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1 God continued speaking to Job. 2 “Are you still going to fight with the Almighty and try to set him straight?* Or “Shall a faultfinder contend with God?” Anyone who argues with God must give some answers.”
3 Job answered the Lord, 4 “Me—I am nothing at all. I have no answers. I put my hand in front of my mouth. 5 I have already said far too much and I won't say anything more.”
6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, 7 “Prepare yourself, be strong, for I am going to question you, and you must answer me.
8 Are you really going to say my decisions are wrong?† Or “invalidate my justice.” Are you going to condemn me so you can be right? 9 Are you as powerful as I am? Does your voice thunder like mine? 10 Why don't you dress yourself with majesty and dignity, and clothe yourself with glory and splendor! 11 Let loose your fierce anger. Humble the proud with a glance. 12 Bring down the proud with your gaze; tread the wicked underfoot right where they are. 13 Bury them in the dust; lock them away in the grave. 14 Then I will also agree that your own strength can save you.
15 Consider Behemoth,‡ Some identify Behemoth as the hippopotamus; others with a legendary creature. Behemoth is the plural of the usual word for animal. a creature I made just like I made you. It eats grass like cattle. 16 Look at its powerful loins, the muscles of its belly. 17 It bends its tail like a cedar; its thigh sinews are strong. 18 Its bones are like bronze tubes; its limbs like iron rods. 19 It is the most important example of what God can do; only the one who made it can approach it with a sword.§ The Hebrew is unclear. The verse may mean that only its Creator can defeat it. 20 The hills produce food for it, and all the wild animals play there.* Presumably the other animals are safe from the Behemoth since it is vegetarian. 21 It lies under the lotus;† Some identify this with the Lotus plant, others with the Lotus tree. it hides in the reeds of the marsh. 22 The lotus covers it with shade; the willow trees of the valley surround it. 23 Even if the river is in flood, it is not concerned; it remains calm when the Jordan river surges against it. 24 No one can catch it while it is watching, or pierce its nose with a noose.‡ Or “It can take it with his eyes: it can pierce a snare with its nose.”

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*40:2 Or “Shall a faultfinder contend with God?”

†40:8 Or “invalidate my justice.”

‡40:15 Some identify Behemoth as the hippopotamus; others with a legendary creature. Behemoth is the plural of the usual word for animal.

§40:19 The Hebrew is unclear. The verse may mean that only its Creator can defeat it.

*40:20 Presumably the other animals are safe from the Behemoth since it is vegetarian.

†40:21 Some identify this with the Lotus plant, others with the Lotus tree.

‡40:24 Or “It can take it with his eyes: it can pierce a snare with its nose.”

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher