Font Size
Job 40
New Catholic Bible
Job 40
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 40
Job’s Response to the Lord[a]
1 The Lord then said to Job:
2 “Will the one who finds fault with the Almighty respond?
Anyone who argues with God should state his case.”
3 Job then answered the Lord and said:
4 “Since I am of little importance, how can I reply to you?
I will simply place my hand over my mouth.
5 Although I have spoken once, I will not answer;
I have spoken twice, but I will do so no more.”
The Lord’s Second Speech[b]
Unleash the Fury of Your Wrath.[c] 6 Then the Lord addressed Job out of the whirlwind:
7 “Gird up your loins like a man.
I intend to put questions to you,
and you must give me your answers.
8 Will you continue to deny that I am just?
Will you condemn me in order to justify yourself?
9 Do you have an arm like that of God?
Can your voice thunder as loudly as his?
10 “Display your majesty and grandeur;
array yourself with glory and splendor.
11 Unleash the fury of your wrath
and humble the haughty with a glance.
12 Look on all who are proud and shatter them;
strike down the wicked where they stand.
13 Bury all of them in the earth[d] together,
and shroud their faces in an unknown grave.
14 Then I in turn will acknowledge to you
that your own right hand is strong enough to save you.
Behemoth . . . the First of God’s Works[e]
15 “Look at Behemoth whom I made just as I made you;
it feeds on grass like an ox.
16 Yet what strength it has in its loins
and what power in the muscles of its body.
17 Its tail is as stiff as a cedar;
the sinews of its thighs are tightly knit.
18 Its bones are like tubes of bronze,
its limbs like rods of iron.
19 “It is the first of God’s works;
only its Maker can control it with the sword.
20 The mountains provide it with food,
as do the wild animals that roam the hills.
21 It rests under the lotus trees
as it lies hidden among the reeds in the marsh.
22 “The lotus trees afford it shade,
and it is sheltered by the willows of the stream.
23 Even if the river becomes turbulent,
it does not become frightened;
it remains tranquil
even if the waters rise up to its mouth.
24 Who can blind its eyes and capture it
or pierce its nose with a trap?
Leviathan . . . the King of the Haughty[f]
25 “Can you catch Leviathan with a fishhook
or tie a rope around its tongue?
26 Can you put a rope through its nose
or pierce its jaw with a hook?[g]
27 Will it plead with you for mercy
and address you with gentle words?
28 Will it strike a bargain with you
that will make it your servant forever?
29 “Will you play with it as you would with a bird?
Will you put it on a leash to amuse your maidens?
30 Will traders bargain for it?
Will merchants divide it up?
31 Can you riddle its hide with harpoons
or its head with fishing spears?
32 If you ever should plan to lay a hand on it,
first think of the struggle that awaits you,
and then cease all such thoughts.
Footnotes
- Job 40:1 Human beings can argue forever, but when God speaks, a profound reverence seizes the believer. When forced to answer, Job retracts what he has said and ends his rebellion.
- Job 40:6 The author of this discourse knows how to use irony. Here God brings before Job two beasts of the Nile, both of them fearsome to humans but totally under God’s control.
- Job 40:6 Despite appearances, God administers justice—something that Job cannot do. The implication is clear: Job should leave it to God’s strong arm (see v. 9) to administer justice, which is also true for his own vindication (see v. 14).
- Job 40:13 Earth: literally, “dust,” i.e., the netherworld, dark dwelling place of the dead.
- Job 40:15 Behemoth: i.e., the beast par excellence; here it refers to the hippopotamus who is impressive by its power; the other animals acknowledge its royalty.
- Job 40:25 The monster of chaos now becomes Leviathan (probably the crocodile), which is even more fearsome than Behemoth.
- Job 40:26 Can you put a rope . . . hook?: i.e., the treatment inflicted on prisoners at that time (see Ezek 29:4).
Job 40
New International Version
Job 40
New International Version
40 The Lord said to Job:(A)
2 “Will the one who contends with the Almighty(B) correct him?(C)
Let him who accuses God answer him!”(D)
3 Then Job answered the Lord:
4 “I am unworthy(E)—how can I reply to you?
I put my hand over my mouth.(F)
5 I spoke once, but I have no answer(G)—
twice, but I will say no more.”(H)
6 Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm:(I)
7 “Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.(J)
8 “Would you discredit my justice?(K)
Would you condemn me to justify yourself?(L)
9 Do you have an arm like God’s,(M)
and can your voice(N) thunder like his?(O)
10 Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor,
and clothe yourself in honor and majesty.(P)
11 Unleash the fury of your wrath,(Q)
look at all who are proud and bring them low,(R)
12 look at all who are proud(S) and humble them,(T)
crush(U) the wicked where they stand.
