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Job 41

God continues to ask Job questions

41 ‘It is the same with the sea monsters called Leviathan. [ a ]
Can you catch them with a hook?
Can you use a rope to keep their mouths shut?
2 Can you tie a rope through their noses?
Can you put a hook into their mouths.
3 No! They will not ask you nicely to be kind
and let them go free.
4 They will not make any agreement with you.
You cannot make them your slaves
to work for you as long as they live.
5 Leviathan is not something to enjoy at home, like a bird.
You cannot tie it with a rope,
so that your girls can play with it.
6 Traders do not buy it at the market.
They do not cut it up to sell it.
7 Job, can you throw spears into Leviathan's body to kill it?
Can you shoot arrows into its head?
8 If you try to take hold of it,
you will never forget the fight!
You will never try to do that again!
9 If anyone hopes to catch it,
he is deceiving himself.
As soon as he sees it,
he no longer feels so brave!
10 No one is brave enough to wake it.
So is anyone brave enough to argue against me?
11 Nobody has ever won against me
to make me pay them anything.
Everything in the whole world belongs to me.

12 I must tell you how strong Leviathan's legs are.
Their bodies are very strong
and they have a wonderful shape.
13 Nobody is able to remove their thick skin.
It is like armour that nobody can cut through.
14 Nobody is strong enough to open its mouth.
Its teeth make everyone afraid.
15 Its back is like rows of shields.
They are as hard as stone with no spaces between them.
16 Each shield is very near the next one.
Not even air can pass between them.
17 They are strongly joined together,
and nothing can pull them apart.

18 When Leviathan breathes out loudly,
bright light shines from its nose.
Its eyes shine like the red sun at dawn.
19 Fire comes out from its mouth.
Bright flames shoot out!
20 Smoke pours out from its nose,
like reeds that burn under a pot.
21 Its breath is hot enough to light a fire!
Flames pour out of its mouth.
22 Its neck is very strong.
Wherever it goes,
people shake with fear.
23 There are no weak places in its skin.
Its skin is as hard as iron.
24 It is cruel and it has no fear.
Its heart is as hard as stone.

25 Even the bravest people are afraid
when Leviathan appears.
They run away when it starts to move.
26 If you hit it with a sword,
you will not hurt it.
Spears, arrows and knives will be useless.
27 It can easily break iron or bronze weapons.
It breaks them as easily as grass or soft wood.
28 If you shoot arrows at it,
it will not run away.
If you use a sling to throw stones at it,
the stones will hurt it no more than bits of chaff.
29 If you hit it with a heavy stick,
that hurts it no more than a piece of straw.
If you throw a spear at it,
it laughs!
30 Its stomach has sharp pieces,
like bits of a pot that someone has broken.
When it moves along,
it ploughs the soil under it.
31 When it swims in the deep water of the sea,
the water seems to boil.
It makes big waves,
like oil that is boiling in a pot.
32 As it swims, the water behind it shines.
It makes waves that look like white hair on the sea.
33 There is no other animal like it in the whole world.
It is not afraid of anything.
34 It does not respect any other great animal.
It rules as king over all the proud animals.’

Footnotes

  1. 41:1 This may be speaking about the animal that we call a crocodile.

41 “Can you catch Leviathan [ a ] with a fishhook?
Can you tie his tongue with a rope?
2 Can you put a rope through his nose
or a hook through his jaw?
3 Will he beg you to let him go free?
Will he speak to you with gentle words?
4 Will he make an agreement with you
and promise to serve you forever?
5 Will you play with Leviathan as you would play with a bird?
Will you put a rope on him so that your girls can play with him?
6 Will fishermen try to buy him from you?
Will they cut him into pieces and sell him to the merchants?
7 Can you throw spears into his skin or head?

8 “If you ever lay a hand on Leviathan, you will never do it again!
Just think about the battle that would be!
9 Do you think you can defeat him?
Well, forget it! There is no hope.
Just looking at him will scare you!
10 No one is brave enough to wake him up
and make him angry.

