Job Chapter 40

Job falls silent before God, who then describes the mighty behemoth.

Job 40 - Job Humbled, Behemoth Described

Overwhelmed by the questions of Job 39, Job admits 'I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.' God then challenges him again before describing behemoth's iron-like bones.


Moreover Jehovah answered Job, and said,

Shall he who quibbles contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.

Then Job answered Jehovah, and said,

Behold, I am of small account. What shall I answer thee? I lay my hand upon my mouth.

I have spoken once, and I will not answer, yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.

Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

Gird up thy loins now like a man. I will demand of thee, and declare thou to me.

Will thou even annul my judgment? Will thou condemn me, that thou may be justified?

Or have thou an arm like God? And can thou thunder with a voice like him?

Deck thyself now with excellency and dignity, and array thyself with honor and majesty.

Pour forth the overflowings of thine anger, and look upon everyone who is proud, and abase him.

Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low, and tread down the wicked where they stand.

Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces in the hidden place.

Then I will also confess of thee that thine own right hand can save thee.

Behold now behemoth, which I made as well as thee. He eats grass as an ox.

Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the muscles of his belly.

He moves his tail like a cedar. The sinews of his thighs are knit together.

His bones are as tubes of brass. His limbs are like bars of iron.

He is a beginning of the ways of God. He who made him gives him his sword.

Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.

He lies under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reed, and the fen.

The lotus trees cover him with their shade. The willows of the brook encompass him about.

Behold, if a river overflows, he does not tremble. He is confident though a Jordan swell even to his mouth.

Shall any take him when he is on the watch, or pierce through his nose with a snare?

God's rhetorical question, 'hast thou an arm like God,' anticipates the reasoning in <a href="/bible/acv/1-corinthians/chapter-2/16">1 Corinthians 2:16</a>. The description of untamable creatures continues in <a href="/bible/acv/job/chapter-41">Job 41</a>.