in this, as in all other things, serves only to exalt our conceptions of the Deity and to change blind wonder into intelligent adoration.

The causes of the suspension of the clouds are stated as follows in the Edinburgh Encyclopedia, Article Meteorology: “When different portions of the atmosphere are intermixed so as to produce a deposition of moisture;” (compare the notes at Job 38:28), “the consequence will be the formation of a cloud. This cloud, from its increased specific gravity, will have a tendency to sink downward; and if the lower strata of the air were of the same temperature as the cloud and saturated with moisture, it would continue to descend until it reached the surface of the earth — in the form of rain, or what is commonly called mist.

In general, however, the cloud in its descent passes through a warmer region, when the condensed moisture again passes into a vapor and consequently ascends until it reaches a temperature sufficiently low to recondense it, at which point it will begin again to sink. This oscillation will continue until the cloud settles at the point where the temperature and humidity are such that the condensed moisture begins to be dissipated, and which is found on an average to be between two and three miles above the surface of the earth.” By such laws the “balancing” of the clouds is secured, and thus is shown the wisdom of Him who is perfect in knowledge.

The wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge — Particularly in the matter under consideration. He who can command the lightning and hold the clouds suspended in the air, Elihu infers, must be perfect in knowledge. To a Being who can do this, everything must be known. The reasoning of Elihu here is well-founded and is not less forcible now than it was in the time of Job.