Job 40
English Standard Version
40 And the Lord (A)said to Job:
2 “Shall a faultfinder (B)contend with the Almighty?
He who argues with God, let him answer it.”
Job Promises Silence
3 Then Job answered the Lord and said:
4 “Behold, I am (C)of small account; what shall I answer you?
(D)I lay my hand on my mouth.
5 I have spoken (E)once, and I will not answer;
(F)twice, but I will proceed no further.”
The Lord Challenges Job
6 Then the Lord (G)answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
7 (H)“Dress for action[a] like a man;
(I)I will question you, and you make it known to me.
8 Will you even put me in the wrong?
Will you condemn me that (J)you may be in the right?
9 Have you (K)an arm like God,
and can you thunder with (L)a voice like his?
10 “Adorn yourself with majesty and dignity;
(M)clothe yourself with glory and splendor.
11 Pour out the overflowings of your anger,
and look on everyone who is (N)proud and abase him.
12 Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low
and (O)tread down the wicked (P)where they stand.
13 (Q)Hide them all in (R)the dust together;
bind their faces in the world below.[b]
14 Then will I also acknowledge to you
that your own (S)right hand can save you.
15 “Behold, Behemoth,[c]
which I made as I made you;
he eats (T)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 (U)the first of (V)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 (W)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?
Job 40
Common English Bible
The Lord speaks and Job answers
40 The Lord continued to respond to Job:
2 Will the one who disputes with the Almighty correct him?
God’s instructor must answer him.
3 Job responded to the Lord:
4 Look, I’m of little worth. What can I answer you?
I’ll put my hand over my mouth.
5 I have spoken once, I won’t answer;
twice, I won’t do it again.
A challenge from the Lord
6 The Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:
7 Prepare yourself like a man;
I will interrogate you, and you will respond to me.
8 Would you question my justice,
deem me guilty so you can be innocent?
9 Or do you have an arm like God;
can you thunder with a voice like him?
10 Adorn yourself with splendor and majesty;
clothe yourself with honor and esteem.
11 Unleash your raging anger;
look on all the proud and humble them.
12 Look on all the proud and debase them;
trample the wicked in their place.
13 Hide them together in the dust;
bind their faces in a hidden place.
14 Then I, even I, will praise you,
for your strong hand has delivered you.
Behemoth
15 Look at Behemoth, whom I made along with you;
he eats grass like cattle.
16 Look, his strength is in his thighs,
his power in stomach muscles.
17 He stiffens his tail like a cedar;
the tendons in his thighs are tightly woven.
18 His bones are like bronze tubes,
his limbs like iron bars.
19 He is the first of God’s acts;
only his maker can come near him with a sword.
20 Indeed, the hills bring him tribute,
places where all the wild animals play.
21 He lies under the lotuses,
under the cover of reed and marsh.
22 The lotuses screen him with shade;
poplars of the stream surround him.
23 If the river surges, he doesn’t hurry;
he is confident even though the Jordan gushes into his mouth.
24 Can he be seized by his eyes?
Can anyone pierce his nose by hooks?
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible