Job 41

1 Hast thou not seen him? and hast thou not wondered at the things said ? Dost thou not fear because preparation has been made by me? for who is there that resists me?

2 Or who will resist me, and abide, since the whole under heaven is mine?

3 I will not be silent because of him: though because of his power shall pity his antagonist.

4 Who will open the face of his garment? and who can enter within the fold of his breastplate?

5 Who will open the doors of his face? terror is round about his teeth.

6 His inwards are as brazen plates, and the texture of his as a smyrite stone.

7 One cleaves fast to another, and the air cannot come between them.

8 They will remain united each to the other: they are closely joined, and cannot be separated.

9 At his sneezing a light shines, and his eyes are the appearance of the morning star.

10 Out of his mouth proceed as it were burning lamps, and as it were hearths of fire are cast abroad.

11 Out of his nostrils proceeds smoke of a furnace burning with fire of coals.

12 His breath is live coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.

13 And power is lodged in his neck, before him destruction runs.

14 The flesh also of his body is joined together: pours upon him, he shall not be moved.

15 His heart is firm as a stone, and it stands like an unyielding anvil.

16 And when he turns, a terror to the four-footed wild beasts which leap upon the earth.

17 If spears should come against him, will effect nothing, the spear or the breast-plate.

18 For he considers iron as chaff, and brass as rotten wood.

19 The bow of brass shall not would him, he deems a slinger as grass.

20 Mauls are counted as stubble; and he laughs to scorn the waving of the firebrand.

21 His lair is sharp points; and all the gold of the sea under him is an immense clay.

22 He makes the deep boil like a brazen caldron; and he regards the sea as a pot of ointment,

23 and the lowest part of the deep as a captive: he reckons the deep as range.

24 There is nothing upon the earth like to him, formed to be sported with by my angels.

25 He beholds every high thing: and he is king of all that are in the waters.

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.