Bible Commentaries
Job 40

Introduction

Job Chapter 40

Job 40:1 "Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said,"

Job 40:2 "Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct [him]? he that reproveth God, let him answer it." The LORD, in the verse above, is Jehovah. Job had spoken a little forward, when he wanted to bring his case to the LORD face to face. We must remember the great stress and pain that Job was under at the time. He truly wanted to know what he had done to deserve this terrible punishment. We, also, must remember that Job was unaware of the challenge Satan had placed before God in his servant Job. One last thing we must remember, is no matter how bad it got, Job did not curse God, as Satan had said he would.

Job 40:3 "Then Job answered the LORD, and said,"

Job 40:4 "Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth." Job realized that he had spoken a little too boldly to the LORD. He said, "I will say no more".

Job 40:5 "Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further." Job admitted that he had spoken twice, as if he would instruct God and that was a mistake. I do not believe that God would find too much error in this, since Job was really inquiring what he had done wrong.

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

Job 40:7 "Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me." This message, like the previous message spoken from the whirlwind, was spoken to Job by God. The difference, here, is that the reprimand this time was for Job, instead of Elihu. God will show Job the workings of God more fully in this.

Job 40:8 "Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?" God had not said that Job had sinned. He reprimanded Job for questioning His judgement. He realized that Job thought himself to be a righteous man. God knew Job was a righteous man in His sight, but he did not want Job thinking he was righteous in his own right.

Job 40:9 "Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?" God felt that He must continue showing Job His power and greatness. Job had apologized for speaking out of line, but God wanted Job to further realize his position.

Job 40:10 "Deck thyself now [with] majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty." God was describing his own dress. He is Majesty and Strength at all times. God is engulfed in Light so bright, it is above the light of the sun. God showed Job that he could not dress himself with such as this. God had dressed Job in his robe of righteousness, however.

Job 40:11 "Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one [that is] proud, and abase him." God was showing Job, that power of this kind belonged to God alone.

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

Job 40:13 "Hide them in the dust together; [and] bind their faces in secret." Of course, He was not intending for Job to do these things. He was showing Job that vengeance is of the LORD. Job could not and would not try to right all the wrong in the world. That is the job of God.

Job 40:14 "Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee." The Right Hand of God is the Saviour of the world. Job’s right hand, or for that matter, not anyone else’s right hand can save anyone. There is only one way to be saved, and that is through Jesus Christ {the Right Hand of God}.

Job 40:15 "Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox." Behemoth is speaking of some large animal, such as an elephant, or a hippopotamus. God was telling Job that he created this animal larger in stature than other animals, and yet, it was an eater of grass. God can do with His creation, whatever He chooses to do.

Job 40:16 "Lo now, his strength [is] in his loins, and his force [is] in the navel of his belly." Whatever the animal was, it was very muscular in its stomach and had great power in its legs.

Job 40:17 "He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together." The hippopotamus was, possibly, the one described here. He has a short fat tail, that is as strong as a cedar tree.

Job 40:18 "His bones [are as] strong pieces of brass; his bones [are] like bars of iron." This is just saying his bones are very strong. Hippopotamus, or elephants, walk through a jungle knocking down everything in front of them. Their strength is very great. Nothing can seem to stop either of them, when they are angry.

Job 40:19 "He [is] the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach [unto him]." This was just saying that he was the largest of the animals God had made. He was not easy to kill. It seemed at the time this was written, only God could stop this great mass of an animal. Now, guns are so powerful, they can kill an elephant.

Job 40:20 "Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play." These mountains were not speaking of truly high mountains, which neither the elephant, or the hippopotamus, dwelt in. It was, possibly, speaking of the rolling hills near the river. All of the wild animals would stay in an area where they could readily find food and water.

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

Job 40:22 "The shady trees cover him [with] their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about." Both the hippopotamus and the elephant were known to lounge under the trees and roll around in the sand near the water. The hippopotamus liked to eat the reeds near the water.

Job 40:23 "Behold, he drinketh up a river, [and] hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth." Either one of them could drink enough water to make the river appear to go dry. The Jordan, here, is, possibly, speaking of any fairly large river. Some scholars believe it to be speaking of the Nile. It really does not matter which river it is. It is just speaking of the vast amount of water the large animal could consume.

Job 40:24 "He taketh it with his eyes: [his] nose pierceth through snares." This was just saying that it would be difficult to snare him. It would be almost impossible, if he saw you coming. He would fight with his nose. This would be true of either the elephant or the hippopotamus.

