Job 40-41
World English Bible
40 Moreover Yahweh answered Job,
2 “Shall he who argues contend with the Almighty?
He who argues with God, let him answer it.”
3 Then Job answered Yahweh,
4 “Behold, I am of small account. What will I answer you?
I lay my hand on my mouth.
5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer;
Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”
6 Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind,
7 “Now brace yourself like a man.
I will question you, and you will answer me.
8 Will you even annul my judgment?
Will you condemn me, that you may be justified?
9 Or do you have an arm like God?
Can you thunder with a voice like him?
10 “Now deck yourself with excellency and dignity.
Array yourself with honor and majesty.
11 Pour out the fury of your anger.
Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low.
12 Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him.
Crush the wicked in their place.
13 Hide them in the dust together.
Bind their faces in the hidden place.
14 Then I will also admit to you
that your own right hand can save you.
15 “See now, behemoth, which I made as well as you.
He eats grass as an ox.
16 Look now, his strength is in his thighs.
His force is in the muscles of his belly.
17 He moves his tail like a cedar.
The sinews of his thighs are knit together.
18 His bones are like tubes of bronze.
His limbs are like bars of iron.
19 He is the chief of the ways of God.
He who made him gives him his sword.
20 Surely the mountains produce food for him,
where all the animals of the field play.
21 He lies under the lotus trees,
in the covert of the reed, and the marsh.
22 The lotuses cover him with their shade.
The willows of the brook surround him.
23 Behold, if a river overflows, he doesn’t tremble.
He is confident, though the Jordan swells even to his mouth.
24 Shall any take him when he is on the watch,
or pierce through his nose with a snare?
41 “Can you draw out Leviathan[a] with a fish hook,
or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 Can you put a rope into his nose,
or pierce his jaw through with a hook?
3 Will he make many petitions to you,
or will he speak soft words to you?
4 Will he make a covenant with you,
that you should take him for a servant forever?
5 Will you play with him as with a bird?
Or will you bind him for your girls?
6 Will traders barter for him?
Will they part him among the merchants?
7 Can you fill his skin with barbed irons,
or his head with fish spears?
8 Lay your hand on him.
Remember the battle, and do so no more.
9 Behold, the hope of him is in vain.
Won’t one be cast down even at the sight of him?
10 None is so fierce that he dare stir him up.
Who then is he who can stand before me?
11 Who has first given to me, that I should repay him?
Everything under the heavens is mine.
12 “I will not keep silence concerning his limbs,
nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.
13 Who can strip off his outer garment?
Who will come within his jaws?
14 Who can open the doors of his face?
Around his teeth is terror.
15 Strong scales are his pride,
shut up together with a close seal.
16 One is so near to another,
that no air can come between them.
17 They are joined to one another.
They stick together, so that they can’t be pulled apart.
18 His sneezing flashes out light.
His eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth go burning torches.
Sparks of fire leap out.
20 Out of his nostrils a smoke goes,
as of a boiling pot over a fire of reeds.
21 His breath kindles coals.
A flame goes out of his mouth.
22 There is strength in his neck.
Terror dances before him.
23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together.
They are firm on him.
They can’t be moved.
24 His heart is as firm as a stone,
yes, firm as the lower millstone.
25 When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid.
They retreat before his thrashing.
26 If one attacks him with the sword, it can’t prevail;
nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
27 He counts iron as straw;
and bronze as rotten wood.
28 The arrow can’t make him flee.
Sling stones are like chaff to him.
29 Clubs are counted as stubble.
He laughs at the rushing of the javelin.
30 His undersides are like sharp potsherds,
leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.
31 He makes the deep to boil like a pot.
He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 He makes a path shine after him.
One would think the deep had white hair.
33 On earth there is not his equal,
that is made without fear.
34 He sees everything that is high.
He is king over all the sons of pride.”
Footnotes
- 41:1 Leviathan is a name for a crocodile or similar creature.
Job 40-41
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
40 Moreover, the Lord said to Job,
2 Shall he who would find fault with the Almighty contend with Him? He who disputes with God, let him answer it.
3 Then Job replied to the Lord:
4 Behold, I am of small account and vile! What shall I answer You? I lay my hand upon my mouth.(A)
5 I have spoken once, but I will not reply again—indeed, twice [have I answered], but I will proceed no further.
6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, saying,
7 Gird up your loins now like a man; I will demand of you, and you answer Me.
8 Will you also annul (set aside and render void) My judgment? Will you condemn Me [your God], that you may [appear] righteous and justified?
9 Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His?
10 [Since you question the manner of the Almighty’s rule] deck yourself now with the excellency and dignity [of the Supreme Ruler, and yourself undertake the government of the world if you are so wise], and array yourself with honor and majesty.
