THUMMIM. [Urom. AND THummtm.] THUNDER (mn; Sept. Bpovraj, passim ; also $.1P, (Pawl?). This sublimest of all the extra ordinary phenomena of nature is poetically repre sented as the voice of God (Ps. civ. 7; comp. Exod. ix. 2S (Hebrew, or margin) ; Job xxxvii. 4, 5 ; xl. 9 ; Ps. xviii. ; and especially Ps. xxix., which contains a magnificent description of a thunder storm). Thunder is also introduced into the poetical allusion to the passage of the Red Sea in Ps. lxxvii. 18. The plague of hail on the land of Egypt is very naturally represented as accompanied with 'mighty thunderings,' which would be hterally incidental to the immense agency of the electric fluid On that occasion (Exod. ix. 22-29, 33, 34). It accompanied the lightnings at the giving of the (xix. 16 ; xx. IS). See also Ps. lxxxi. 7, which probably refers to the same occasion : I answered thee in the secret place of thunder,' literally, • in the covering of thunder,' -11103. tjn—i.e. the thunder-clouds. It was also one of the grandeurs attending the divine interposition described in 2 Sam. xxii. 14; comp. Ps. xviii. 13. The enemies of Jehovah are threatened with de struction by thunder ; perhaps, however, lightning is included in the mention of the more impressive phenomenon (I Sam. ii. 1o). Such means are re presented as used in the destruction of Sennacherib's army (Is. xxix. ; comp. xxx. 3o-33). Bishop Lowth would understand the description as meta phorical, and intended, under a vaiiety of expres sive and sublime images, to illustrate the greatness, the suddenness, the horror of the event, rather than the manner by which it was effected (New Trans lation, and notes in Loc.) Violent thunder was employed by Jehovah as a means of intimidating the Philistines, in their attack upon the Israelites, while Samuel was offering the burnt-offering (I Sam. vii. Ecclus. xlvi. 17). Thunder was miraculously sent at the request of Samuel (r Sam. xii. 17, IS). It is referred to as a natural pheno menon subject to laws originally appointed by the Creator (Job xxviii. 26 ; xxxviii. 25 ; Ecclus. 17) ; and introduced in V 1' SiOnS (Rev. iv. 5, vi. 1, viii. 5, xi. 19, xiV. 2, XVi. IS, xix. 6 ; Esther (Apoc.) xi. 5). In Rev. x. 3, 4, • seven thunders.' It is adopted as a comparison. Thus as lightning is seen before the thunder is heard, so modesty in a person before he speaks recommends him to the favour of the auditors' (Ecclus. xxxii. to ; Rev. xix. 6, etc.) The sudden ruin of the unjust man is compared to the transitory noise of thunder (Ecclus.
xl. 13) ; but see Arnald, in /oc. One of the sub Ernest metaphors in the Scriptures occurs in Job xxvi. 14 : • Lo, these are parts of his ways ; but how little a portion is heard of him (MEI, a mere whisper) ; but the thunder of his power who can understand ?' Here the whisper and the thunder are admirably opposed to each other. If the former be so wonderful and overwhelming, how immeasurably more so the latter ? In the sublime desmiption of the war-horse (Job xxxix.) he is said to perceive the battle afar off • by the thunder of the captains, and the shouting' (ver. 25). That part' of the description, however (ver. 19), hast thou clothed his neck with thunder ?' appears to be a mistranslation. The word MCI.r1 from nvi, to be agitated," tremble,' refers rather to the mane : Canst thou clothe his neck with the trembling mane ?' To the class of mistranslations must be referred every instance of the word • thunderbolts' in our version, a word which cor responds to no reality in nature. Thus • hot thunderbolts' (Ps. lxxviii. 4S, O'DVI) mean.
• lightnings,' rk3 rupl, igni. Then shall the right aiming thunderbolts go abroad' (Wisd. v. 21). poXiSes ao-rparto' v, flashes' or strokes of light ning." Threw stones like thunderbolts' (2 Maccab. 16), ovveicepabvwo-av. The word veys an allusion to the mode in which lightning strikes the earth. Thunders enter into the ap pellative or surname given by our Lord to James and John—Boanerges; &To', viol ppovrijs, says St. Mark, • sons of thunder' (iii, 17). The word j.), simply voice,' is often used for thunder, as in Exod. ix. 23 ; Ps. xxix. 3 ; lxxvii. IS ; Jer. x. 13. In the last of these passages the production of rain by lightning is referred to : • When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, he maketh lightnings with (or for) rain.' It is related ( John xii. 28) that Jesus said, • Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.' Some of the people that stood by, but had not heard the words distinctly, said it had thundered,' for the voice came from heaven ; others who had caught the words, supposed that God had spoken to Jesus by an angel, conformably to the Jewish opinion that God had never spoken but by the ministry of angels. Perhaps, however, thunder attended the voice, either a little before or after ; comp. Exod. xix. 16, ; Rev. iv. 5, vi. [BATH Km1.-J. F. D.