Job 40
New Living Translation
40 Then the Lord said to Job,
2 “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty?
You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?”
Job Responds to the Lord
3 Then Job replied to the Lord,
4 “I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers?
I will cover my mouth with my hand.
5 I have said too much already.
I have nothing more to say.”
The Lord Challenges Job Again
6 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:
7 “Brace yourself like a man,
because I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.
8 “Will you discredit my justice
and condemn me just to prove you are right?
9 Are you as strong as God?
Can you thunder with a voice like his?
10 All right, put on your glory and splendor,
your honor and majesty.
11 Give vent to your anger.
Let it overflow against the proud.
12 Humiliate the proud with a glance;
walk on the wicked where they stand.
13 Bury them in the dust.
Imprison them in the world of the dead.
14 Then even I would praise you,
for your own strength would save you.
15 “Take a look at Behemoth,[a]
which I made, just as I made you.
It eats grass like an ox.
16 See its powerful loins
and the muscles of its belly.
17 Its tail is as strong as a cedar.
The sinews of its thighs are knit tightly together.
18 Its bones are tubes of bronze.
Its limbs are bars of iron.
19 It is a prime example of God’s handiwork,
and only its Creator can threaten it.
20 The mountains offer it their best food,
where all the wild animals play.
21 It lies under the lotus plants,[b]
hidden by the reeds in the marsh.
22 The lotus plants give it shade
among the willows beside the stream.
23 It is not disturbed by the raging river,
not concerned when the swelling Jordan rushes around it.
24 No one can catch it off guard
or put a ring in its nose and lead it away.
Job 40
Living Bible
40 The Lord went on:
2 “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? Or will you yield? Do you—God’s critic—have the answers?”
3 Then Job replied to God:
4 “I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I lay my hand upon my mouth in silence. 5 I have said too much already.”
6 Then the Lord spoke to Job again from the whirlwind:
7 “Stand up like a man and brace yourself for battle. Let me ask you a question, and give me the answer. 8 Are you going to discredit my justice and condemn me so that you can say you are right? 9 Are you as strong as God, and can you shout as loudly as he? 10 All right then, put on your robes of state, your majesty and splendor. 11 Give vent to your anger. Let it overflow against the proud. 12 Humiliate the haughty with a glance; tread down the wicked where they stand. 13 Knock them into the dust, stone-faced in death. 14 If you can do that, then I’ll agree with you that your own strength can save you.
15 “Take a look at the hippopotamus![a] I made him, too, just as I made you! He eats grass like an ox. 16 See his powerful loins and the muscles of his belly. 17 His tail is as straight as a cedar. The sinews of his thighs are tightly knit together. 18 His vertebrae lie straight as a tube of brass. His ribs are like iron bars. 19 How ferocious he is among all of God’s creation, so let whoever hopes to master him bring a sharp sword! 20 The mountains offer their best food to him—the other wild animals on which he preys. 21 He lies down under the lotus plants, hidden by the reeds, 22 covered by their shade among the willows there beside the stream. 23 He is not disturbed by raging rivers, not even when the swelling Jordan rushes down upon him. 24 No one can catch him off guard or put a ring in his nose and lead him away.
Footnotes
- Job 40:15 the hippopotamus, literally, “behemoth.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.