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).
Iyov 40
Orthodox Jewish Bible
40 Moreover Hashem answered Iyov, and said,
2 Shall he that contendeth with Shaddai correct him? The mokhiach Eloah (rebuker of G-d), let him answer it.
3 Then Iyov answered Hashem, and said,
4 See, I am vile; what shall I answer Thee? I will lay mine yad upon my mouth.
5 Once have I spoken, but I will not answer; yea, shtayim (twice), but I will proceed no further.
6 Then answered Hashem unto Iyov out of the whirlwind, and said,
7 Gird up thy loins now like a gever. I will question thee, and thou shall answer Me.
8 Wilt thou also annul My mishpat (justice)? Wilt thou condemn Me, that thou mayest be justified?
9 Hast thou a zero’a like El? Or canst thou thunder with a kol (voice) like Him?
10 Adorn thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with hod (glory) and hadar (splendor).
11 Unleash thy evrot af (furious wrath); and behold every one that is proud, and bring him low.
12 Look on every one that is proud, and humble him, and tread down the resha’im in their place.
13 Bury them in the aphar together; shroud their faces in the crypt.
14 Then odecha (will I confess, admit unto thee) that thine own right hand can save thee.
15 Hinei now behemot (hippopotamus), which I made along with thee; he eateth grass like an ox.
16 Hinei now, his koach is in his loins, and his force is in the sinews of his beten (belly).
17 He moveth his zanav (tail) like a cedar branch; the sinews of his thighs are firmly interwoven.
18 His atzmot are like tubes of nechoshet; his limbs are like rods of barzel (iron).
19 He is the reshit (firstling) of the ways of El; He, his Maker, can approach it with His cherev.
20 Surely the harim bring forth food for him, where all the wild beasts play.
21 He lieth under the shade of lotus plants, beseter (in the covert) of the reed and marsh.
22 The lotus plants cover him with their shadow; the willows by the nakhal (brook, stream) surround him.
23 See, when the nahar (river) rages, he is not alarmed; he is confident, though Yarden breaketh forth upon his mouth.
24 While he is looking can one capture him? With mokeshim (hooks) can one pierce his nose?
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