Add parallel Print Page Options

40 1-2 Job, you challenged Almighty God;
    will you give up now, or will you answer?

Job

3-4 I spoke foolishly, Lord. What can I answer?
    I will not try to say anything else.
I have already said more than I should.

Then out of the storm the Lord spoke to Job once again.

The Lord

Now stand up straight
    and answer my questions.
Are you trying to prove that I am unjust—
    to put me in the wrong and yourself in the right?
Are you as strong as I am?
    Can your voice thunder as loud as mine?
10 If so, stand up in your honor and pride;
    clothe yourself with majesty and glory.
11 Look at those who are proud;
    pour out your anger and humble them.
12 Yes, look at them and bring them down;
    crush the wicked where they stand.
13 Bury them all in the ground;
    bind them in the world of the dead.
14 Then I will be the first to praise you
    and admit that you won the victory yourself.

15 Look at the monster Behemoth;[a]
    I created him and I created you.
He eats grass like a cow,
16     but what strength there is in his body,
    and what power there is in his muscles!
17 His tail stands up like a cedar,
    and the muscles in his legs are strong.
18 His bones are as strong as bronze,
    and his legs are like iron bars.

19 The most amazing of all my creatures!
    Only his Creator can defeat him.
20 Grass to feed him grows
    on the hills where wild beasts play.[b]
21 He lies down under the thorn bushes,
    and hides among the reeds in the swamp.
22 The thorn bushes and the willows by the stream
    give him shelter in their shade.
23 He is not afraid of a rushing river;
    he is calm when the Jordan dashes in his face.
24 Who can blind his eyes and capture him?
    Or who can catch his snout in a trap?

Footnotes

  1. Job 40:15 Some identify this with the hippopotamus, others with a legendary creature.
  2. Job 40:20 Verse 20 in Hebrew is unclear.

40 And the Lord said to Job:

“Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty?[a]
    Anyone who argues with God must respond.”(A)

Job’s Response to God

Then Job answered the Lord:

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

God’s Challenge to Job

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:(D)

“Gird up your loins like a man;
    I will question you, and you declare to me.(E)
Will you even put me in the wrong?
    Will you condemn me that you may be justified?(F)
Have you an arm like God,
    and can you thunder with a voice like his?(G)

10 “Deck yourself with majesty and dignity;
    clothe yourself with glory and splendor.(H)
11 Pour out the overflowings of your anger,
    and look on all who are proud and humble them.(I)
12 Look on all who are proud and bring them low;
    tread down the wicked where they stand.(J)
13 Hide them all in the dust together;
    bind their faces in the world below.[b]
14 Then I will also acknowledge to you
    that your own right hand can give you victory.(K)

15 “Look at Behemoth,
    which I made just as I made you;
    it eats grass like an ox.(L)
16 Its strength is in its loins
    and its power in the muscles of its belly.
17 It makes its tail stiff like a cedar;
    the sinews of its thighs are knit together.
18 Its bones are tubes of bronze,
    its limbs like bars of iron.

19 “It is the first of the great acts of God;
    only its Maker can approach it with the sword.(M)
20 For the mountains yield food for it
    where all the wild animals play.(N)
21 Under the lotus plants it lies,
    in the covert of the reeds and in the marsh.
22 The lotus trees cover it for shade;
    the willows of the wadi surround it.(O)
23 Even if the river is turbulent, it is not frightened;
    it is confident though Jordan rushes against its mouth.
24 Can one take it with hooks[c]
    or pierce its nose with a snare?(P)

Footnotes

  1. 40.2 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai
  2. 40.13 Heb the hidden place
  3. 40.24 Cn: Heb in his eyes

40 Continuing to address Iyov, Adonai said:

“Does the critic still want to dispute Shaddai?
Let him who wants to correct God give an answer!”
Then Iyov replied to Adonai:

“I am too ashamed; I have nothing to say.
I lay my hand over my mouth.
Yes, I spoke once, but I won’t answer more;
all right, twice, but I won’t go on.”

Adonai answered Iyov out of the storm:

“Stand up like a man, and brace yourself;
I will ask questions; and you, give the answers!

“Are you impugning my justice?
Putting me in the wrong to prove yourself right?
Do you have an arm like God’s?
Can you thunder with a voice like his?
10 Come on, deck yourself with majesty and dignity,
robe yourself in glory and splendor.
11 Let loose your furious anger,
look at all who are proud, and humble them.
12 Look at all who are proud, and bring them down;
tread down the wicked where they stand.
13 Bury them in the ground together,
bind their faces in the hidden world.
14 If you do this, then I will confess to you
that your own power can save you.

15 “Now consider Behemot, whom I made along with you.
He eats grass like an ox.
16 What strength he has in his loins!
What power in his stomach muscles!
17 He can make his tail as stiff as a cedar,
the muscles in his thighs are like cables,
18 his bones are like bronze pipes,
his limbs like iron bars.

19 “He ranks first among God’s works.
Only his maker can approach him with his sword.
20 The mountains produce food for him there,
where all the wild animals play.
21 He lies down under the thorny lotus bushes
and is hidden by the reeds in the swamp;
22 the lotus bushes cover him with their shade,
and the willows by the stream surround him.
23 If the river overflows, it doesn’t worry him;
he is confident even if the Yarden rushes by his mouth.
24 Can anyone catch him by his eyes
or pierce his nose with a hook?
25 (41:1) “And Livyatan! Can you catch him with a fishhook
or hold his tongue down with a rope?
26 (41:2) Can you put a ring in his nose
or pierce his jaw with a barb?
27 (41:3) Will he entreat you at length?
Will he speak with you softly?
28 (41:4) Will he agree with you
to be your slave forever?
29 (41:5) Will you play with him as you would with a bird
or keep him on a string to amuse your little girls?
30 (41:6) Will a group of fishermen turn him into a banquet?
Will they divide him among the merchants?
31 (41:7) Can you fill his skin with darts
or his head with fish-spears?
32 (41:8) If you lay your hand on him,
you won’t forget the fight, and you’ll never do it again!