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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0;"/><title>Job 41 Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/commentaries/expositors/job/41.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/5001com.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 4800px), only screen and (max-device-width: 4800px)" href="/4801.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 1550px), only screen and (max-device-width: 1550px)" href="/1551.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 1250px), only screen and (max-device-width: 1250px)" href="/1251.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 1050px), only screen and (max-device-width: 1050px)" href="/1051.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 900px), only screen and (max-device-width: 900px)" href="/901.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 800px), only screen and (max-device-width: 800px)" href="/801.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 575px), only screen and (max-device-width: 575px)" href="/501.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-height: 450px), only screen and (max-device-height: 450px)" href="/h451.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/job/41.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/bmcom/job/41-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="/commentaries/">Commentary</a> > <a href="../">Ellicott</a> > <a href="../job/">Job</a></div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../job/40.htm" title="Job 40">◄</a> Job 41 <a href="../job/42.htm" title="Job 42">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</div><div class="chap"> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-1.htm">Job 41:1</a></div><div class="verse">Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord <i>which</i> thou lettest down?</div><span class= "bld">XLI.</span><p>(1) <span class= "bld">Leviathan.</span>—There can be little doubt that by this is meant the crocodile or alligator, whatever may be the true meaning of behemoth.<p><span class= "bld">Or his tongue . . .</span>—Some render, “or press down his tongue with a cord”; but the Authorised Version seems preferable.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-2.htm">Job 41:2</a></div><div class="verse">Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?</div>(2) <span class= "bld">Hook.</span>—Or, <span class= "ital">cord of rush.</span><p><span class= "bld">A thorn.</span>—Or, <span class= "ital">spike </span>or <span class= "ital">hook.</span><p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-4.htm">Job 41:4</a></div><div class="verse">Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?</div>(4) <span class= "bld">A servant for ever.</span>—The crocodile being probably quite untameable.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-6.htm">Job 41:6</a></div><div class="verse">Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?</div>(6) <span class= "bld">Shall the companions make a banquet of him?</span>—Or, <span class= "ital">Shall the bands of fishermen make traffic of him? </span>or, <span class= "ital">dig a pit for him?</span>—the former suiting the parallelism better.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-8.htm">Job 41:8</a></div><div class="verse">Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.</div>(8) <span class= "bld">Remember the battle.</span>—“Bear in mind what thou dost attempt, and thou wilt not do it again.”<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-9.htm">Job 41:9</a></div><div class="verse">Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not <i>one</i> be cast down even at the sight of him?</div>(9) <span class= "bld">Behold the hope of him is in vain</span>—<span class= "ital">i.e.</span>, the hope of the rash man who would venture to attack him: at the sight of him, <span class= "ital">i.e., </span>the infuriated crocodile.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-10.htm">Job 41:10</a></div><div class="verse">None <i>is so</i> fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?</div>(10) <span class= "bld">None is so fierce that dare stir him up.</span>—“If, therefore, the creatures of My hand strike so much terror, how far more terrible must I be? If thou canst not save thyself from them, how much less canst thou be saved without Me?” (See <a href="/job/40-14.htm" title="Then will I also confess to you that your own right hand can save you.">Job 40:14</a>.) The first clause may be understood thus: “He is not so cruel (the common meaning of the word rendered <span class= "ital">fierce</span>)—<span class= "ital">i.e., </span>to himself—that he should venture to rouse him up.”<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-11.htm">Job 41:11</a></div><div class="verse">Who hath prevented me, that I should repay <i>him? whatsoever is</i> under the whole heaven is mine.</div>(11) <span class= "bld">Who hath prevented me?</span>—It is manifest that this appeal would come more appropriately at the end of the following detailed description than, as it does here, just before it. “Who hath prevented me,” &c., of course means, <span class= "ital">Who hath first given to me, that I should repay him?</span><p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-13.htm">Job 41:13</a></div><div class="verse">Who can discover the face of his garment? <i>or</i> who can come <i>to him</i> with his double bridle?</div>(13) <span class= "bld">Who can discover . . .</span> ?—Rather, <span class= "ital">Who can strip off his outer garment? i.e., </span>his scales, which are the covering of his skin. <span class= "ital">Who shall come within his double bridle, i.e., </span>the doubling of his jaw? Who would venture a limb within his jaws? This seems to be the meaning, rather than “Who shall come to him with his double bridle,” forsooth to take him therewith?<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-14.htm">Job 41:14</a></div><div class="verse">Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth <i>are</i> terrible round about.</div>(14) <span class= "bld">Who can open the doors of his face?</span><span class= "ital">—i.e., </span>his mouth. Round about his teeth is terror.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-18.htm">Job 41:18</a></div><div class="verse">By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes <i>are</i> like the eyelids of the morning.</div>(18) <span class= "bld">By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning</span>—<span class= "ital">i.e., </span>fiery red and glowing.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-20.htm">Job 41:20</a></div><div class="verse">Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as <i>out</i> of a seething pot or caldron.</div>(20) <span class= "bld">Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.</span>—The last word is uncertain: it is the same as was rendered in the Authorised Version “hook” at <a href="/job/41-2.htm" title="Can you put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?">Job 41:2</a>; and taking the same sense here, we may render, <span class= "ital">as of a seething pot and rushes: i.e., </span>a pot made hot with rushes.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-22.htm">Job 41:22</a></div><div class="verse">In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.</div>(22) <span class= "bld">Sorrow is turned into joy before him.