Job 40:15–24

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The Description of Behemoth²¹

^40:15“Look now at Behemoth,²² which I made as²³ I made you;

it eats grass like the ox.

^40:16Look²⁴ at its strength in its loins,

and its power in the muscles of its belly.

^40:17It makes its tail stiff²⁵ like a cedar,

the sinews of its thighs are tightly wound.

^40:18Its bones are tubes of bronze,

its limbs like bars of iron.

^40:19It ranks first among the works of God,²⁶

the One who made it

has furnished it with a sword.²⁷

^40:20For the hills bring it food,²⁸

where all the wild animals play.

^40:21Under the lotus trees it lies,

in the secrecy of the reeds and the marsh.

^40:22The lotus trees conceal it in their²⁹ shadow;

the poplars by the stream conceal it.

^40:23If the river rages,³⁰ it is not disturbed,

it is secure,³¹ though the Jordan

should surge up to its mouth.

^40:24Can anyone catch it by its eyes,³²

or pierce its nose with a snare?³³

Read in Logos

Footnotes

21 The next ten verses are devoted to a portrayal of Behemoth (the name means “beast” in Hebrew). It does not fit any of the present material very well, and so many think the section is a later addition. Its style is more like that of a textbook. Moreover, if the animal is a real animal (the usual suggestion is the hippopotamus), then the location of such an animal is Egypt and not Palestine. Some have identified these creatures Behemoth and Leviathan as mythological creatures (Gunkel, Pope). Others point out that these creatures could have been dinosaurs (P. J. Maarten, , 2:; H. M. Morris, The Remarkable Record of Job, 115–22). Most would say they are real animals, but probably mythologized by the pagans. So the pagan reader would receive an additional impact from this point about God’s sovereignty over all nature.
22 By form the word is the feminine plural of the Hebrew word for “beast.” Here it is an abstract word—a title.
23 Heb “with you.” The meaning could be temporal (“when I made you”)—perhaps a reference to the sixth day of creation (Gen 1:24).
24 In both of these verses הִנֶּה (hinneh, “behold”) has the deictic force (the word is from Greek δείκνυμι, deiknumi, “to show”). It calls attention to something by pointing it out. The expression goes with the sudden look, the raised eye, the pointing hand—“O look!”
25 The verb חָפַץ (khafats) occurs only here. It may have the meaning “to make stiff; to make taut” (Arabic). The and the versions support this with “erects.” But there is another Arabic word that could be cognate, meaning “arch, bend.” This would give the idea of the tail swaying. The other reading seems to make better sense here. However, “stiff” presents a serious problem with the view that the animal is the hippopotamus.
26 Heb “the ways of God.” This may be a reference to Gen 1:24, where the first of the animal creation was the cattle—béhemah (בְּהֵמָה).
27 The literal reading of the is “let the one who made him draw near [with] his sword.” The sword is apparently a reference to the teeth or tusks of the animal, which cut vegetation like a sword. But the idea of a weapon is easier to see, and so the people who favor the mythological background see here a reference to God’s slaying the Beast. There are again many suggestions on how to read the line. The probably has the safest: “He that made him has furnished him with his sword” (the sword being a reference to the sharp tusks with which he can attack).
28 The word בּוּל (bul) probably refers to food. Many take it as an abbreviated form of יְבוּל (yévul, “produce of the field”). The vegetation that is produced on the low hills is what is meant.
29 The suffix is singular, but must refer to the trees’ shade.
30 The word ordinarily means “to oppress.” So many commentators have proposed suitable changes: “overflows” (Beer), “gushes” (Duhm), “swells violently” (Dhorme, from a word that means “be strong”).
31 Or “he remains calm.”
32 The idea would be either (1) catch it while it is watching, or (2) in some way disabling its eyes before the attack. But others change the reading; Ball suggested “with hooks” and this has been adopted by some modern English versions (e.g., ).
33 Ehrlich altered the slightly to get “with thorns,” a view accepted by Driver, Dhorme and Pope.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“Behold, Behemoth,

which I made as I made you;

he eats grass like an ox.

Behold, his strength in his loins,

and his power in the muscles of his belly.

