Job 41

Ver. 2. I know that thou canst do every thing, &c.] This complete submission contains, 1st, A full acknowledgment of God’s almighty power and supreme dominion, ver. 2; by thus glorifying the sovereign authority of God, Job tacitly condemns himself for not having meekly submitted to it: 2dly, A like acknowledgment of the unsearchable wisdom of Divine Providence, with an explicit condemnation of himself for his objections and murmurings against it, ver. 3: 3dly, He humbly begs of God to vouchsafe a gracious audience to his petition, and to instruct him farther in his duty, ver. 4: 4thly, He declares that this visible manifestation of the Almighty to him had impressed him with a deeper and more reverent sense of the Divine perfection and majesty, than he had before conceived by means of instruction only, ver. 5: Lastly, he expresses his repentance in the strongest terms of self-condemnation and humble sorrow, ver. 6. This complete submission may not improperly be called the catastrophe of the poem: it is not indeed a change of Job’s outward condition: it is an alteration infinitely more important and beneficial; an alteration in the temper and state of his mind. He is brought back to his duty, and his soul returns to its rest. The restoration of his health and prosperity quickly followed, and is the subject of the ensuing narrative, where the style changes to historical prose. Scott.

Job 41:3

3. Who is he that hideth &c.] I am sensible of the justice of Thy reproof, (see chap. xxxviii. 2,) and confess my presumption in speaking of things above my reach,

Job 41:4

4. Will he make a covenant with thee? &c.] In the same manner as the conquered are wont to redeem their lives from their conquerors at the price of their liberty. “A servant for ever;” that is, for the whole of his life. Bochart.

5. — wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? That they may play with him. The crocodile is particularly hostile to boys and girls, who sometimes, approaching the Nile too incautiously, have fallen a prey to him. Alian mentions several instances of the crocodile devouring children: and Maximus Tyrius relates a story of an Egyptian woman, who had a son of the same age with a young crocodile. He says, the animal was gentle, as long it continued weak; but when it increased in size, it discovered its natural disposition, and killed the child. Bochart. See the note on chap. iii. 8.

Job 41:6

6. Wherefore I abhor myself, &c.] This humble confession and self-abasement of Job was graciously accepted; it covered all his imperfections; his passionate complaints wrung from him by the extremity of sufferings, corporeal and mental; his despair and weariness of life; his frequent wishes for death; his eagerness to enter upon his trial; his earnest request, and even expostulations with his Judge, to bring him to it, or at least to acquaint him with the reasons of such severe afflictions. Such shades and blemishes in the character of this illustrious Patriarch argue somewhat of impatience in this heroic pattern of patience. But God is ever ready to pass over the frailties and infirmities of human nature, where there is a tried and resolute integrity, determined to adhere to God in all trials and temptations, whatever may be the result. Dr. Hales.

Job 41:7

7, 8. — the Lord said to Eliphaz &c.] Here is a repetition of the same declaration, in express terms, by God Himself, that Eliphaz and his companions “had not spoken of Him the thing that was right,” and that Job had. Now it is impossible to find any thing in their speeches, which should make the difference here supposed, if we set aside the doctrine of a future state. For in this view the others would really speak more worthily of God than Job, by endeavouring to vindicate His providence in the exact distribution of good and evil in this life: whereas Job’s assertion, chap. ix. 22, that “this is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked,” which is the argument that he insists upon throughout, would, upon this supposition, be directly to charge God with making no distinction between the good and bad; which in a ruler is an error, that reflects both on his wisdom and on his justice.

But now take the other life into the account, and the subject will appear in a contrary light; and we shall easily see the reason why God approves of the sentiments of Job, and condemns those of his friends. For let us suppose the friends of Job to argue, which seems to be the general tendency of their arguments, that the righteous are never afflicted without remedy here, and the wicked never prosperous upon the whole in this life, which is a wrong representation of God’s providence; and Job to argue on the other hand, that the righteous are sometimes afflicted here, and that without remedy,

Job 41:8

8. Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.] The latter clause would be clearer if it were rendered, “but remember that thou wilt have no other conflict;” for this is doubtless the sense. The note in the old version is, “if thou once consider the danger, thou wilt not meddle with him.” Dr. Durell. Such dread will come upon thee, that thou wilt think of flight, rather than of battle, when by the very touch thou shalt have discovered that his skin is capable of resisting every stroke. Bochart.

Job 41:9

9. Behold, the hope of him is in vain.] The hope of making him a prey is vain. Grotius. Or, the hope of him who shall have laid hands on the crocodile. Bochart.