11 Pour forth the overflowings of your anger, and look on everyone who is proud and abase him;
12 Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low, and tread down the wicked where they stand [if you are so able, Job].
13 [Bury and] hide them all in the dust together; [and] shut them up [in the prison house of death].
14 [If you can do all this, Job, proving yourself of divine might] then will I [God] praise you also [and acknowledge that] your own right hand can save you.
15 Behold now the behemoth (the hippopotamus), which I created as I did you; he eats grass like an ox.
16 See now, his strength is in his loins, and his power is in the sinews of his belly.
17 He moves his tail like a cedar tree; the tendons of his thighs are twisted together [like a rope].
18 His bones are like tubes of bronze; his limbs [or ribs] are like bars of iron.
19 [The hippopotamus] is the first [in magnitude and power] of the works of God [in animal life]; [only] He Who made him provides him with his [swordlike tusks, or only God Who made him can bring near His sword to master him].
20 Surely the mountains bring him food, where all the wild animals play.
21 He lies under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reeds in the marsh.
22 The lotus trees cover him with their shade; the willows of the brook compass him about.
23 Behold, if a river is violent and overflows, he does not tremble; he is confident, though the Jordan [River] swells and rushes against his mouth.
24 Can any take him when he is on the watch, or pierce through his nose with a snare?
41 Can you draw out the leviathan (the crocodile) with a fishhook? Or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 Can you put a rope into his nose? Or pierce his jaw through with a hook or a spike?
3 Will he make many supplications to you [begging to be spared]? Will he speak soft words to you [to coax you to treat him kindly]?
4 Will he make a covenant with you to take him for your servant forever?
5 Will you play with [the crocodile] as with a bird? Or will you put him on a leash for your maidens?
6 Will traders bargain over him? Will they divide him up among the merchants?
7 Can you fill his skin with harpoons? Or his head with fishing spears?
8 Lay your hand upon him! Remember your battle with him; you will not do [such an ill-advised thing] again!
9 Behold, the hope of [his assailant] is disappointed; one is cast down even at the sight of him!
10 No one is so fierce [and foolhardy] that he dares to stir up [the crocodile]; who then is he who can stand before Me [the beast’s Creator, or dares to contend with Me]?
11 Who has first given to Me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heavens is Mine. [Therefore, who can have a claim against God, God Who made the unmastered crocodile?](B)
12 I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.
13 Who can strip off [the crocodile’s] outer garment? [Who can penetrate his double coat of mail?] Who shall come within his jaws?
14 Who can open the doors of his [lipless] mouth? His [extended jaws and bare] teeth are terrible round about.
15 His scales are [the crocodile’s] pride, [for his back is made of rows of shields] shut up together [as with] a tight seal;
16 One is so near to another that no air can come between them.
17 They are joined one to another; they stick together so that they cannot be separated.
18 His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the [reddish] eyelids of the dawn.
19 Out of his mouth go burning torches, [and] sparks of fire leap out.
20 Out of his nostrils goes forth smoke, as out of a seething pot over a fire of rushes.
21 His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes forth from his mouth.
22 In [the crocodile’s] neck abides strength, and terror dances before him.
23 The folds of his flesh cleave together; they are firm upon him, and they cannot shake [when he moves].
24 His heart is as firm as a stone, indeed, as solid as a nether millstone.
25 When [the crocodile] raises himself up, the mighty are afraid; because of terror and the crashing they are beside themselves.
26 Even if one strikes at him with the sword, it cannot get any hold, nor does the spear, the dart, or the javelin.
27 He counts iron as straw and bronze as rotten wood.
28 The arrow cannot make [the crocodile] flee; slingstones are treated by him as stubble.
29 Clubs [also] are counted as stubble; he laughs at the rushing and the rattling of the javelin.
30 His underparts are like sharp pieces of broken pottery; he spreads [grooves like] a threshing sledge upon the mire.
31 He makes the deep boil like a pot; he makes the sea like a [foaming] pot of ointment.
32 [His swift darting] makes a shining track behind him; one would think the deep to be hoary [with foam].
33 Upon earth there is not [the crocodile’s] equal, a creature made without fear and he behaves fearlessly.
34 He looks all mighty [beasts of prey] in the face [without terror]; he is monarch over all the sons of pride. [And now, Job, [a]who are you who dares not arouse the unmastered crocodile, yet who dares resist Me, the beast’s Creator, to My face? Everything under the heavens is Mine; therefore, who can have a claim against God?]
Footnotes
- Job 41:34 This repeats the thought of verses ten and eleven of this chapter, which is the key and climax to God’s argument with Job.
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