Job 41
Modern English Version
41 “Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook[a]
or snare his tongue with a line which you let down?
2 Can you put a cord into his nose,
or pierce his jaw with a hook?
3 Will he make many supplications to you?
Will he speak soft words to you?
4 Will he make a covenant with you?
Will you take him for a servant forever?
5 Will you play with him as with a bird?
Or will you put him on a leash for your maidens?
6 Will your companions make a banquet of him?
Will they divide him among the merchants?
7 Can you fill his skin with harpoons
or his head with fishing spears?
8 Lay your hand on him;
remember the battle—you will do it no more.
9 Notice, any hope of overcoming him is in vain;
shall not one be overwhelmed at the sight of him?
10 No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up.
Who then is able to stand before Me?
11 Who has preceded Me that I should repay him?
Everything under heaven is Mine.
12 “I will not conceal his limbs,
nor his power, nor his graceful proportions.
13 Who can remove his outer garment?
Or who can approach him with a double bridle?
14 Who can open the jaws of his face?
His teeth are terrible all around.
15 His scales are his pride,
shut up tightly as with a seal.
16 One is so near to another
that no air can come between them.
17 They are joined to each other;
they stick together that they cannot be separated.
18 His sneezing flashes forth light,
and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth go burning lights,
and sparks of fire leap out.
20 Out of his nostrils goes smoke
as out of a seething pot or cauldron.
21 His breath kindles coals,
and a flame goes out of his mouth.
22 In his neck remains strength,
and sorrow is turned into joy before him.
23 The folds of his flesh are joined together;
they are firm on him; they cannot be moved.
24 His heart is as firm as a stone,
yes, as hard as a piece of the lower millstone.
25 When he raises up himself even the gods are afraid;
because of his crashings they are beside themselves.
26 The sword that reaches him cannot avail,
nor does the spear, the arrow, or the javelin.
27 He counts iron as straw,
and brass as rotten wood.
28 The arrow cannot make him flee;
slingstones are turned into stubble by him.
29 Arrows are counted as straw;
he laughs at the shaking of a spear.
30 Sharp stones are his underside;
he leaves a mark in the mire like a sharp threshing sledge.
31 He makes the deep to boil like a pot;
he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 He leaves a shining wake behind him;
one would think the deep had white hair.
33 On earth there is nothing like him,
a creature made without fear.
34 He beholds all high things;
he is a king over all the children of pride.”
Footnotes
- Job 41:1 Heb. text 40:25
Job 41
American Standard Version
41 Canst thou draw out [a]leviathan with a fishhook?
Or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 Canst thou put [b]a rope into his nose?
Or pierce his jaw through with a [c]hook?
3 Will he make many supplications unto thee?
Or will he speak soft words unto thee?
4 Will he make a covenant with thee,
That thou shouldest take him for a servant for ever?
5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird?
Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
6 Will the bands of fishermen make traffic of him?
Will they part him among the merchants?
7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons,
Or his head with fish-spears?
8 Lay thy hand upon him;
Remember the battle, and do so no more.
9 Behold, the hope of him is in vain:
Will not one be cast down even at the sight of him?
10 None is so fierce that he dare stir him up;
Who then is he that can stand before me?
11 Who hath first given unto me, that I should repay him?
Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.
12 I will not keep silence concerning his limbs,
Nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.
13 Who can [d]strip off his outer garment?
Who shall come within his jaws?
14 Who can open the doors of his face?
[e]Round about his teeth is terror.
15 His [f]strong scales are his pride,
Shut up together as with a close seal.
16 One is so near to another,
That no air can come between them.
17 They are joined one to another;
They stick together, so that they cannot be sundered.
18 His sneezings flash forth light,
And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth go burning torches,
And sparks of fire leap forth.
20 Out of his nostrils a smoke goeth,
As of a boiling pot and burning rushes.
21 His breath kindleth coals,
And a flame goeth forth from his mouth.
22 In his neck abideth strength,
And terror danceth before him.
23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together:
They are firm upon him; they cannot be moved.
24 His heart is as firm as a stone;
Yea, firm as the nether millstone.
25 When he raiseth himself up, the mighty are afraid:
By reason of consternation they are beside themselves.
26 If one lay at him with the sword, it cannot avail;
Nor the spear, the dart, nor the [g]pointed shaft.
27 He counteth iron as straw,
And brass as rotten wood.
28 The [h]arrow cannot make him flee:
Sling-stones are turned with him into stubble.
29 Clubs are counted as stubble:
He laugheth at the rushing of the javelin.
30 His underparts are like sharp potsherds:
He spreadeth as it were a threshing-wain upon the mire.
31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot:
He maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 He maketh a path to shine after him;
One would think the deep to be hoary.
33 Upon earth there is not his like,
That is made without fear.
34 He beholdeth everything that is high:
He is king over all the sons of pride.
Footnotes
- Job 41:1 That is, the crocodile.
- Job 41:2 Hebrew a rope of rushes.
- Job 41:2 Or, spike
- Job 41:13 Hebrew uncover the face of his garment.
- Job 41:14 Or, His teeth are terrible round about
- Job 41:15 Or, courses of scales. Hebrew channels of shields.
- Job 41:26 Or, coat of mail
- Job 41:28 Hebrew son of the bow.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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