411 Canst thou draw out leviathan with a fishhook? Or press down his tongue with a cord? 2 Canst thou put a rope into his nose? Or pierce his jaw through with a hook? 3 Will he make many supplications unto thee? Or will he speak soft words unto thee? 4 Will he make a covenant with thee, That thou shouldest take him for a servant for ever? 5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? 6 Will the bands [of fishermen] make traffic of him? Will they part him among the merchants? 7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons, Or his head with fish-spears? 8 Lay thy hand upon him; Remember the battle, and do so no more. 9 Behold, the hope of him is in vain: Will not one be cast down even at the sight of him? 10 None is so fierce that he dare stir him up; Who then is he that can stand before me?
11 Who hath first given unto me, that I should repay him? [Whatsoever is] under the whole heaven is mine. 12 I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, Nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame. 13 Who can strip off his outer garment? Who shall come within his jaws? 14 Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror. 15 [His] strong scales are [his] pride, Shut up together [as with] a close seal. 16 One is so near to another, That no air can come between them. 17 They are joined one to another; They stick together, so that they cannot be sundered. 18 His sneezings flash forth light, And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. 19 Out of his mouth go burning torches, And sparks of fire leap forth. 20 Out of his nostrils a smoke goeth, As of a boiling pot and [burning] rushes. 21 His breath kindleth coals, And a flame goeth forth from his mouth. 22 In his neck abideth strength, And terror danceth before him. 23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together: They are firm upon him; They cannot be moved. 24 His heart is as firm as a stone; Yea, firm as the nether millstone.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 41:1-24
Chapter Contents
Concerning Leviathan.
The description of the Leviathan, is yet further to convince Job of his own weakness, and of God's almighty power. Whether this Leviathan be a whale or a crocodile, is disputed. The Lord, having showed Job how unable he was to deal with the Leviathan, sets forth his own power in that mighty creature. If such language describes the terrible force of Leviathan, what words can express the power of God's wrath? Under a humbling sense of our own vileness, let us revere the Divine Majesty; take and fill our allotted place, cease from our own wisdom, and give all glory to our gracious God and Saviour. Remembering from whom every good gift cometh, and for what end it was given, let us walk humbly with the Lord.