Job 40

40TH CHAPTER

The Lord Speaks

¹The Lord responded to Job, 

²“Will the person who finds fault with the Almighty correct him? 

Will the person who argues with God answer him?” 

Job Speaks

³Job answered the Lord, 

⁴“I’m so insignificant. How can I answer you? 

I will put my hand over my mouth. 

⁵I spoke once, but I can’t answer— 

twice, but not again.” 

The Lord Speaks:

Can You Be Like Me, Job?

⁶Then the Lord responded to Job out of a storm, 

⁷“Brace yourself like a man! 

I will ask you, and you will teach me. 

⁸“Would you undo my justice? 

Would you condemn me so that you can be righteous? 

⁹Do you have power like God’s? 

Can you thunder with a voice like his? 

¹⁰Then dress yourself in majesty and dignity. 

Clothe yourself in splendor and glory. 

¹¹Unleash your outbursts of anger. 

Look at all who are arrogant, and put them down. 

¹²Look at all who are arrogant, and humble them. 

Crush wicked people wherever they are. 

¹³Hide them completely in the dust, 

and cover their faces in the hidden place. 

¹⁴Then even I will praise you 

because your right hand can save you. 

Can You Conquer Behemoth, Job?

¹⁵“Look at Behemoth,^awhich I made along with you. 

It eats grass as cattle do. 

¹⁶Look at the strength in its back muscles, 

the power in its stomach muscles. 

¹⁷It makes its tail stiff like a cedar. 

The ligaments of its thighs are intertwined. 

¹⁸Its bones are bronze tubes. 

They are like iron bars. 

¹⁹Behemoth is the first of God’s conquests. 

Its maker approaches it with his sword. 

²⁰The hills bring it food, 

and all the wild animals play there. 

²¹It lies down under the lotus plants 

in a hiding place among reeds and swamps. 

²²Lotus plants provide it with cover. 

Poplars by the stream surround it. 

²³Though the river flows powerfully against it, it’s not alarmed. 

It’s confident ⸤even⸥ when the Jordan rushes against its mouth. 

²⁴Can anyone blind its eyes^b

or pierce its nose with snares?