Job 41

1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with a hook? or his tongue with a cord [which] thou lettest down?
2 Canst thou put a hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
3 Will he make many supplications to thee? will he speak soft [words] to 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 thy 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 he dare rouse him: who then is able to stand before me?
11 Who hath first benefited me, that I should repay [him]? [whatever 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 around.
15 [His] scales [are his] pride, shut 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 His sneezings flash light, and his eyes [are] like the eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth go burning lamps, [and] sparks of fire dart forth.
20 Out of his nostrils issueth smoke, as [out] of a seething pot or caldron.
21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame issueth from 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; yes, as hard as a piece of the nether [millstone].
25 When he raiseth himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.
26 The sword of him that attacketh 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: sling-stones 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.

Job 41 Commentary

Chapter 41

Concerning Leviathan.

- 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.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 41

A large description is here given of the leviathan, from the difficulty and danger of taking it, from whence it is inferred that none can stand before God, Job 41:1-10; from the several parts of him, his face, teeth, scales, eyes, mouth and neck, flesh and heart, Job 41:11-24; and from various wonderful terrible things said of him, and ascribed to him, Job 41:25-34.

Job 41 Commentaries

The Webster Bible is in the public domain.