</span>—Literally, <span class= "ital">and before him danceth fear, </span>or <span class= "ital">pining sorrow exulteth before him. </span>A marvellous personification of the terror which goes with him wherever he goes.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-23.htm">Job 41:23</a></div><div class="verse">The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.</div>(23) <span class= "bld">The flakes of his flesh</span>—<span class= "ital">i.e., </span>the parts that in other animals hang down: <span class= "ital">e.g., </span>dewlaps, &c., are not flabby, as with them.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-24.htm">Job 41:24</a></div><div class="verse">His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether <i>millstone</i>.</div>(24) <span class= "bld">His heart</span>—<span class= "ital">i.e.</span>, his nature, his disposition. This seems to be the meaning, rather than the physical organ of life.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-25.htm">Job 41:25</a></div><div class="verse">When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.</div>(25) <span class= "bld">By reason of breakings</span>—<span class= "ital">i.e., </span>the waves he makes in the water, or the breakings he makes among the plants and trees in the water.<p><span class= "bld">They purify themselves</span>—<span class= "ital">i.e.</span>, they are beside themselves; they are so overwhelmed with terror, that they take themselves off, as those who have to dwell apart for uncleanness.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-26.htm">Job 41:26</a></div><div class="verse">The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.</div>(26) <span class= "bld">The sword of him that layeth at him.</span>—Literally, <span class= "ital">As to one approaching him </span>(to slay him), <span class= "ital">his sword cannot stand; it will snap in his hand.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-29.htm">Job 41:29</a></div><div class="verse">Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.</div>(</span>29<span class= "ital">)</span> <span class= "bld">Darts.</span>—Rather, <span class= "ital">clubs.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-30.htm">Job 41:30</a></div><div class="verse">Sharp stones <i>are</i> under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.</div>(</span>30<span class= "ital">)</span> <span class= "bld">He spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.</span>—Some render, “He spreadeth, as it were, a threshing-wain upon the mire.” The statement is, that he not only can lie without inconvenience upon sharp-pointed things, but his own body presents a sharp surface to the mud he lies on.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-31.htm">Job 41:31</a></div><div class="verse">He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.</div>(31) <span class= "bld">The sea</span>—<span class= "ital">i.e.</span>, not necessarily the salt water, for the Nile is still called the sea by the Arabs, and so with many other large rivers. Example, the “sea-wall” of the Thames below Gravesend.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/job/41-33.htm">Job 41:33</a></div><div class="verse">Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.</div>(33, 34) <span class= "bld">Upon earth there is not his like.</span>—Some have proposed to take away the last two verses of Job 41 from their connection with the crocodile, and to transpose them, referring them to man, so as to come before <a href="/job/41-8.htm" title="Lay your hand on him, remember the battle, do no more.">Job 41:8</a>, understanding them thus: “There is one whose like is not upon earth, who is made without dread. He seeth every high thing, and is king over all the proud beasts. To Him then I say (<a href="/job/41-8.htm" title="Lay your hand on him, remember the battle, do no more.">Job 41:8</a>), Lay thine hand upon him; remember the battle, and do so no more. Lo! his hope is deceived. Is he indeed cast down at the very eight of him? He is not so cruel to himself that he should rouse him up. Who then can stand before me? Who hath first given to me, that I should have to repay him? That which is under the whole heavens is mine.” It cannot be denied that this makes very good sense, but it seems to be too great a liberty to take with the text as we find it to adopt this as the true order of the verses; for in that case, what is there that we might not deal with in a like manner? Those who advocate this transposition in the order of the verses would also place <a href="/context/job/40-1.htm" title="Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said,">Job 40:1-5</a> so as to follow <a href="/job/40-6.htm" title="Then answered the LORD to Job out of the whirlwind, and said,">Job 40:6</a>, in this manner: “Then Job answered the Lord and said, I know that thou canst do everything, and that no purpose can be withholden from thee, or that no purpose of thine can be restrained.” Then the next words come in as the implied answer of God: “Who is this that hideth my counsel for want of knowledge?” To which Job replies: “Therefore (I confess that) I have uttered without understanding things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.” Again God replies, as in <a href="/job/38-3.htm" title="Gird up now your loins like a man; for I will demand of you, and answer you me.">Job 38:3</a>; <a href="/job/40-7.htm" title="Gird up your loins now like a man: I will demand of you, and declare you to me.">Job 40:7</a> : “Hear, I beseech thee and I will speak, I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me; to which Job answers: “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor what I have said, and repent it in dust and ashes.” Then the Lord answered Job and said, “Is he that contended with the Almighty reproved? Does he acknowledge his discomfiture? He that argueth with God, let him answer this question.” Then Job answered the Lord and said, “Behold I am vile. What shall I answer thee? I lay my hand before my mouth; once I have spoken, but I will not answer; yea twice, but I will not do so again.” There is a certain amount of sharpness and point obtained in thus making this confession the climax of the poem, and a kind of formal consistency is secured in regarding this resolution as Job’s last utterance instead of making him speak again, as he does, according to the present order, in <a href="/job/42-2.htm" title="I know that you can do every thing, and that no thought can be withheld from you.">Job 42:2</a>. But this consistency is formal rather than real, inasmuch as there is no inconsistency in the <span class= "ital">tone </span>of <a href="/job/42-2.htm" title="I know that you can do every thing, and that no thought can be withheld from you.">Job 42:2</a> <span class= "ital">seqq., </span>and the promise of <a href="/job/40-5.htm" title="Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yes, twice; but I will proceed no further.">Job 40:5</a>. Whatever advantage may be derived from the re-arrangement will be a matter for individual taste rather to decide, which will vary with the individual; and at all events, the climax of <a href="/job/42-6.htm" title="Why I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.">Job 42:6</a> as it stands is a very noble one, and we may question whether we can heighten its grandeur.<p><span class= "bld"> <div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers<br /><br />Text Courtesy of <a href="//biblesupport.com" target="_top">BibleSupport.com</a>. 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