Job 40 Questions

1. The LORD, in Job 40:1, is _________.

2. What are some of the things we must remember about Job?

3. How did Job answer God?

4. Job admitted that he had spoken _________ _________.

5. Why does the author believe God would not find too much error with Job?

6. Where did the voice of God come from to Job?

7. What was the difference in God speaking here than when He spoke earlier to Job?

8. God reprimanded Job for what?

9. What question does God ask Job in Job 40:9?

10. God told Job to deck himself with __________ and _________.

11. God is engulfed with Light so bright, it is brighter than the ______.

12. The Right Hand of God is the ________ of the world.

13. Behemoth is speaking of what?

14. It could be speaking of what two animals?

15. This animal was larger than other animals, but ate ________.

16. Where is this animal’s strength manifested?

17. He moveth his tail like a ________.

18. His bones are like ________.

19. What is this large animal called in Job 40:19?

20. Where does he lounge?

21. He is so big, it appears he drinks up a ________.

Verses 1-2

Job 40:1-2

Introduction

Job 40

GOD CONCLUDES HIS SPEECH TO JOB (Job 40-41)

"This concluding speech of God to Job falls into three parts: (1) Job is (ironically) invited to assume the throne of the universe (Job 40:7-14). (2) There is the description of Behemoth (Job 40:15-24), and (3) the description of Leviathan (Job 41:1-34)."

In the Genesis account of Jacob’s wrestling with `a man’ until the breaking of day, some respected writers find a similar thing revealed in the Book of Job, Job `wrestling with God.’ Kline, depending upon some of the ancient versions which support that analogy, noted that, "The `first fall’ of the wrestling ordeal is about to be decided."

Job 40:1-2

Jehovah answered Job, and said,

Shall he that cavilleth contend with the Almighty?

He that argueth with God, let him answer it."

Kline interpreted this to mean, "Will the contender with the Almighty yield"? There is evidence here of God’s disapproval of things that Job has spoken; but it appears to be somewhat a mild disapproval. Certainly, God’s Words to Job are far more contradictory of the arrogant over-confidence of Job’s friends, "Who believed that they had arrived at a definition of God’s righteousness on the basis of human experience."

God’s disapproval of Job’s complaint appears to have centered, "In the spirit which Job had manifested, and especially for his presumption," in supposing that he could even carry his case before God Himself (Job 13:3; Job 13:21-22). But now, having considered the immeasurable greatness and wonder of God’s power as exhibited in the natural and sidereal creations, the contender with God is greatly subdued, but not yet repentant. "Actually (whether or not Job realized it), his many complaints Job 40-41 equivalent of his `contending with God.’"

Driver’s paraphrase of these first two verses is, "Will Job still carry on the dispute? If so, he must answer the questions Jehovah has put to him, and explain the marvels of creation that God has brought before him; and if he cannot do so, he has no right to criticize and reprove."

E.M. Zerr:

Job 40:1-2. God interrupted his line of speech to challenge Job. Let us again note that the whole address was made for the purpose of showing the weakness of man when contending (as a mere man) with his Maker.

Verses 3-5

Job 40:3-5

Job 40:3-5

JOB’S MEEK AND HUMBLE REPLY

"Then Job answered Jehovah, and said,

Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer thee?

I lay my hand upon my mouth.

Once have I spoken, and I will not answer;

Yea, twice, but I will proceed no further."

"Here we have a classical illustration of the results which must always follow when the silence of heaven is broken, when there is a revelation of God himself, to which men must listen in the posture of faith without which it is impossible to please God; and at such times the speech of earth is stilled."[8] Hearing the Word of God has changed the defiant critic into an humble worshipper; and, today, it will do the same for all who hear God’s Word. "Job here confessed his insignificance,"[9] but said nothing of repentance. "He admits that he cannot answer, but he still does not admit any sin."[10] Kelly called this response, "Partial and relatively noncommittal." It is in this very fact that we have the reason and the explanation of why these additional matters which are spoken of in these two chapters (Job 40-41) were required to be said. This also makes it impossible to accept the postulations of some critics that these two chapters are unnecessary interpolations.

In this we see the reason for these chapters in which God spoke to mankind out of the whirlwind. "They were written to combat the pride and egotism of men." The inordinate pride and arrogant egotism of the human race are the most prevalent and the most dangerous of human failures and sins. It was this sin that led to the expulsion of Satan and his angels from heaven, that led to the Fall of Mankind and resulted in his Paradise Lost. This sin leads the procession of the seven deadly sins of Proverbs 6:16-19.

