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41 “Can you draw out Leviathan[a] with a fish hook,
    or press down his tongue with a cord?
Can you put a rope into his nose,
    or pierce his jaw through with a hook?
Will he make many petitions to you,
    or will he speak soft words to you?
Will he make a covenant with you,
    that you should take him for a servant forever?
Will you play with him as with a bird?
    Or will you bind him for your girls?
Will traders barter for him?
    Will they part him among the merchants?
Can you fill his skin with barbed irons,
    or his head with fish spears?
Lay your hand on him.
    Remember the battle, and do so no more.
Behold, the hope of him is in vain.
    Won’t 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 who can stand before me?
11 Who has first given to me, that I should repay him?
    Everything under the heavens is mine.

12 “I will not keep silence concerning his limbs,
    nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.
13 Who can strip off his outer garment?
    Who will come within his jaws?
14 Who can open the doors of his face?
    Around his teeth is terror.
15 Strong scales are his pride,
    shut up together with a close seal.

16 One is so near to another,
    that no air can come between them.
17 They are joined to one another.
    They stick together, so that they can’t be pulled apart.
18 His sneezing flashes out light.
    His eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth go burning torches.
    Sparks of fire leap out.
20 Out of his nostrils a smoke goes,
    as of a boiling pot over a fire of reeds.
21 His breath kindles coals.
    A flame goes out of his mouth.
22 There is strength in his neck.
    Terror dances before him.
23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together.
    They are firm on him.
    They can’t be moved.
24 His heart is as firm as a stone,
    yes, firm as the lower millstone.
25 When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid.
    They retreat before his thrashing.
26 If one attacks him with the sword, it can’t prevail;
    nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
27 He counts iron as straw;
    and bronze as rotten wood.
28 The arrow can’t make him flee.
    Sling stones are like chaff to him.
29 Clubs are counted as stubble.
    He laughs at the rushing of the javelin.
30 His undersides are like sharp potsherds,
    leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.
31 He makes the deep to boil like a pot.
    He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 He makes a path shine after him.
    One would think the deep had white hair.
33 On earth there is not his equal,
    that is made without fear.
34 He sees everything that is high.
    He is king over all the sons of pride.”

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Footnotes

  1. 41:1 Leviathan is a name for a crocodile or similar creature.

41 [a] “Can you draw out (A)Leviathan[b] with a fishhook
    or press down his tongue with a cord?
Can you put (B)a rope in his nose
    or pierce his jaw with (C)a hook?
Will he make many pleas to you?
    Will he speak to you soft words?
Will he make a covenant with you
    to take him for (D)your servant forever?
Will you play with him as with a bird,
    or will you put him on a leash for your girls?
Will traders bargain over him?
    Will they divide him up among the merchants?
Can you fill his skin with harpoons
    or his head with fishing spears?
Lay your hands on him;
    remember the battle—you will not do it again!
[c] Behold, the hope of a man is false;
    he is laid low even at the sight of him.
10 No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up.
    Who then is he who can stand before me?
11 (E)Who has first given to me, that I should repay him?
    (F)Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.

12 “I will not keep silence concerning his limbs,
    or his mighty strength, or his goodly frame.
13 Who can strip off his outer garment?
    Who would come near him with a bridle?
14 Who can open the doors of his face?
    Around his teeth is terror.
15 His back is made of[d] rows of shields,
    shut up closely as with a seal.
16 One is so near to another
    that no air can come between them.
17 They are (G)joined one to another;
    they clasp each other and cannot be separated.
18 His sneezings flash forth light,
    and his eyes are like (H)the eyelids of the dawn.
19 Out of his mouth go flaming torches;
    sparks of fire leap forth.
20 Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke,
    as from a boiling pot and burning rushes.
21 His breath (I)kindles coals,
    and a flame comes forth from his mouth.
22 In his neck abides strength,
    and terror dances before him.
23 The folds of his flesh (J)stick together,
    firmly cast on him and immovable.
24 His heart is hard as a stone,
    hard as the lower millstone.
25 When he raises himself up, the mighty[e] are afraid;
    at the crashing they are beside themselves.
26 Though the sword reaches him, it does not avail,
    nor the spear, the dart, or the javelin.
27 He counts iron as straw,
    and bronze as rotten wood.
28 The arrow cannot make him flee;
    for him, sling stones are turned to stubble.
29 Clubs are counted as stubble;
    he laughs at the rattle of javelins.
30 His underparts are like sharp (K)potsherds;
    he spreads himself like (L)a threshing sledge on the mire.
31 He makes the deep boil like a pot;
    he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 Behind him he leaves a shining wake;
    one would think the deep to be white-haired.
33 (M)On earth there is not his like,
    a creature without fear.
34 He sees everything that is high;
    he is king over all the (N)sons of pride.”

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Footnotes

  1. Job 41:1 Ch 40:25 in Hebrew
  2. Job 41:1 A large sea animal, exact identity unknown
  3. Job 41:9 Ch 41:1 in Hebrew
  4. Job 41:15 Or His pride is in his
  5. Job 41:25 Or gods