Font Size
Job 40
New American Standard Bible
Job 40
New American Standard Bible
Job Says What Can I Say?
40 Then the Lord said to Job,
3 Then Job answered the Lord and said,
4 “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I say in response to You?
I (C)put my hand on my mouth.
5 I have spoken once, and (D)I will not reply;
Or twice, and I will add nothing more.”
God Questions Job
6 Then the (E)Lord answered Job from the whirlwind and said,
7 “Now [b](F)tighten the belt on your waist like a man;
I will (G)ask you, and you instruct Me.
8 Will you really (H)nullify My judgment?
Will you (I)condemn Me (J)so that you may be justified?
9 Or do you have an arm like God,
And can you (K)thunder with a voice like His?
10 “(L)Adorn yourself with pride and dignity,
And clothe yourself with honor and majesty.
11 Let out your (M)outbursts of anger,
And look at everyone who is (N)arrogant, and humble him.
12 Look at everyone who is arrogant, and (O)humble him,
And (P)trample down the wicked [c]where they stand.
13 (Q)Hide them together in the dust;
Imprison [d]them in the hidden place.
14 Then I will also [e]confess to you,
That your own right hand can save you.
God’s Power Shown in Creatures
15 “Behold, [f]Behemoth, which (R)I made [g]as well as you;
He eats grass like an ox.
16 Behold, his strength in his waist,
And his power in the muscles of his belly.
17 He hangs his tail like a cedar;
The tendons of his thighs are knit together.
18 His bones are tubes of bronze;
His [h]limbs are like bars of iron.
19 “He is the (S)first of the ways of God;
Let his (T)Maker bring His sword near.
20 Indeed the [i]mountains (U)bring him food,
And all the animals of the field (V)play there.
21 He lies down under the lotus plants,
In the hiding place of the reeds and the marsh.
22 The lotus plants cover him with [j]shade;
The willows of the brook surround him.
23 If a river [k]rages, he is not alarmed;
He is confident, though the (W)Jordan rushes to his mouth.
24 Can anyone capture him [l]when he is on watch,
Can anyone pierce his nose with barbs?
Footnotes
- Job 40:2 Lit answer it
- Job 40:7 I.e., as if for battle
- Job 40:12 Lit under them
- Job 40:13 Lit their faces
- Job 40:14 Or praise you
- Job 40:15 I.e., a powerful animal, possibly a hippopotamus
- Job 40:15 Lit with you
- Job 40:18 Lit bones
- Job 40:20 I.e., the mountain streams
- Job 40:22 Lit his shade
- Job 40:23 Or oppresses
- Job 40:24 Lit in his eyes
Job 40
EasyEnglish Bible
Job 40
EasyEnglish Bible
God continues to speak to Job
40 The Lord said to Job,
2 ‘Do you still want to argue with me, the Almighty God?
You say that I have not been fair.
Now you must explain what you mean.’
Job replies to God
3 Then Job answered the Lord. This is what he said:
4 ‘I am only a foolish man.
I cannot answer your questions.
I cover my mouth with my hand
so that I say nothing.
5 I have already spoken too many times.
I will say no more.’
God speaks to Job again
6 Then the Lord spoke to Job from inside the storm. This is what he said:
7 ‘Prepare yourself for a difficult job!
I will ask you some more questions and you must answer them.
8 Do you say that I am not a fair judge?
Do you want to show that I am guilty, not you?
Then you could say that you are right.
9 Do you have the same power to do great things as I have?
Can you speak with a voice as loud as thunder?
I can!
10 If you think that you can do all this,
show how great you are!
Show everyone your power and your glory!
11 Show everyone your great anger!
Look at all the people who like to boast
and bring them down low!
12 Yes, cause all the proud people to be humble.
Knock down wicked people to the ground.
13 Bury them all together in the dust of the ground.
Cover their faces and put them in their graves.
14 If you can do these things, Job,
I will praise you.
I will agree that you have the power to save yourself.
15 Listen! I created the monsters called Behemoth.[a]
I made you and I made them too.
They eat grass, as cows do.
16 But look at the strength of their legs and their body!
17 Their tails are like the branches of a cedar tree.
Their legs are thick and very strong.
18 Their bones are like sticks made of bronze.
Their legs are as strong as iron.
19 These monsters are some of the greatest animals that I have made.
But I who made them can take my sword
and go near to them.
20 They eat the grass that grows on the hills.
That is where the wild animals play.
21 They lie down under the thorn trees.
They hide among the reeds at the edge of the water.
22 They rest in the shadow of the thorn trees,
and among the willow trees beside the water.
23 Even when the river is deep and dangerous,
these monsters are not afraid.
The water of the Jordan River may cover their mouths,
but they still feel safe.
24 There is no way that anyone can catch one of them.
No one can make its eyes blind.
No one can put a ring in its nose and lead it away.’
Footnotes
- 40:15 This may be speaking about the large animal that we call a hippopotamus.
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
New King James Version
Job 40
New King James Version
God’s Power and Wisdom
40 Moreover the Lord (A)answered Job, and said:
2 “Shall (B)the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?
He who (C)rebukes God, let him answer it.”
Job’s Response to God
3 Then Job answered the Lord and said:
4 “Behold,(D) I am vile;
What shall I answer You?
(E)I lay my hand over my mouth.
5 Once I have spoken, but I will not answer;
Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”
God’s Challenge to Job
6 (F)Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
8 “Would(I) you indeed [b]annul My judgment?
Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?
9 Have you an arm like God?
Or can you thunder with (J)a voice like His?
10 (K)Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor,
And array yourself with glory and beauty.
11 Disperse the rage of your wrath;
Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him.
12 Look on everyone who is (L)proud, and bring him low;
Tread down the wicked in their place.
13 Hide them in the dust together,
Bind their faces in hidden darkness.
14 Then I will also confess to you
That your own right hand can save you.
15 “Look now at the [c]behemoth, which I made along with you;
He eats grass like an ox.
16 See now, his strength is in his hips,
And his power is in his stomach muscles.
17 He moves his tail like a cedar;
The sinews of his thighs are tightly knit.
18 His bones are like beams of bronze,
His ribs like bars of iron.
19 He is the first of the (M)ways of God;
Only He who made him can bring near His sword.
20 Surely the mountains (N)yield food for him,
And all the beasts of the field play there.
21 He lies under the lotus trees,
In a covert of reeds and marsh.
22 The lotus trees cover him with their shade;
The willows by the brook surround him.
23 Indeed the river may rage,
Yet he is not disturbed;
He is confident, though the Jordan gushes into his mouth,
24 Though he takes it in his eyes,
Or one pierces his nose with a snare.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
EasyEnglish Bible (EASY)
EasyEnglish Bible Copyright © MissionAssist 2019 - Charitable Incorporated Organisation 1162807. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.