2 Samuel 23:4

23:4 is like the light of morning when the sun comes up,

a morning in which there are no clouds.

He is like the brightness after rain

that produces grass from the earth.

Ayub 37:21

37:21 But now, the sun ¹  cannot be looked at ²  –

it is bright in the skies –

after a wind passed and swept the clouds away. ³ 

Mazmur 19:5

19:5 Like a bridegroom it emerges ⁴  from its chamber; ⁵ 

like a strong man it enjoys ⁶  running its course. ⁷ 

[37:21]  ¹ tn The light here must refer to the sun in the skies that had been veiled by the storm. Then, when the winds blew the clouds away, it could not be looked at because it was so dazzling. Elihu’s analogy will be that God is the same – in his glory one cannot look at him or challenge him.

[37:21]  ² tn The verb has an indefinite subject, and so should be a passive here.

[37:21]  ³ tn Heb “and cleaned them.” The referent is the clouds (v. 18), which has been supplied in the translation for clarity. There is another way of reading this verse: the word translated “bright” means “dark; obscured” in Syriac. In this interpretation the first line would mean that they could not see the sun, because it was darkened by the clouds, but then the wind came and blew the clouds away. Dhorme, Gray, and several others take it this way, as does the NAB.

[19:5]  ⁴ tn The participle expresses the repeated or regular nature of the action.

[19:5]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew noun חֻפָּה (khufah, “chamber”) occurs elsewhere only in Isa 4:5 and Joel 2:16 (where it refers to the bedroom of a bride and groom).

[19:5]  sn Like a bridegroom. The metaphor likens the sun to a bridegroom who rejoices on his wedding night.

[19:5]  ⁶ tn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the regularity of the action.

[19:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “[on] a path.”

[19:5]  sn Like a strong man. The metaphorical language reflects the brilliance of the sunrise, which attests to the sun’s vigor.