Elihu notes that God 'covers his hands with lightning and commands it to strike the mark,' suggesting divine control and precision in the exercise of power through natural phenomena. This verse emphasizes divine control and intentionality in wielding natural forces, suggesting that divine action is purposeful and directed rather than random. The image of commanding lightning to strike a particular mark suggests deliberate targeting. Elihu uses this image to establish divine intentionality and purpose in natural action. Yet the verse also raises troubling questions: if God commands lightning with such precision, directing it to strike particular marks, why are innocent people killed by lightning? Why are the righteous struck by natural forces just as the wicked are? The verse demonstrates how asserting divine intentionality in natural phenomena does not clarify whether that intention is just.

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