John 12:29 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The people therefore—said that it thundered:— The sound of this voice was evidently supernatural, being strong and loud as thunder; but at the same time so articulate that all who heard Jesus address the Father, heard also the words. The word rendered voice, and that rendered thunder, are used promiscuously by the inspired writers, according to the Hebrew idiom, wherein the word koloth, voices, usually signifies thunder. Thunder frequently attended a voice from heaven: in allusion to which, perhaps, the voice itself was called by the ancient Jews bath-kol, or "the daughter of the voice," being ushered in with thunder, and as it were produced from it. This will serve to explain the different sentiments of the people concerning this circumstance. Some of them said, It thunders; and others, that an angel spake; each of them declaring the truth so far as there was thunder joined with the voice from heaven; though that voice was of one much greater than an angel. See Revelation 4:5; Revelation 8:5 and Matthew 3:17. Dr. Lightfoot has well observed, that our Saviour had thrice the testimony of a voice from heaven;first, when he entered on his public ministry, as the high priest of our profession at his baptism; Matthew 3:17 the second time, when a command was given to hear him, as the great Prophet of the church, at his transfiguration; Matthew 17:5. And now again when he had made his public entry into Jerusalem as a king.