He makes his tail stiff like a cedar;

the sinews of his thighs are knit together.

His bones are tubes of bronze,

his limbs like bars of iron.

“He is the first of the works of God;

let him who made him bring near his sword!

For the mountains yield food for him

where all the wild beasts play.

Under the lotus plants he lies,

in the shelter of the reeds and in the marsh.

For his shade the lotus trees cover him;

the willows of the brook surround him.

Behold, if the river is turbulent he is not frightened;

he is confident though Jordan rushes against his mouth.

Can one take him by his eyes,

or pierce his nose with a snare?

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Look at Behemoth,

which I made along with you

and which feeds on grass like an ox.

What strength it has in its loins,

what power in the muscles of its belly!

Its tail sways like a cedar;

the sinews of its thighs are close-knit.

Its bones are tubes of bronze,

its limbs like rods of iron.

It ranks first among the works of God,

yet its Maker can approach it with his sword.

The hills bring it their produce,

and all the wild animals play nearby.

Under the lotus plants it lies,

hidden among the reeds in the marsh.

The lotuses conceal it in their shadow;

the poplars by the stream surround it.

A raging river does not alarm it;

it is secure, though the Jordan should surge against its mouth.

Can anyone capture it by the eyes,

or trap it and pierce its nose?

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Look at Behemoth,

which I made along with you.

He eats grass like cattle.

Look at the strength of his back

and the power in the muscles of his belly.

He stiffens his tail like a cedar tree;

the tendons of his thighs are woven firmly together.

His bones are bronze tubes;

his limbs are like iron rods.

He is the foremost of God’s works;

only his Maker can draw the sword against him.

The hills yield food for him,

while all sorts of wild animals play there.

He lies under the lotus plants,

hiding in the protection of marshy reeds.

Lotus plants cover him with their shade;

the willows by the brook surround him.

Though the river rages, Behemoth is unafraid;

he remains confident, even if the Jordan surges up to his mouth.

Can anyone capture him while he looks on,

or pierce his nose with snares?

NLTNew Living Translation

“Take a look at Behemoth,

which I made, just as I made you.

It eats grass like an ox.

See its powerful loins

and the muscles of its belly.

Its tail is as strong as a cedar.

The sinews of its thighs are knit tightly together.

Its bones are tubes of bronze.

Its limbs are bars of iron.

It is a prime example of God’s handiwork,

and only its Creator can threaten it.

The mountains offer it their best food,

where all the wild animals play.

It lies under the lotus plants,

hidden by the reeds in the marsh.

The lotus plants give it shade

among the willows beside the stream.

It is not disturbed by the raging river,

not concerned when the swelling Jordan rushes around it.

No one can catch it off guard

or put a ring in its nose and lead it away.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“Look, Behemoth, which I have made just as I made you;

it eats grass like the ox.

Look, its strength is in its loins

and its power in the muscles of its stomach.

It keeps its tail straight like a cedar;

the sinews of its thighs are tightly wound.

Its bones are tubes of copper,

its limbs like rods of iron.

“It is the first of God’s actions;

the one who made him furnishes it with his sword.

Yes, the mountains yield produce for it,

and all wild animals play there.

Under the lotus tree it lies,

in the hiding place of the reeds and in the marsh.

The lotus trees cover it with their shade;

the wadi’s poplar trees surround it.

Look, if the river is turbulent, it is not frightened;

it is confident even though the Jordan rushes against its mouth.

Can anyone take it by its eyes?

Can he pierce its nose with a snare?

KJV 1900King James Version

Behold now behemoth,

Which I made with thee;

He eateth grass as an ox.

Lo now, his strength is in his loins,

And his force is in the navel of his belly.

He moveth his tail like a cedar:

The sinews of his stones are wrapped together.

His bones are as strong pieces of brass;

His bones are like bars of iron.

He is the chief of the ways of God:

He that made him can make his sword to approach unto him.

Surely the mountains bring him forth food,

Where all the beasts of the field play.

He lieth under the shady trees,

In the covert of the reed, and fens.

The shady trees cover him with their shadow;

The willows of the brook compass him about.

Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not:

He trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.

He taketh it with his eyes:

His nose pierceth through snares.

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