E.M. Zerr:

Job 40:3-5. Job acknowledged the challenge and spoke as a representative of human beings, which was to show the dependence of such upon God.

Verses 6-14

Job 40:6-14

Job 40:6-14

GOD CHALLENGES JOB TO TAKE OVER THE UNIVERSE

"Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

Gird up thy loins now like a man:

I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

Wilt thou even annul my judgment?

Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be justified?

Or hast thou an arm like God?

And canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

Deck thyself now with excellency and dignity;

And array thyself with honor and majesty.

Pour forth the overflowings of thine anger;

And look upon every one that is proud, and abase him.

Look upon every one that is proud, and bring him low.

And tread down the wicked where they stand.

Hide them in the dust together;

Bind their faces in the hidden place.

Then will I also confess of thee

That thine own right hand can save thee."

OK, mankind! Here God challenges you to take over the universe. The humanistic idiots of our own generation need to read this. Their manifesto in 1933 declared that, "Never again shall we seek to build a society upon the principles of the Judeo-Christian scriptures." And the sorrows that have overwhelmed all nations since then have demonstrated conclusively that "It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jeremiah 10:23).

In these verses, we have the revelation of Job’s sin, namely, pride. Although his manifold sufferings were not the visitation of God upon him for gross and reprobate wickedness (as his friends erroneously concluded); nevertheless, Job had imagined that God was acting as his enemy, and had even wished for an `umpire’ who might plead against that imagined hostility on the part of God.

"Job’s criticism of God’s judgment, especially his boast that he will overcome the Lord’s imagined opposition to his justification was, in principle, a usurpation of the divine prerogative of world government, a lusting after God-like knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:5)." See under Job 40:8, below.

"Gird up thy loins ... declare thou unto me" (Job 40:7). Some critics have resented what they interpret as God’s efforts to "browbeat Job into a more abject submission." Has he not admitted that he is silenced? Why go any further? This is to miss the whole point that Job is indeed a sinner (not as the friends imagined), but in his conception of God.

"Wilt thou condemn me that thou mayest be justified" (Job 40:8)? To paraphrase this, "Do you think it necessary to accuse me of injustice and to condemn me in order to establish thine own innocence"? There was no need whatever for such a viewpoint. God’s justice and Job’s innocence were perfectly compatible. In order to see this, it was only necessary to get rid of the false theory, held by Job’s friends and unconsciously supported by Job’s own suppositions (i.e., that God was his enemy), that earthly sorrows and afflictions are necessarily punitive. In these verses, Job would come to see that, "The things that had been, and still were, a puzzle to men were no puzzle at all to God.

"Hast thou an arm like God? And canst thou thunder with a voice like him" (Job 40:9)? The argument here is that, "The world is so large, and the circumstances and situations of individual life are so infinitely varied, that none but an omnipotent Ruler could govern them with perfect justice. Therefore, one who does not possess God’s might must refrain from passing judgment upon God’s justice."

"Deck thyself with excellency ... dignity ... honor ... majesty" (Job 40:10). Such language as this is ironical and sarcastic. If Job is really going to take over management of the universe, "He would need to be as splendid and majestic as God."[17] By his imagining that, if he had an umpire, he might even dispute the judgments of God (as he understood his sufferings) with the Lord himself, Job had presumed to question the infinite wisdom and justice of God; and, if he were indeed to succeed in such a role, he would have to look the part! As Franks understood the implication of God’s Words here, "If Job cannot put himself in the place of God, and govern the world, neither can he understand the method of the government."[18]

This tremendously significant paragraph makes the devastating charge against Job, that, "If he can do what God here challenged him to do, and what by implication his words had assumed that he could do, - then he will BE God! That was the ancient sin of the pair in Eden, with their attempt to be `like God’ (Genesis 3:5); and here it is revealed to be the sin of Job. Every effort at self-justification must ultimately stand under the same condemnation."[19]

"Then will I confess of thee that thine own right hand can save thee" (Job 40:14). If any mortal could justify himself before God, he would not need a Saviour; and by God’s Words to Job in this passage, we see that such a justification is impossible, apart from the redemptive love of God and the unspeakable gift of his beloved Son upon Calvary as an atonement for the sins of the whole world.

E.M. Zerr:

Job 40:6-7. This takes the same comments as Job 38:1-3.

Job 40:8. Uninspired man often puts his own judgment ahead of God’s judgment.

