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.


And Jehovah doth answer Job, and saith: --

Is the striver with the Mighty instructed? The reprover of God, let him answer it.

And Job answereth Jehovah, and saith: --

Lo, I have been vile, What do I return to Thee? My hand I have placed on my mouth.

Once I have spoken, and I answer not, And twice, and I add not.

And Jehovah answereth Job out of the whirlwind, and saith: --

Gird, I pray thee, as a man, thy loins, I ask thee, and cause thou Me to know.

Dost thou also make void My judgment? Dost thou condemn Me, That thou mayest be righteous?

And an arm like God hast thou? And with a voice like Him dost thou thunder?

Put on, I pray thee, excellency and loftiness, Yea, honour and beauty put on.

Scatter abroad the wrath of thine anger, And see every proud one, and make him low.

See every proud one -- humble him, And tread down the wicked in their place.

Hide them in the dust together, Their faces bind in secret.

And even I -- I do praise thee, For thy right hand giveth salvation to thee.

Lo, I pray thee, Behemoth, that I made with thee: Grass as an ox he eateth.

Lo, I pray thee, his power `is' in his loins, And his strength in the muscles of his belly.

He doth bend his tail as a cedar, The sinews of his thighs are wrapped together,

His bones `are' tubes of brass, His bones `are' as a bar of iron.

He `is' a beginning of the ways of God, His Maker bringeth nigh his sword;

For food do mountains bear for him, And all the beasts of the field play there.

Under shades he lieth down, In a secret place of reed and mire.

Cover him do shades, `with' their shadow, Cover him do willows of the brook.

Lo, a flood oppresseth -- he doth not haste, He is confident though Jordan Doth come forth unto his mouth.

Before his eyes doth `one' take him, With snares doth `one' pierce the nose?

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