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
World English Bible
40 Moreover Yahweh answered Job,
2 “Shall he who argues contend with the Almighty?
He who argues with God, let him answer it.”
3 Then Job answered Yahweh,
4 “Behold, I am of small account. What will I answer you?
I lay my hand on my mouth.
5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer;
Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”
6 Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind:
7 “Now brace yourself like a man.
I will question you, and you will answer me.
8 Will you even annul my judgment?
Will you condemn me, that you may be justified?
9 Or do you have an arm like God?
Can you thunder with a voice like him?
10 “Now deck yourself with excellency and dignity.
Array yourself with honor and majesty.
11 Pour out the fury of your anger.
Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low.
12 Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him.
Crush the wicked in their place.
13 Hide them in the dust together.
Bind their faces in the hidden place.
14 Then I will also admit to you
that your own right hand can save you.
15 “See now behemoth, which I made as well as you.
He eats grass as an ox.
16 Look now, his strength is in his thighs.
His force is in the muscles of his belly.
17 He moves his tail like a cedar.
The sinews of his thighs are knit together.
18 His bones are like tubes of bronze.
His limbs are like bars of iron.
19 He is the chief of the ways of God.
He who made him gives him his sword.
20 Surely the mountains produce food for him,
where all the animals of the field play.
21 He lies under the lotus trees,
in the covert of the reed, and the marsh.
22 The lotuses cover him with their shade.
The willows of the brook surround him.
23 Behold, if a river overflows, he doesn’t tremble.
He is confident, though the Jordan swells even to his mouth.
24 Shall any take him when he is on the watch,
or pierce through his nose with a snare?
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