“Well, no one can challenge me either! [ b ]
11 I owe nothing to anyone.
Everything under heaven belongs to me. [ c ]

12 “I will tell you about Leviathan’s legs,
his strength, and his graceful shape.
13 No one can pierce his skin.
It is like armor! [ d ]
14 No one can force him to open his jaws.
The teeth in his mouth scare people.
15 His back has rows of shields
tightly sealed together.
16 They are so close to each other
that no air can pass between them.
17 The shields are joined to each other.
They hold together so tightly that they cannot be pulled apart.
18 When Leviathan sneezes, it is like lightning flashing out.
His eyes shine like the light of dawn.
19 Burning torches come from his mouth.
Sparks of fire shoot out.
20 Smoke pours from his nose
like burning weeds under a boiling pot.
21 His breath sets coals on fire,
and flames shoot from his mouth.
22 His neck is very powerful.
People are afraid and run away from him.
23 There is no soft spot in his skin.
It is as hard as iron.
24 His heart is like a rock; he has no fear.
It is as hard as a millstone.
25 When he gets up, even the strongest people [ e ] are afraid.
They run away when he swings his tail.
26 Swords, spears, and darts only bounce off when they hit him.
These weapons don’t hurt him at all!
27 He breaks iron as easily as straw.
He breaks bronze like rotten wood.
28 Arrows don’t make him run away.
Rocks thrown at him seem as light as chaff.
29 When a wood club hits him, it feels to him like a piece of straw.
He laughs when anyone throws a spear at him.
30 The skin on his belly is like sharp pieces of broken pottery.
He leaves tracks in the mud like a threshing board.
31 He stirs up the water like a boiling pot.
He makes it bubble like a pot of boiling oil.
32 When he swims, he leaves a sparkling path behind him.
He stirs up the water and makes it white with foam.
33 No animal on earth is like him.
He is an animal made without fear.
34 He looks down on the proudest of creatures.
He is king over all the wild animals.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 41:1 Leviathan This animal might be a crocodile or a giant sea monster.
  2. Job 41:10 Well, no one … either Or “No one can stand and fight him.”
  3. Job 41:11 Or “No one has come near to Leviathan and survived—no one under heaven!”
  4. Job 41:13 It is like armor Or “No one can approach him with a bridle.”
  5. Job 41:25 strongest people Or “gods.”

41 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?

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

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

4 Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou 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 Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?

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

8 Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.

9 Behold, the hope of 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 prevented 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 discover 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 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, that they cannot be sundered.

18 By his neesings 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 flakes 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 habergeon.

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

28 The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble.

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

30 Sharp stones are under him: 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.

God’s Power Shown in Creatures

41 “ [ a ] Can you drag out [ b ] ( A ) Leviathan with a fishhook,
And press down his tongue with a rope?
2 Can you ( B ) put a [ c ] rope in his nose,
And pierce his jaw with a [ d ] hook?
3 Will he make many pleas to you,
Or will he speak to you gentle words?
4 Will he make a covenant with you?
Will you take him as a servant forever?
5 Will you play with him as with a bird,
And tie him down for your young girls?
6 Will the [ e ] traders bargain for 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; [ f ] you will not do it again!
9 [ g ] Behold, [ h ] your expectation is false;
Will [ i ] you be hurled down even at the sight of him?
10 No one is so reckless that he dares to ( C ) stir him;
Who then is he who opposes Me?
11 Who has ( D ) been first to give to Me, that I should repay him ?
Whatever is ( E ) under the entire heaven is Mine.

12 “I will not be silent about his limbs,
Or his mighty strength, or his graceful frame.
13 Who can [ j ] strip off his outer covering?
Who can [ k ] pierce his double [ l ] armor?
14 Who can open the doors of his face?
Around his teeth there is terror.
15 His [ m ] strong scales are his pride,
Locked as with a tight seal.
16 One is so close to another
That no air can come between them.
17 They are joined one to another;
They clasp each other and cannot be separated.
18 His sneezes flash forth light,
And his eyes are like the ( F ) eye of dawn.
19 From his mouth go burning torches;
Sparks of fire leap forth.
20 From his nostrils smoke goes out
As from a boiling pot and burning reeds.
21 His breath sets coals aglow,
And a flame goes forth from his mouth.
22 In his neck dwells strength,
And dismay leaps before him.
23 The folds of his flesh are joined together,
Firm and immovable on him.
24 His heart is as firm as a stone,
And as firm as a lower millstone.
25 When he rises up, the [ n ] mighty are afraid;
Because of the crashing they are bewildered.
26 The sword that reaches him cannot [ o ] prevail,
Nor the spear, the dart, or the javelin.
27 He regards iron as straw,
Bronze as rotten wood.
28 The [ p ] arrow cannot make him flee;
Slingstones are turned into stubble for him.
29 Clubs are regarded as stubble;
He laughs at the rattling of the javelin.
30 His underparts are like sharp pieces of pottery;
He [ q ] spreads out like a threshing sledge on the mud.
31 He makes the depths boil like a pot;
He makes the sea like a jar of ointment.
32 Behind him he illuminates a pathway;
One would think the deep to be gray-haired.
33 ( G ) Nothing on [ r ] earth is like him,
One made without fear.
34 [ s ] He looks on everything that is high;
He is king over all the ( H ) sons of pride.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 41:1 Ch 40:25 in Heb
  2. Job 41:1 I.e., a sea monster or crocodile
  3. Job 41:2 Lit rope of rushes
  4. Job 41:2 Or thorn ; or ring
  5. Job 41:6 Lit partners
  6. Job 41:8 Lit do not add
  7. Job 41:9 Ch 41:1 in Heb
  8. Job 41:9 Lit his
  9. Job 41:9 Lit he
  10. Job 41:13 Lit uncover the face of his garment
  11. Job 41:13 Lit come into
  12. Job 41:13 As in LXX; Heb bridle
  13. Job 41:15 Lit rows of shields
  14. Job 41:25 Or gods
  15. Job 41:26 Lit rise
  16. Job 41:28 Lit son of the bow
  17. Job 41:30 Or moves across
  18. Job 41:33 Lit dust
  19. Job 41:34 Ch 41:26 in Heb