13 Bury them all in the dust together;(V)
shroud their faces in the grave.(W)
14 Then I myself will admit to you
that your own right hand can save you.(X)
15 “Look at Behemoth,
which I made(Y) along with you
and which feeds on grass like an ox.(Z)
16 What strength(AA) it has in its loins,
what power in the muscles of its belly!(AB)
17 Its tail sways like a cedar;
the sinews of its thighs are close-knit.(AC)
18 Its bones are tubes of bronze,
its limbs(AD) like rods of iron.(AE)
19 It ranks first among the works of God,(AF)
yet its Maker(AG) can approach it with his sword.(AH)
20 The hills bring it their produce,(AI)
and all the wild animals play(AJ) nearby.(AK)
21 Under the lotus plants it lies,
hidden among the reeds(AL) in the marsh.(AM)
22 The lotuses conceal it in their shadow;
the poplars by the stream(AN) surround it.
23 A raging river(AO) does not alarm it;
it is secure, though the Jordan(AP) should surge against its mouth.
24 Can anyone capture it by the eyes,
or trap it and pierce its nose?(AQ)
Job 40
Het Boek
Job 40
Het Boek
God spreekt opnieuw
40 Toen sprak God vanuit een wervelwind opnieuw tot Job en zei:
2 ‘Maak u maar klaar, zet u schrap, Ik zal u opnieuw vragen stellen en daarop verwacht Ik wel een antwoord van u.
3 Wilt u mijn rechtvaardigheid in twijfel trekken en Mij veroordelen, zodat u zichzelf vrij kunt pleiten?
4 Bent u net zo sterk als God en kunt u net zo donderen met uw stem als Hij?
5 Goed, trek uw staatsiegewaad dan maar aan en hul uzelf in majesteit en pracht.
6 Geef uw woede de vrije loop! Laat hem losbarsten tegen alle trotse mensen.
7 Verneder de hooghartigen met een enkele blik en vertrap de goddelozen op de plaats waar zij staan.
8 Begraaf hen in het stof en laat de dood hun gezicht verstijven.
9 Als u daartoe in staat bent, ben Ik het met u eens als u zegt dat uw eigen kracht u kan redden.
10 Kijk eens naar het nijlpaard. Ik heb hem gemaakt, net zoals Ik u heb gemaakt. Hij eet gras als een os.
11 Let eens op zijn krachtige lendenen en op zijn buikspieren.
12 Zijn staart is zo recht als een ceder. De pezen van zijn dijen zijn stevig verstrengeld.
13 Zijn botten lijken op koperen buizen en zijn ribben zien eruit als ijzeren staven.
14 Hij is een van mijn eerste meesterwerken, alleen Ik kan hem in toom houden.
15 De bergen geven hem hun beste voedsel, de andere wilde dieren spelen rustig bij hem in de buurt.
16 Hij ligt onder de lotus, verscholen in het riet en
17 in de schaduw van de wilgen aan de waterkant.
18 Hij schrikt niet terug voor snelstromende rivieren, zelfs niet als de machtige stroomversnellingen van de Jordaan op hem af zouden komen.
19 Niemand krijgt de kans hem in een ogenblik van onoplettendheid te overmeesteren door zijn ogen te bedekken of hem een ring door de neus te doen en hem daaraan weg te leiden.
20 Kunt u het zeemonster Leviatan met een haak en een vislijn vangen? Of een lasso om zijn tong leggen?
21 Kunt u hem met een touw door zijn neus in bedwang houden of zijn kaak met een pin doorboren?
22 Zal hij u smeken om medelijden of u door vleiende woorden proberen om te praten?
23 Zal hij zich er bij neerleggen dat u hem voor zijn verdere leven tot slaaf maakt?
24 Kunt u hem net als een vogel in een huisdier veranderen en uw dochtertjes met hem laten spelen?
25 Zullen de mannen die samen vissen hem aan de vishandelaren verkopen en zullen deze hem onder zich verdelen?
26 Zal zijn huid worden doorboord met pijlen of kan iemand een harpoen in zijn kop planten?
27 Als u hem met de hand wilt aanraken, zal het gevecht dat volgt u nog lang heugen en u zult dat geen tweede maal proberen.
28 Nee, het is onmogelijk hem te vangen. Alleen al wanneer je naar hem kijkt, deins je terug.’
Job 40
King James Version
Job 40
King James Version
40 Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said,
2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.
3 Then Job answered the Lord, and said,
4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
6 Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?
9 Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
10 Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.
11 Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.
12 Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
13 Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.
14 Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.
15 Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.
16 Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.
17 He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.
18 His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.
19 He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him.
20 Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.
21 He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.
22 The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.
23 Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.
24 He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Het Boek (HTB)
Het Boek Copyright © 1979, 1988, 2007 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.