Chapter 40

Job: What Can I Say?

1 Then the Lord said to Job,

2 “Will the faultfinder acontend with the Almighty?

Let him who breproves God answer it.”

3 Then Job answered the Lord and said,

4 “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You?

I alay my hand on my mouth.

5 “Once I have spoken, and aI will not answer;

Even twice, and I will add nothing more.”

God Questions Job

6 Then the aLord answered Job out of the storm and said,

7 “Now agird up your loins like a man;

I will bask you, and you instruct Me.

8 “Will you really aannul My judgment?

Will you bcondemn Me cthat you may be justified?

9 “Or do you have an arm like God,

And can you athunder with a voice like His?

10 “aAdorn yourself with eminence and dignity,

And clothe yourself with honor and majesty.

11 “Pour out athe overflowings of your anger,

And look on everyone who is bproud, and make him low.

12 “Look on everyone who is proud, and ahumble him,

And btread down the wicked 1where they stand.

13 “aHide them in the dust together;

Bind 1them in the hidden place.

14 “Then I will also 1confess to you,

That your own right hand can save you.

God’s Power Shown in Creatures

15 “Behold now, 1Behemoth, which aI made 2as well as you;

He eats grass like an ox.

16 “Behold now, his strength in his loins

And his power in the muscles of his belly.

17 “He bends his tail like a cedar;

The sinews of his thighs are knit together.

18 “His bones are tubes of bronze;

His 1limbs are like bars of iron.

19 “He is the afirst of the ways of God;

Let his bmaker bring near his sword.

20 “Surely the mountains abring him food,

And all the beasts of the field bplay there.

21 “Under the lotus plants he lies down,

In the covert of the reeds and the marsh.

22 “The lotus plants cover him with 1shade;

The willows of the brook surround him.

23 “If a river 1rages, he is not alarmed;

He is confident, though the aJordan rushes to his mouth.

24 “Can anyone capture him 1when he is on watch,

With 2barbs can anyone pierce his nose?