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Can You Draw Out Leviathan?

41 [a]Can you draw out [b](A)Leviathan with a fishhook?
Or press down its tongue with a cord?
Can you (B)put a [c]rope in its nose
Or pierce its jaw with a [d]hook?
Will it make many supplications to you,
Or will he speak to you soft words?
Will it cut a covenant with you?
Will you take it for a slave forever?
Will you play with it as with a bird,
Or will you bind it for your young women?
Will the [e]traders bargain over it?
Will they divide it among the merchants?
Can you fill its skin with harpoons,
Or its head with fishing spears?
Place your hand on it;
Remember the battle; [f]you will not do that again!
[g]Behold, [h]his expectation is a lie;
Will [i]he be laid low even at the sight of it?
10 No one is so fierce that he dares to (C)arouse it;
Who then is he that can stand before Me?
11 Who has [j](D)given to Me that I should repay him?
Whatever is (E)under the whole heaven is Mine.

12 “I will not keep silence concerning its limbs,
Or its mighty strength or its graceful frame.
13 Who can [k]strip off its [l]outer armor?
Who can come with its doubled [m]bridle?
14 Who can open the doors of its face?
Around its teeth there is dreadful terror.
15 Its [n]strong scales are its pride,
Shut up as with a tight seal.
16 One is so near to another
That no air can come between them.
17 They cling one to another;
They are interlocked and cannot be separated.
18 Its sneezes flash forth light,
And its eyes are like the (F)eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of its mouth go burning torches;
Sparks of fire [o]leap forth.
20 Out of its nostrils smoke goes forth
As from a boiling pot and burning reeds.
21 Its breath kindles coals,
And a flame goes forth from its mouth.
22 In its neck lodges strength,
And dismay leaps before it.
23 The folds of its flesh cling together,
Hardened upon it and is not shaken.
24 Its heart is as hard as a stone,
Even as hard as a lower millstone.
25 When it raises itself up, the [p]mighty fear,
Because of the crashing they are [q]bewildered.
26 The sword that reaches it cannot avail,
Nor the spear, the dart, or the javelin.
27 It regards iron as straw,
Bronze as rotten wood.
28 The [r]arrow cannot make it flee;
Slingstones are turned into stubble for it.
29 Clubs are regarded as stubble;
It laughs at the rattling of the javelin.
30 Its underparts are like sharp potsherds;
It [s]spreads out like a threshing sledge on the mire.
31 It makes the depths boil like a pot;
It makes the sea like a jar of ointment.
32 Behind it, it makes a wake to shine;
One would think the deep to be gray-haired.
33 (G)There is nothing upon the [t]dust like it,
One made without terror.
34 [u]It looks on everything that is high;
It is king over all the (H)sons of pride.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 41:1 Ch 40:25 in Heb
  2. Job 41:1 Possibly the crocodile
  3. Job 41:2 Lit rope of rushes
  4. Job 41:2 Or thorn, ring
  5. Job 41:6 Lit partners
  6. Job 41:8 Lit do not add
  7. Job 41:9 Ch 41:1 in Heb
  8. Job 41:9 Job’s
  9. Job 41:9 Job
  10. Job 41:11 Lit anticipated
  11. Job 41:13 Lit uncover the face of its garment
  12. Job 41:13 Lit clothing
  13. Job 41:13 Gr mail
  14. Job 41:15 Lit rows of shields
  15. Job 41:19 Lit escape
  16. Job 41:25 Or gods
  17. Job 41:25 Lit as if in sin
  18. Job 41:28 Lit son of the bow
  19. Job 41:30 Or moves across
  20. Job 41:33 Or earth
  21. Job 41:34 Ch 41:26 in Heb

41 [a]“Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook
    or press down its tongue with a cord?(A)
Can you put a rope in its nose
    or pierce its jaw with a hook?(B)
Will it make many supplications to you?
    Will it speak soft words to you?
Will it make a covenant with you
    to be taken as your servant forever?
Will you play with it as with a bird
    or put it on a leash for your young women?
Will traders bargain over it?
    Will they divide it up among the merchants?
Can you fill its skin with harpoons
    or its head with fishing spears?
Lay hands on it;
    think of the battle; you will not do it again!
[b]Any hope of capturing it[c] will be disappointed;
    one is overwhelmed even at the sight of it.
10 No one is so fierce as to dare to stir it up.
    Who can stand before it?[d](C)
11 Who can confront it[e] and be safe?[f]
    —under the whole heaven, who?[g](D)

12 “I will not keep silent concerning its limbs
    or its mighty strength or its splendid frame.
13 Who can strip off its outer garment?
    Who can penetrate its double coat of mail?[h]
14 Who can open the doors of its face?
    There is terror all around its teeth.
15 Its back[i] is made of shields in rows,
    shut up closely as with a seal.
16 One is so near to another
    that no air can come between them.
17 They are joined one to another;
    they clasp each other and cannot be separated.
18 Its sneezes flash forth light,
    and its eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn.(E)
19 From its mouth go flaming torches;
    sparks of fire leap out.
20 Out of its nostrils comes smoke,
    as from a boiling pot and burning rushes.
21 Its breath kindles coals,
    and a flame comes out of its mouth.
22 In its neck abides strength,
    and terror dances before it.
23 The folds of its flesh cling together;
    it is firmly cast and immovable.
24 Its heart is as hard as stone,
    as hard as the lower millstone.
25 When it raises itself up the gods are afraid;
    at the crashing they are beside themselves.
26 Though the sword reaches it, it does not avail,
    nor does the spear, the dart, or the javelin.
27 It counts iron as straw
    and bronze as rotten wood.
28 The arrow cannot make it flee;
    slingstones, for it, are turned to chaff.
29 Clubs are counted as chaff;
    it laughs at the rattle of javelins.
30 Its underparts are like sharp potsherds;
    it spreads itself like a threshing sledge on the mire.
31 It makes the deep boil like a pot;
    it makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 It leaves a shining wake behind it;
    one would think the deep to be white-haired.
33 On earth it has no equal,
    a creature without fear.(F)
34 It surveys everything that is lofty;
    it is king over all that are proud.”

Footnotes

  1. 41.1 40.25 in Heb
  2. 41.9 41.1 in Heb
  3. 41.9 Heb of it
  4. 41.10 Heb me
  5. 41.11 Heb me
  6. 41.11 Gk: Heb that I shall repay
  7. 41.11 Heb to me
  8. 41.13 Gk: Heb bridle
  9. 41.15 Cn Compare Gk Vg: Heb pride