Job 41:10

10. None is so fierce that dare stir him up.] What is said of the lion, Gen. xlix. 9; Numb. xxiv. 9; is here said of the crocodile: “None is so fierce or so bold as to stir him up,” when, satiated with the fishes which he has devoured, he reposes asleep upon the shore. Pliny and others describe this as the custom of the crocodile. Bochart.

11. Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? Who hath done Me any favour in helping Me to make or govern the world, or in furthering My actions, that I may repay it unto him? Bp. Hall.

The sentiment in this verse demonstrates the folly and impiety of contending with God, as Job had done. He is all-sufficient and independent, and therefore cannot be indebted to any for their service. He is the Proprietor of all beings; He therefore cannot injure any one by taking away his possessions and enjoyments: for He takes only what He gave. Submissive resigna-

Of God’s great power in the Leviathan. Before CHRIST about 1880. Or, within. piano of chicide. nor his power, nor his comely proportion.

Job 41:12

12. — his comely proportion.] The comeliness of his form; that is, for fighting or combat: the advantage of his structure, both for his own security, and for destroying and devouring, &c. Parkhurst.

13. Who can discover the face of his garment? Rather, “who can uncover the face of his garment?” for “the face of his garment” would by a common hebraism signify the upper or external garment. Dr. Durell. Who is able to turn over that skin, with which he is covered as with a garment? Bp. Hall. The crocodile never casts his skin, as serpents do. Bochart.

This obscure sentence seems to describe that terrible helmet, which covers the head and face of the crocodile. The translation might be, “Who can uncover his mailed face?” If in Job’s days they covered their war horses in complete armour, the question may refer to taking off the armour, and Leviathan’s skin be represented by such an image. Scott.

— who can come to him with his double bridle? “Who can come upon him with the doubling of his rein?” that is, with a bridle having two reins. Parkhurst. Rather, “Within his double bridle who will come?” The expression used here means the double fold of his jaws. Bp. Stock. In Greek, as in Hebrew, those parts of the lips, which terminate on both sides at the jaw-bones, are called “bridles.” Bochart. This interpretation of Bochart best agrees, not only with the structure of the preceding hemistich, but with the following verse. Parkhurst.

14. Who can open the doors of his face? That is, his immense jaws, which he separates at pleasure with a vast and horrible opening, like folding doors. It has been said, that “when the crocodile begins to gape, in order to take in his prey, he becomes all mouth.” Bochart.

— his teeth are terrible round about.] Rather, perhaps, “the rows of his teeth are terrible.” His mouth is said to be so large that he can take in a whole sheep: and he has thirty-six sharp pointed teeth in each jaw. Dr. Durell.

Job 41:15

15. His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.] The latter clause should be rendered, “He is shut up close as with a seal.” Dr. Durell. In this and the two following verses is described the compactness of the scales, by which the whole body of the animal is covered, as if by iron plates closely united together. This circumstance, which is notoriously true of the crocodile, cannot be applied to the whale, whose skin is smooth and free from scales. Bochart.

Job 41:16

16. By his neesings a light doth shine, &c.] When he sneezeth, he maketh as it were a fire to break forth at

Job 41:19

19. Out of his mouth go burning lamps, &c.] Much the same things as are said in this and the two following verses concerning the crocodile have been said by other writers concerning the river-horse. In fact, there is a relation between these two animals, and they resemble each other particularly in their mode of breathing: for, having kept in their breath a long time whilst under the water, they breathe with so much the more earnestness when they begin to emerge. As torrents which have burst their barrier, the breath, having been long repressed, then becomes so hot, and breaks forth with such violence, that it seems to vomit out flames from the mouth and nostrils. Bochart.

Job 41:22

22. — sorrow is turned into joy before him.] Rather, “sorrow goeth before him;” that is, he causes sorrow wherever he goes. This animal, it is well known, occasions great ravages in a country. See ver. 25. Dr. Durell. The phrase is not unusual among the poets, who ascribe Anger, Rage, and Terrour, to Mars, the god of war, as his companions and attendants, who accompany and go before him on his way. Bochart.

The word, rendered “sorrow,” signifies fainting from terrour; and the whole verse may be thus translated: “Strength dwelleth on his neck, and fainting exulteth before him;” that is, as soon as men see him, they immediately faint. But both the image and the expression in Job are wonderfully sublime. Parkhurst.

