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.


\\40:6\\Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

\\40:7\\Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou to me.

\\40:8\\Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

\\40:9\\Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like his?

\\40:10\\Deck thyself now with majesty and excellence; and array thyself with glory and beauty.

\\40:11\\Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.

\\40:12\\Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.

\\40:13\\Hide them in the dust together; bind their faces in secret.

\\40:14\\Then will I also confess to thee that thy own right hand can save thee.

\\40:15\\Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.

\\40:16\\Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.

\\40:17\\He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his male organs are wrapped together.

\\40:18\\His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.

\\40:19\\He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach him.

\\40:20\\Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.

\\40:21\\He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.

\\40:22\\The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook encompass him.

\\40:23\\Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.

\\40:24\\He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares.

\\41:1\\Canst thou draw out leviathan with a hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?

\\41:2\\Canst thou put a hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?

\\41:3\\Will he make many supplications to thee? will he speak soft words to thee?

\\41:4\\Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?

\\41:5\\Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?

\\41:6\\Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants.

\\41:7\\Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?

\\41:8\\Lay thy hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.

\\41:9\\Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?

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