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Job 41

Job41

American Standard Version · Public Domain

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1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with a fishhook? Or press down his tongue with a cord?

2 Canst thou put a rope into his nose? Or pierce his jaw through with a 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 strip off his outer garment? Who shall come within his jaws?

14 Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror.

15 His 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 pointed shaft.

27 He counteth iron as straw, And brass as rotten wood.

28 The 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.

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Job 41

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Job 41. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.

Chapter Summary

In this chapter: Concerning Leviathan. (1-34).

vv1-34

—The description of the Leviathan, is yet further to convince Job of his own weakness, and of God's almighty power. Whether this Leviathan be a whale or a crocodile, is disputed. The Lord, having showed Job how unable he was to deal with the Leviathan, sets forth his own power in that mighty creature. If such language describes the terrible force of Leviathan, what words can express the power of God's wrath? Under a humbling sense of our own vileness, let us revere the Divine Majesty; take and fill our allotted place, cease from our own wisdom, and give all glory to our gracious God and Saviour. Remembering from whom every good gift cometh, and for what end it was given, let us walk humbly with the Lord.

Key Words

draw outH4900Hebrew

מָשַׁךְ: to draw, used in a great variety of applications (including to sow, to sound, to prolong, to develop, to march, to remove, to delay, to be tall, etc.)

LeviathanH3882Hebrew

לִוְיָתָן: a wreathed animal, i.e. a serpent (especially the crocodile or some other large sea-monster); figuratively, the constellation of the dragon; also as a symbol of Babylon

fishhookH2443Hebrew

חַכָּה: a hook (as adhering)

press downH8257Hebrew

שָׁקַע: to subside; by implication, to be overflowed, cease; causatively, to abate, subdue

tongueH3956Hebrew

לָשׁוֹן: the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water)

cordH2256Hebrew

חֶבֶל: a rope (as twisted), especially a measuring line; by implication, a district or inheritance (as measured); or a noose (as of cords); figuratively, a company (as if tied together); also a throe (especially of parturition); also ruin

putH7760Hebrew

שׂוּם: to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)

ropeH100Hebrew

אַגְמוֹן: a bulrush (as growing there); collectively a rope of bulrushes

noseH639Hebrew

אַף: properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire

pierceH5344Hebrew

נָקַב: to puncture, literally (to perforate, with more or less violence) or figuratively (to specify, designate, libel)

Cross References

Job 41
v11Romans 11:35thematic

Paul echoes this verse to show God is under obligation to no man for his sovereign gifts.

Supported by JFB

v1Psalms 104:26thematic

Explicit biblical mention of Leviathan playing in the deep, showing God's creative design.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v1Psalms 74:14thematic

Identifies Leviathan as a symbol/type of oppressive worldly powers (like Egypt's Pharaoh) crushed by God.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v1Isaiah 27:1thematic

Leviathan depicted as the piercing, crooked serpent that the Lord will punish with His sore sword.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v1Ezekiel 29:4thematic

Prophetic imagery of putting hooks in the jaws of the great river monster (Pharaoh/Egypt).

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v2Isaiah 37:29thematic

God puts His hook in Sennacherib's nose, treating a proud king like a subdued beast.

Supported by JFB

v34Ezekiel 29:3thematic

Pharaoh is compared to the great dragon (crocodile) in the rivers, embodying pride and sovereignty.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v1Job 3:8thematic

Refers to those skilled in mourning who are ready to rouse up Leviathan.

Supported by JFB

v10Genesis 49:9thematic

Parallel warning against rousing a fierce, sleeping beast (a lion), illustrating the danger of Leviathan.

Supported by JFB

v11Exodus 19:5thematic

Affirms God's absolute ownership of the whole earth, establishing His sovereign authority over creation.

Supported by JFB

v19Psalms 18:8thematic

Poetic imagery of smoke and consuming fire from the nostrils/mouth of God in His wrath.

Supported by JFB

The law of taking a servant 'for ever', contrasting with Leviathan's absolute untamability.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v5Job 39:10thematic

Similar rhetorical question about binding a wild beast (the unicorn) to serve human purposes.

Supported by JFB

v3Proverbs 18:23contrast

The poor use entreaties, but the mighty beast will never make soft supplications.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v10Psalms 2:11thematic

If a mere creature cannot be opposed, how much more must men serve God with fear.

Supported by JFB

v33Job 40:19thematic

Compares Leviathan's unique supremacy to Behemoth as the chief of the ways of God.

Supported by JFB