41 [ a ] “Can you pull in Leviathan ( A ) with a fishhook ( B )
or tie down its tongue with a rope?
2 Can you put a cord through its nose ( C )
or pierce its jaw with a hook? ( D )
3 Will it keep begging you for mercy? ( E )
Will it speak to you with gentle words?
4 Will it make an agreement with you
for you to take it as your slave for life? ( F )
5 Can you make a pet of it like a bird
or put it on a leash for the young women in your house?
6 Will traders barter for it?
Will they divide it up among the merchants?
7 Can you fill its hide with harpoons
or its head with fishing spears? ( G )
8 If you lay a hand on it,
you will remember the struggle and never do it again! ( H )
9 Any hope of subduing it is false;
the mere sight of it is overpowering. ( I )
10 No one is fierce enough to rouse it. ( J )
Who then is able to stand against me? ( K )
11 Who has a claim against me that I must pay? ( L )
Everything under heaven belongs to me. ( M )

12 “I will not fail to speak of Leviathan’s limbs, ( N )
its strength ( O ) and its graceful form.
13 Who can strip off its outer coat?
Who can penetrate its double coat of armor [ b ] ? ( P )
14 Who dares open the doors of its mouth, ( Q )
ringed about with fearsome teeth?
15 Its back has [ c ] rows of shields
tightly sealed together; ( R )
16 each is so close to the next
that no air can pass between.
17 They are joined fast to one another;
they cling together and cannot be parted.
18 Its snorting throws out flashes of light;
its eyes are like the rays of dawn. ( S )
19 Flames ( T ) stream from its mouth;
sparks of fire shoot out.
20 Smoke pours from its nostrils ( U )
as from a boiling pot over burning reeds.
21 Its breath ( V ) sets coals ablaze,
and flames dart from its mouth. ( W )
22 Strength ( X ) resides in its neck;
dismay goes before it.
23 The folds of its flesh are tightly joined;
they are firm and immovable.
24 Its chest is hard as rock,
hard as a lower millstone. ( Y )
25 When it rises up, the mighty are terrified; ( Z )
they retreat before its thrashing. ( AA )
26 The sword that reaches it has no effect,
nor does the spear or the dart or the javelin. ( AB )
27 Iron it treats like straw ( AC )
and bronze like rotten wood.
28 Arrows do not make it flee; ( AD )
slingstones are like chaff to it.
29 A club seems to it but a piece of straw; ( AE )
it laughs ( AF ) at the rattling of the lance.
30 Its undersides are jagged potsherds,
leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge. ( AG )
31 It makes the depths churn like a boiling caldron ( AH )
and stirs up the sea like a pot of ointment. ( AI )
32 It leaves a glistening wake behind it;
one would think the deep had white hair.
33 Nothing on earth is its equal ( AJ ) —
a creature without fear.
34 It looks down on all that are haughty; ( AK )
it is king over all that are proud. ( AL ) ”

Footnotes

  1. Job 41:1 In Hebrew texts 41:1-8 is numbered 40:25-32, and 41:9-34 is numbered 41:1-26.
  2. Job 41:13 Septuagint; Hebrew double bridle
  3. Job 41:15 Or Its pride is its
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