Job 40 YLT

Summary: God pauses to ask whether Job, who has contended with the Almighty, will now answer, and Job responds briefly that he is unworthy and will lay his hand over his mouth, having nothing more to say. But God continues from the whirlwind, challenging Job further, asking if Job would discredit God's justice in order to justify himself, and if he has an arm like God's or a voice like his thunder. God then describes Behemoth, a massive, powerful land creature with strength in its loins, bones like bars of iron, that feeds on grass yet fears nothing, generally identified by scholars as a hippopotamus or a poetic figure of raw primeval power.

1And Jehovah doth answer Job, and saith: --

2Is the striver with the Mighty instructed? The reprover of God, let him answer it.

3And Job answereth Jehovah, and saith: --

4Lo, I have been vile, What do I return to Thee? My hand I have placed on my mouth.

5Once I have spoken, and I answer not, And twice, and I add not.

6And Jehovah answereth Job out of the whirlwind, and saith: --

7Gird, I pray thee, as a man, thy loins, I ask thee, and cause thou Me to know.

8Dost thou also make void My judgment? Dost thou condemn Me, That thou mayest be righteous?

9And an arm like God hast thou? And with a voice like Him dost thou thunder?

10Put on, I pray thee, excellency and loftiness, Yea, honour and beauty put on.

11Scatter abroad the wrath of thine anger, And see every proud one, and make him low.

12See every proud one--humble him, And tread down the wicked in their place.

13Hide them in the dust together, Their faces bind in secret.

14And even I--I do praise thee, For thy right hand giveth salvation to thee.

15Lo, I pray thee, Behemoth, that I made with thee: Grass as an ox he eateth.

16Lo, I pray thee, his power is in his loins, And his strength in the muscles of his belly.

17He doth bend his tail as a cedar, The sinews of his thighs are wrapped together,

18His bones are tubes of brass, His bones are as a bar of iron.

19He is a beginning of the ways of God, His Maker bringeth nigh his sword;

20For food do mountains bear for him, And all the beasts of the field play there.

21Under shades he lieth down, In a secret place of reed and mire.

22Cover him do shades, with their shadow, Cover him do willows of the brook.

23Lo, a flood oppresseth--he doth not haste, He is confident though Jordan Doth come forth unto his mouth.

24Before his eyes doth one take him, With snares doth one pierce the nose?

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