The Book of Job
Job 40
Chapter XL · Vol. II, p. 984
1 God challengeth an answer. 3 Job humbleth himself. 6 God calleth upon Job to show by instances of power that he is able to save himself. 15 God's great power is seen in the behemoth.
1 Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said,
2 Shall he that acontendeth1 with the Almighty instruct him? he that breproveth God, let him answer it.
a ch.33.13; 34.37. Is.27.4; 45.9. 1 Co.10.22.
1 All murmuring against providence is a contending against God, and implies the supposed superiority of human wisdom, with an acknowledged but lamented deficiency of human power. The error of man lies in not perceiving that he that wants the power must want the wisdom also.—C.
b ch.3.3-26; 6.2-13; 7.1-21; 9.17-34; 10.1-22, &c.
3 Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
5 Once have I spoken, but I will not answer; yea, twice, but I will eproceed no further.2
e 1 Pe.4.3. ch.34.31,32. Je.31.18,19.
2 Job is already convinced, 1. Of God's infinite power, justice, and mercy; and, 2. Of his own utter unworthiness and sinfulness. He throws himself, a convicted sinner and humble suppliant, at the feet of Jehovah.—P.
7 Girdg up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
g ch.38.3, with 13.22; 31.35-37; 23.3,4.
14 Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.
15 Behold now 3behemoth,4 which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.
3 Or, the elephant or river horse.
4 Behemoth is plural, and literally signifies cattle, in opposition to wild and destructive animals; and in this sense it is used, ch.35.11. Ps.50.10; 73.22. The most learned expositors, however, consider it as used in a singular sense, expressive of the magnitude and dignity of the animal. By some behemoth is supposed to be the elephant, by some the hippopotamus, by others the mammoth, or some such extinct animal. We feel disposed to consider it as neither, but to understand it, as in ch.35.11, &c., for cattle in general; and leviathan as the sole animal described. The subject will be found discussed in many works, but a sufficient abridgment of the whole will be found in Harris' Natural History of the Bible.—C.
16 Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel5 of his belly.
A.M. cir. 2484. B.C. cir. 1520.
5 'Muscles.'—C.
17 He moveth6 his tail like a cedar:7 the sinews of his stones8 are wrapped together.
6 Or, he setteth up.
7 This description applies neither to the elephant nor hippopotamus, as the tail of both is comparatively trifling. That of the hippopotamus is the stronger, but is still short, and in appearance unimportant; nor can all the efforts of Scheuchzer give it any appearance of a cedar.—C.
8 Sinews of his thighs.—C.
18 His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.
19 He is the chief of the pways of God: he that made him can make his sword to 9approach unto him.
p Ps.104.24.
9 'He that made him hath girt on his sword,' or weapon for attack or defence.—C.
20 Surely the mountains qbring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.
q Ps.104.14,26; 147.9. ch.39.8.
21 He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.
22 The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.
23 Behold, he drinketh1 up a river, and hasteth not:2 he trusteth that he can draw up rJordan into his mouth.
24 He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares.3
3 Or, Will any take him in his sight, or bore his nose with a gin? [The marginal is the true translation, and prepares, under the specific name of leviathan, for the introduction of the animal, thus already described by his general properties.—C.]
Notes
Ver. 2. Has there not been enough said to chastise and convince thee of thy mistakes in contending with and censuring the providence of God? 3. Job replied to the Lord, 4. Behold, with grief and shame, I acknowledge my own meanness, folly, and filthiness. I have nothing to say against thee or for myself. 5. I have too often desired a dispute with thee; but I dare not defend my conduct. I dare not proceed further in such bold and presumptuous expressions and accusations of thy providence. 6. Job's acknowledgment of his sin and profession of his repentance not being sufficiently full, God further required him to pluck up his spirits if he could, and answer some further interrogations. 8. Wilt thou, in the manner of wicked men, arraign and attempt to overturn my sentence against thee, and my government of human affairs? Wilt thou censure me as unjust in afflicting thee that thou mayest appear innocent? 9, 10. Art thou God's equal in infinite power, majesty, or glory? 11-14. Canst thou, as God, scatter abroad the tokens of thine anger; or exhibit thy frowns for the debasement and destruction of thy most powerful and insolent enemies? If so, I will acknowledge thou canst uphold thyself, and hast some pretence to contend with me; but if not, it becomes thee humbly to submit to my most afflictive providences. 15-24. But that thou mayest be further convinced of thy inability to contend with me, behold how incapable thou art of contending with the elephant or river-horse, which I formed along with thee as thy fellow-creature, and not far from thy residence? He quietly feeds upon the herbs produced by the earth. Behold what strength is in his loins; what mighty force is in the warped sinews of his belly! His tail is large, stiff, and strong as a cedar; and with it, or his trunk, he could rend cedars. The sinews of his thighs are interwoven and wrapped together; his smaller bones are as pipes of brass, and the larger ones as bars of iron for strength. He is a principal creature on earth. The mighty God, who made him and gives him his power, can easily subdue and destroy him. The mountains afford him pasture, while the other wild beasts securely sport themselves around him. His ordinary residence is under the shadow of trees or reeds, growing in fens or on the banks of rivers. No outrageous overflowing of waters affrights him, or makes him to run off in haste. And while he dives into a river, or drinks excessively, no terror can make him leave off till his thirst be altogether quenched.
Ver. 11. [First try thy power against man, and if thou fail in humbling or conquering him, thy fellow, how wilt thou contend with God thy maker and judge? C.]
Ver. 19. [Chief of the ways of God. The greatest size of the hippopotamus is 17 feet in length and 7 in height—a description that in point of animal size and power, the only points in question, could never entitle it to the character in the text. C.]
Reflections.—To what arrogant quarrelling with God afflicted saints sometimes proceed! but it always issues in great shame and grief at last. Communion with God himself effectually convinces and humbles a saint, and makes him glad to part with his most beloved sins. But there is need of thorough convictions and humiliation to prepare us for remarkable deliverance. And it is unsafe to heal wounded consciences slightly, or to catch at comforts to be rid of convictions. Men may be humbled and yet not duly humbled. God takes pleasure in debasing the proud who attempt to rival his honours. And woe to him that contends with his Maker! But easily can that God who made, manages, feeds, lodges, and works these monstrous animals, provide for and manage me and all my concerns!