Chapter Overview
Summary
Job 40 contains Job's first response to-divine-speech (vv. 3–5: 'I lay my hand on my mouth') and the SECOND DIVINE SPEECH (vv. 6–24, then continuing through chapter 41). The second-speech focuses on TWO MONSTROUS-CREATURES — BEHEMOTH (40:15–24) and LEVIATHAN (chapter 41). Behemoth has been variously-identified (hippo, water-buffalo, mythological-chaos-creature); Christian-tradition sometimes-reads-them as personifications of-cosmic-evil ultimately-defeated.
Notable Variants
40:4 'I lay my hand on my mouth' Job's-silence; 40:8 'will you condemn me that you may be in the right?' divine-rebuke; 40:15 BEHEMOTH introduction — chaos-creature.
Structural Notes
MT Job 40 = LXX Job 40. 24 verses. Job's-first-response + opens SECOND-DIVINE-SPEECH.
Then YHWH answered Job and said:
'And the LORD said to Job' tracks MT.
Will the one who contends with Shaddai correct him? Let the one who argues with God answer.
'Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it' tracks MT.
Then Job answered YHWH and said:
'Then Job answered the LORD and said' tracks MT.
Look — I am small. What can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth.
'Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth' tracks MT. HAND-ON-MOUTH silence-gesture. Job's first-stage repentance. // Prov 30:32, Mic 7:16. Romans 3:19's 'every mouth may be stopped' theological-extension.
Once I spoke, but I will not answer again. Twice — but I will add nothing more.
'I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further' tracks MT.
Then YHWH answered Job from the storm and said:
'Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said' tracks MT. SECOND DIVINE-SPEECH from-the-whirlwind begins.
Brace yourself like a warrior — I will question you, and you will answer me.
'Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me' tracks MT. // 38:3.
Would you really annul my justice? Would you condemn me so that you can be in the right?
'Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?' tracks MT. CONDEMN-ME-TO-JUSTIFY-YOURSELF — God's-pointed-rebuke. The reverse-justification problem.
Do you have an arm like God's? Can you thunder with a voice like his?
'Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his?' tracks MT.
Clothe yourself with grandeur and majesty! Dress yourself in glory and splendor!
'Adorn yourself with majesty and dignity; clothe yourself with glory and splendor' tracks MT. SARCASTIC-CHALLENGE — Job invited to-take-up-divine-attributes.
Unleash the fury of your anger! Look at every proud person and bring him low.
'Pour out the overflowings of your anger, and look on everyone who is proud and abase him' tracks MT.
Look at every proud person and humble him! Trample the wicked where they stand.
'Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low and tread down the wicked where they stand' tracks MT.
Bury them in the dust together! Bind their faces in the hidden place.
'Hide them all in the dust together; bind their faces in the world below' tracks MT.
Then even I will praise you — that your own right hand can save you.
'Then will I also acknowledge to you that your own right hand can save you' tracks MT.
Look now at Behemoth, which I made alongside you — he eats grass like an ox.
'Behold, Behemoth, which I made as I made you; he eats grass like an ox' tracks MT. BEHEMOTH (behemot — plural-of-intensity) introduction. Chaos-creature or-hippopotamus or-water-buffalo. Christian-tradition variously-identifies. The point: God-made-this-fearsome-creature, and Job-cannot.
Look at the strength in his loins, the power in the muscles of his belly.
'Behold, his strength in his loins, and his power in the muscles of his belly' tracks MT.
He stiffens his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are braided tight.
'He makes his tail stiff like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are knit together' tracks MT.
His bones are tubes of bronze; his limbs are bars of iron.
'His bones are tubes of bronze, his limbs like bars of iron' tracks MT.
He is the first of God's works — only his Maker can approach him with the sword.
'He is the first of the works of God; let him who made him bring near his sword' tracks MT. FIRST-OF-THE-WORKS — proto-creature of divine-craftsmanship. Could be read as 'the chief of the ways of God' — chaos-creature given-his-place.
The mountains bring their produce to him, and all the wild animals play nearby.
'For the mountains yield food for him where all the wild beasts play' tracks MT.
He lies under the lotus plants, hidden among the reeds and marsh.
'Under the lotus plants he lies, in the shelter of the reeds and in the marsh' tracks MT.
The lotus plants screen him with their shade; the willows of the stream surround him.
'For his shade the lotus trees cover him; the willows of the brook surround him' tracks MT.
If the river rages, he does not panic. He is calm even when the Jordan surges against his mouth.
'Behold, if the river is turbulent he is not frightened; he is confident though Jordan rushes against his mouth' tracks MT.
Can anyone capture him while he watches? Can anyone pierce his nose with a trap?
'Can one take him by his eyes, or pierce his nose with a snare?' tracks MT. CLOSES Behemoth-portrait. The animal cannot-be-domesticated by-Job — sets-up Leviathan-chapter.