Job 40:9-13. If there is no higher power than man, then he should be able to manifest the abilities described in this paragraph.

Job 40:14. This means that if mere man can do the things described in the foregoing paragraph, then it would be proved that man is what he is by his own power and that he is the highest force in the universe.

Verses 15-24

Job 40:15-24

Job 40:15-24

BEHOLD NOW; BEHEMOTH!

"Behold now, behemoth, which I made as well as thee;

He eateth grass as an ox.

Lo now, his strength is in his loins,

And his force is in the muscles of his belly.

He moveth his tail like a cedar:

The sinews of his thighs are knit together.

His bones are as tubes of brass;

His limbs are like bars of iron.

He is the chief of the ways of God:

He only that made him giveth him his sword.

Surely the mountains bring him forth food,

Where all the beasts of the field do play.

He lieth under the lotus-trees,

In the covert of the reed, and the fen.

The lotus-trees cover him with their shade;

The willows of the brook compass him about.

Behold, if a river overflow, he trembleth not;

He is confident, though a Jordan swell even unto his mouth.

Shall any take him when he is on the watch, or pierce through his nose with a snare?"

"Behold now, behemoth, which I made as well as thee" (Job 40:15). Both "behemoth" in this passage and "leviathan" in Job 41 are creatures which God has made; and therefore they may not be identified as mythological creatures. We confess that it is difficult to understand just what God intended by this extensive presentation of these two strange animals. All kinds of explanations have been attempted, identifying behemoth as a mythological creature, a prehistoric beast now extinct, an elephant, a rhinoceros, or a hippopotamus. The general consensus is that the hippopotamus is the animal spoken of. Still, there are things mentioned here that do not fit that animal at all, for example, the statement that, "He moves his tail like a cedar" (Job 40:17), the tail of a hippopotamus being, in fact, a somewhat insignificant and minor member of his body.

There are many strange and inexplicable things about any of God’s creatures, just as there are of the huge beast mentioned here. That his great strength should come from eating grass appears early in the description, reminding us of the childhood mystery of how a red horse, a yellow cow, a black sheep, and a white goose could all be feeding on a field of green grass, and making diverse colored coverings for themselves out of the same diet, and how the cow produced milk, the sheep wool, and the goose feathers!

"He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together" (Job 40:17 in KJV). We have selected the King James rendition here, because it supports a radical interpretation of this passage by Van Selms:

"The hippopotamus is a creature of mine, just like you, but really not made for your sake! It is only an animal that feeds on grass; but, unlike cattle, it will never be tamed by you. Its being of no benefit to you does not mean that it has no value for me. Just look at it, and marvel! Just notice, for example, (and this is the part that interests you human beings the most), how the hippo contrives to raise that extraordinary weight of his when the male is about to impregnate the female. What concentrated power there is in his underbelly ... and that sexual organ itself, thick and hard like a cedar-tree! No human being could ever construct anything like that. It is my masterpiece. And just look at those enormous teeth, like swords"!

We have included this interpretation because it is supported by two things: (1) It is supported by the KJV rendition of the word `stones’ (Job 40:17), which is translated "testicles" in the Douay Version of the Bible and (2) the fact the comparison to a cedar-tree does not fit a hippopotamus’ tail at all.

"For he is the chief of the ways of God" (Job 40:19). "This suggests that God’s masterpiece was the hippopotamus. However, the passage bears the translation that, `He is the beginning of the ways of God,’ indicating that, as a grass-eater, the behemoth belonged to the creative category of cattle, which were mentioned ahead of the beasts in Genesis 1:24." Andersen also agreed with this

"Shall any take him when he is on the watch" (Job 40:24)?

This is perhaps the key as to why God gave this description of behemoth. If Job, like all other humans, cannot either tame or contend against one of his fellow-creatures, how could he possibly presume to pass judgment upon the justice of the Eternal? Whatever God’s purpose might have been in these accounts of behemoth and leviathan (Job 41). they had the desired effect upon Job.

E.M. Zerr:

Job 40:15-24. Since this entire group of verses pertains to the same creature, I have made one paragraph of them. In the margin of some Bibles the behemoth is defined as an elephant, but every characteristic ascribed to him is true of the hippopotamus. Moffatt so defines it from the original and Strong defines it, "a water-ox, i. e. the hippopotamus or Nilehorse." The argument is that this creature defies the strength of man. He lives and thrives in regions where man does not and gives every indication of having been created by some power other than man.