Job 41:23

23. The flakes of his flesh are joined together:] “The Before CHRIST about 1880. sorrow rejoeeth. fallways. Of God’s great power in the leviathan. Before CHRIST about 1520.

Job 41:25

25. When he raiseth up himself, &c.] When he begins to shew himself on the top of the waters, the fearless mariners and seamen tremble, by reason of the dashing of the waves one against another, caused by his violent motion, which threatens them with death; they betake themselves to their devotions, confess their sins, and beg pardon that they may be cleansed from them, and call upon God for mercy, Jonah i. 5. Clark.

Or, “On his rising up the valiant shrink; on the breakings (of whatever he is assaulted with, see the following verses) they are out of their wits.” So the French translation; “and they know not where, or whereabouts they are, seeing how he breaks every thing.” Parkhurst.

Job 41:26

26. — the habergeon.] The original word, which occurs only in this place, is supposed to mean a coat of mail; but this is evidently inconsistent with the context, which treats not of defensive, but of offensive armour. Bochart. It signifies a kind of strong javelin, spear, or halberd: and it seems to have been of a stronger make than either of the other weapons noticed in this verse, and therefore is mentioned after them. Parkhurst. It probably means a trident or fishing spear. Bruce.

Job 41:28

28. — slingstones are turned with him into stubble.] Or, “He throweth about slingstones as stubble,” he dasheth them about with as much ease. An extraordinary instance of the force of a crocodile is related by Maillet: “I saw one last year twelve feet long, which had not eaten for five and thirty days, having had his mouth closed during the whole of that time. With one stroke of his tail, he upset five or six men and a bale of coffee, as easily as I could upset six chess-men.” What strength then must one of twenty feet have, and in its full strength, not weakened by so long a fast! Heath.

Job 41:30

30. Sharp stones are under him: &c.] The meaning of this may be, that, on account of the hardness of his skin, the crocodile can recline at ease on rocks, stones, and the sharpest things. Bochart. The belly of the crocodile is penetrable by a bullet, and perhaps also by a sword. Nevertheless it is hard enough to be insensible of pain, when he lieth on sharp stones and ragged rocks, which are in the bed of the Nile. In that part of the Nile, where the cataracts are, and which the crocodiles mostly frequent, its bed is of granite marble. Scott.

Job 41:31

31. — he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.] “The sea,” that is, the Nile; as in Isai. xi. 15: the Nile is often so called by the Arabian writers, on account of

the size of the river, and because at certain times it is spread over the whole of the Delta, like a sea. “Like a pot of ointment,” by reason of the mud and shine which he stirs up, when he agitates the waters; probably also with a view to the sweet smell, which many writers have noticed as belonging to the crocodile. Bochart.

Job 41:34

34. He beholdeth all high things: &c.] That is, he looks upon them with diadain; he despises them: see Cant. i. 6. Many stories are on record of crocodiles destroying and devouring other animals, greatly their superiours in height: men, oxen, buffaloes, boars, horses, camels, &c. Bochart.

— the children of pride.] Literally, “the sons of elation or height.” The phrase plainly means, as Bochart observes, the larger and stronger kinds of animals or wild beasts. Parkhurst.

There is in this speech a most happy gradation. After a magnificent but just description of the terribleness of the river-borse, the Almighty is represented as going on with His expostulations, something after this manner. But dreadful as this animal is, barbed irons and spears have sometimes prevailed against him: but what wilt thou do with the crocodile? “Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons, or his head with fish spears? The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold, &c.” See verses 7, 26—29. What wilt thou do with this creature, O Job? This is to finish the expostulation in the strongest and most majestic manner. Harmer.

The argument of Omnipotence, insisted on in these four chapters, when duly considered, as Peters justly remarks, includes in it a full, perfect, and sufficient vindication of the ways of God with man. For if “He can do all things,” and “nothing is impossible with God,” He can have no temptation to do wrong; for “God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man,” Jam. i. 13; though for wise and salutary purposes, for correction, for discipline, for purification of heart and life, and preparation for a better world, He tries the best men, like Job, and proves them in the furnace of affliction, that “they may come forth like gold;” while, by His all-governing and all-controlling providence, He restrains the craft and subtilty of the devil or man, working against them, to shake their faith, and “sift them as wheat;” saying to the former, as to the ocean originally, “Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed.” At the same time, of His infinite mercy and goodness, He is not severe to mark what they have done amiss, upon their hearty repentance and true

Job submitteth himself unto God. His friends submit themselves. Before CHRIST about 1320. # CHAP. XLII.