22 He laughs at fear and is not dismayed;
    he does not turn back from the sword.
23 Upon him rattle the quiver,
    the flashing spear, and the javelin.
24 With fierceness and rage he swallows the ground;
    he cannot stand still at (A)the sound of the trumpet.
25 When the trumpet sounds, he says ‘Aha!’
    He smells the battle from afar,
    the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

26 “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars
    and spreads his wings toward the south?
27 Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up
    and makes his (B)nest on high?
28 On the rock he dwells and makes his home,
    on (C)the rocky crag and stronghold.
29 From there he spies out the prey;
    his eyes behold it from far away.
30 His young ones suck up blood,
    and (D)where the slain are, there is he.”

40 And the Lord (E)said to Job:

“Shall a faultfinder (F)contend with the Almighty?
    He who argues with God, let him answer it.”

Job Promises Silence

Then Job answered the Lord and said:

“Behold, I am (G)of small account; what shall I answer you?
    (H)I lay my hand on my mouth.
I have spoken (I)once, and I will not answer;
    (J)twice, but I will proceed no further.”

The Lord Challenges Job

Then the Lord (K)answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

(L)“Dress for action[a] like a man;
    (M)I will question you, and you make it known to me.
Will you even put me in the wrong?
    Will you condemn me that (N)you may be in the right?
Have you (O)an arm like God,
    and can you thunder with (P)a voice like his?

10 “Adorn yourself with majesty and dignity;
    (Q)clothe yourself with glory and splendor.
11 Pour out the overflowings of your anger,
    and look on everyone who is (R)proud and abase him.
12 Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low
    and (S)tread down the wicked (T)where they stand.
13 (U)Hide them all in (V)the dust together;
    bind their faces in the world below.[b]
14 Then will I also acknowledge to you
    that your own (W)right hand can save you.

15 “Behold, Behemoth,[c]
    which I made as I made you;
    he eats (X)grass like an ox.
16 Behold, his strength in his loins,
    and his power in the muscles of his belly.
17 He makes his tail stiff like a cedar;
    the sinews of his thighs are knit together.
18 His bones are tubes of bronze,
    his limbs like bars of iron.

19 “He is (Y)the first of (Z)the works[d] of God;
    let him who made him bring near his sword!
20 For the mountains yield food for him
    where all the wild beasts play.
21 Under the lotus plants he lies,
    in the shelter of (AA)the reeds and in the marsh.
22 For his shade the lotus trees cover him;
    the willows of the brook surround him.
23 Behold, if the river is turbulent he is not frightened;
    he is confident though Jordan rushes against his mouth.
24 Can one take him by his eyes,[e]
    or pierce his nose with a snare?

41 [f] “Can you draw out (AB)Leviathan[g] with a fishhook
    or press down his tongue with a cord?
Can you put (AC)a rope in his nose
    or pierce his jaw with (AD)a hook?
Will he make many pleas to you?
    Will he speak to you soft words?
Will he make a covenant with you
    to take him for (AE)your servant forever?
Will you play with him as with a bird,
    or will you put him on a leash for your girls?
Will traders bargain over him?
    Will they divide him up among the merchants?
Can you fill his skin with harpoons
    or his head with fishing spears?
Lay your hands on him;
    remember the battle—you will not do it again!
[h] Behold, the hope of a man is false;
    he is laid low even at the sight of him.
10 No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up.
    Who then is he who can stand before me?

Footnotes

  1. Job 40:7 Hebrew Gird up your loins
  2. Job 40:13 Hebrew in the hidden place
  3. Job 40:15 A large animal, exact identity unknown
  4. Job 40:19 Hebrew ways
  5. Job 40:24 Or in his sight
  6. Job 41:1 Ch 40:25 in Hebrew
  7. Job 41:1 A large sea animal, exact identity unknown
  8. Job 41:9 Ch 41:1 in Hebrew

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