Chapter 40

1 Job humbleth himself to God. 6 God stirreth him up to shew his righteousness, power, and wisdom. 15 Of the behemoth.

1. Answered Job. Verses 1–5 of this chapter mark a brief interlude in God’s address to Job. It seems as if God is giving Job an opportunity to make a complete surrender at this point.

2. Contendeth. God’s question to Job revolves around four verbs, “contendeth,” “instruct,” “reproveth,” “answer.” Job has heard the profound questions of chs. 38 and 39. Now the question comes to him, Can he, the faultfinder, the contender, instruct the God of all nature? The answer that Job will give is obvious, in view of the revelations of the previous two chapters. Job is pointedly challenged to defend his endeavors to instruct God. Satan predicted that Job would curse God. This he had not done. But he had erred in trying to tell God what to do.

Job had expressed himself as anxious to argue his case with God. He seemed to feel that, somehow, God did not quite understand. Now, after God has given a new revelation of His wisdom, Job is asked whether he still feels himself qualified to be the plaintiff in a case against God.

3. Job answered. Job had anticipated such an opportunity as this—an opportunity to lay his case directly before God. This is his long-awaited occasion. What would he do with it?

4. I am vile. Instead of saying, “I am innocent,” as he had intended to say, he replies, “I am vile.” God’s revelation has changed his entire attitude toward himself and toward God. A similar conviction dawns upon all men who arrive at a proper appreciation of God.

What shall I answer? The Job who was so anxious to present his case to God has no answer.

Mine hand. Compare chs. 21:5; 29:9.

5. I will not answer. This verse is an acknowledgement on Job’s part of the futility of his arguments.

6. Answered the Lord. Apparently Job needs further instruction. From the whirlwind returns the divine voice. If God’s motive had been to abash Job, He would not need to say more. Already Job has admitted his littleness, and has promised to say no more. But God’s primary purpose is not to embarrass Job, but to lead him to a new experience.

7. Gird up. See on ch. 38:3.

8. Disannul my judgment. Will you maintain that I have not been just and fair? Will you condemn My conduct in order to justify yourself? Job had come perilously near doing this very thing.

9. An arm like God. See Deut. 5:15; 7:19; Ps. 89:13; Isa. 51:9. God reminds Job that it is foolish for him to condemn God, because he is so weak in comparison with God. Job cannot act nor speak in a manner comparable to that of God.

10. Majesty. This text names four attributes of God: majesty, excellency, glory, and beauty (see Ps. 93:1; 104:1, 2). Job is challenged to clothe himself with these attributes, for only then would he be on an equality with God so as to be able to reason with Him on comparable terms.

11. Abase him. Job is challenged to see what he can do about transgression and transgressors.

13. Bind their faces. This may refer to an ancient custom regarding the disposal of the dead. It is known that in the preservation of mummies, the entire body was wrapped, including the face.

14. Can save thee. When Job can take to himself the attributes of God, when he can abase the proud and the wicked, when he can reduce to the grave the workers of iniquity, then will God acknowledge that he is able to save himself.

15. Behemoth. This name is a transliteration of the Hebrew. It is the plural form of the common Hebrew word behemah, translated “cattle” (Gen. 1:24, 25; etc.), or beast (Gen. 8:20; 36:6; etc.). It seems here to be used as an intensive plural referring to a mammoth beast. Most authorities think that the term refers to the hippopotamus. However, there are those who refer it to (1) the elephant, (2) some extinct species, (3) an emblematic representation.

With thee. God was the creator of this beast as well as of Job.

Eateth grass. The animal referred to as a behemah was apparently herbivorous.

17. Like a cedar. The slender tail of the elephant does not fit this description. The tail of the hippopotamus is thick, short, and muscular.

Stones. Or, “thighs.”

19. Chief. Heb. reХshith. The word may mean first in time or first in rank. The latter presumably applies here.

His sword to approach. This clause may be translated: “He that made him hath furnished him with his sword.” Thus “sword” may be taken to refer to the sharp teeth of the hippopotamus, which are said to be very efficient both for eating and for defense. The KJV translation conveys the idea that only the one who made behemoth can slay him.

20. Mountains. The hills on either side of the river—if the hippopotamus is behemoth (see on v. 15). Otherwise, the picture would be that of a beast roaming over the mountains (see Ps. 104:14).

21. Shady trees. Heb. seХelim, believed to be a kind of lotus. Behemoth was apparently an aquatic animal.

22. Willows. This is a further description of aquatic life.

23. Drinketh up a river. The LXX here translates, “If there should be a flood he will not perceive it.” The picture is of a beast so accustomed to water as to be unperturbed by floods or rushing streams. This, of course, suggests the hippopotamus.

Jordan. Here probably used in the sense of any large river.

24. With his eyes. The first clause of the verse may be translated, “He taketh him in his eyes [that is, in his sight].”