God’s Power in the Leviathan

41 “Can you draw out (A)Leviathan[a] with a hook,
Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower?
Can you (B)put a reed through his nose,
Or pierce his jaw with a [b]hook?
Will he make many supplications to you?
Will he speak softly to you?
Will he make a covenant with you?
Will you take him as a servant forever?
Will you play with him as with a bird,
Or will you leash him for your maidens?
Will your companions [c]make a banquet of him?
Will they apportion him among the merchants?
Can you fill his skin with harpoons,
Or his head with fishing spears?
Lay your hand on him;
Remember the battle—
Never do it again!
Indeed, any hope of overcoming him is false;
Shall one not be overwhelmed at the sight of him?
10 No one is so fierce that he would dare stir him up.
Who then is able to stand against Me?
11 (C)Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him?
(D)Everything under heaven is Mine.

12 “I will not [d]conceal his limbs,
His mighty power, or his graceful proportions.
13 Who can [e]remove his outer coat?
Who can approach him with a double bridle?
14 Who can open the doors of his face,
With his terrible teeth all around?
15 His rows of [f]scales are his pride,
Shut up tightly as with a seal;
16 One is so near another
That no air can come between them;
17 They are joined one to another,
They stick together and cannot be parted.
18 His sneezings flash forth light,
And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth go burning lights;
Sparks of fire shoot out.
20 Smoke goes out of his nostrils,
As from a boiling pot and burning rushes.
21 His breath kindles coals,
And a flame goes out of his mouth.
22 Strength dwells in his neck,
And [g]sorrow dances before him.
23 The folds of his flesh are joined together;
They are firm on him and cannot be moved.
24 His heart is as hard as stone,
Even as hard as the lower millstone.
25 When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid;
Because of his crashings they [h]are beside themselves.
26 Though the sword reaches him, it cannot avail;
Nor does spear, dart, or javelin.
27 He regards iron as straw,
And bronze as rotten wood.
28 The arrow cannot make him flee;
Slingstones become like stubble to him.
29 Darts are regarded as straw;
He laughs at the threat of javelins.
30 His undersides are like sharp potsherds;
He spreads pointed marks in the mire.
31 He makes the deep 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,
Which is made without fear.
34 He beholds every high thing;
He is king over all the children of pride.”

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Footnotes

  1. Job 41:1 A large sea creature, exact identity unknown
  2. Job 41:2 thorn
  3. Job 41:6 Or bargain over him
  4. Job 41:12 Lit. keep silent about
  5. Job 41:13 Lit. take off the face of his garment
  6. Job 41:15 Lit. shields
  7. Job 41:22 despair
  8. Job 41:25 Or purify themselves

41 “Canst thou draw out Leviathan with a hook? Or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?

Canst thou put a hook into his nose, or bore his jaw through with a thorn?

Will he make many supplications unto thee? Will he speak soft words unto thee?

Will he make a covenant with thee? Wilt thou take him as a servant for ever?

Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?

Shall the companions make a banquet of him? Shall they parcel him among the merchants?

Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons, or his head with fish spears?

Lay thine hand upon him; remember the battle, and do so no more!

Behold, the hope against him is in vain. Shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?

10 None is so fierce that dare stir him up. Who then is able to stand before Me?

11 Who hath come before Me, that I should repay him? Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is Mine.

12 “I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.

13 Who can uncover the face of his garment? Or who can come to him with his double bridle?

14 Who can open the doors of his face? His teeth are terrible round about.

15 His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a tight 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, that they cannot be sundered.

18 By his sneezings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

19 Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.

20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.

21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.

22 In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.

23 The folds of his flesh are joined together; they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.

24 His heart is as firm as a stone, yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.

25 When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid; by reason of breakings they purify themselves.

26 The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold the spear, the dart, nor the breastplate.

27 He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.

28 The arrow cannot make him flee; slingstones are turned by him into stubble.

29 Darts are counted as stubble; he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.

30 Sharp potsherds are his undersides; he spreadeth sharp pointed things 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, who is made without fear.

34 He beholdeth all high things; he is a king over all the children of pride.”

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