Thomas Aquinas

He carries this metaphor further in speaking about punishment. Corn fields usually dry up and are destroyed by a scorching wind. As Malachi says, "I will rebuke the devourer," i.e. the wind, "so that it may not devour the fruit of your land." (3:11) He refers to this when he says, "they will perish by the blast of God," as though divine judgment itself coming forth to punish evil is similar to the blast of the wind. The very revenge of God is called the breath, i.e. the wind, of his anger. …

Commentary on Job ↗