2 “Will the faultfinder acontend with the Almighty?Let him who bdisputes with God answer it.”Job 9:3; 10:2; 33:13; Is 45:9Job 13:3; 23:4; 31:35
3 Then Job replied to the LORD and said,
4 “Behold, I am of little importance and contemptible; what can I reply to You?I alay my hand on my mouth. Ezra 9:6; Ps 51:4Job 21:5; 29:95 “I have spoken once, but aI will not reply again—Indeed, twice I have answered, and I will add nothing further.”Job 9:3, 15
God Questions Job
6 Then the aLORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, saying,Job 38:1
7 “aNow 1gird up your loins (prepare yourself) like a man,And bI will ask you, and you instruct Me.See note 38:3.Job 38:3Job 38:3; 42:48 “Will you really aannul My judgment and set it aside as void?Will you bcondemn Me your Godcthat you may appear to be righteous and justified?Rom 3:4Job 10:3, 7; 16:11; 19:6; 27:2Job 13:18; 27:69 “Have you an arm like God,And can you athunder with a voice like His?Job 37:5; Ps 29:3
10 “aAdorn yourself with eminence and dignity since you question the Almighty,And array yourself with honor and majesty.Ps 93:1; 104:111 “Pour out athe overflowings of your wrath,And look at everyone who is bproud and make him low.Is 42:25; Nah 1:6, 8Is 2:12; Dan 4:3712 “Look at everyone who is proud, and ahumble him,And if you are so ablebtread down the wicked where they stand.1 Sam 2:7; Is 2:12; 13:11; Dan 4:37Is 63:313 “Crush andahide them in the dust together;Shut them up in the hidden place the house of death.Is 2:10-1214 “If you can do all this, Job, proving your divine power then I God will also praise you and acknowledgeThat your own right hand can save you.
God’s Power Shown in Creatures
15 “Behold now, 1Behemoth, which aI created as well as you;He eats grass like an ox.Or the hippopotamus. Although Behemoth cannot be identified with certainty, the biblical description seems most like the hippopotamus. In ancient times it may have been even more formidable than today. In Job’s day the hippopotamus was the largest known creature, was commonly found in the lower Nile River, and may also have existed in the Jordan.Job 40:1916 “See now, his strength is in his loinsAnd his power is in the muscles and sinews of his belly.17 “He sways his tail like a cedar;The tendons of his thighs are twisted and knit together like a rope.18 “His bones are tubes of bronze;His 1limbs are like bars of iron.Lit bones.
19 “He is the afirst in magnitude and power of the works of God;Only He who bmade him can bring near His sword to master him.Job 41:33Job 40:1520 “Surely the mountains abring him food,And all the wild animals bplay there.Ps 104:14Ps 104:2621 “He lies down under the lotus plants,In the hidden shelter of the reeds in the marsh.22 “The lotus plants cover him with their shade;The willows of the brook surround him.23 “If a river rages and overflows, he does not tremble;He is confident, though the aJordan River swells and rushes against his mouth.Gen 13:1024 “Can anyone capture him when he is on watch,Or pierce his nose with barbs to trap him?
2 “Will the faultfinderacontend with the Almighty?Let him who brebukesGod1give an answer.”Lit answer itJob 9:3; 10:2; 33:13; Is 45:9Job 13:3; 23:4; 31:35
3 Then Jobanswered the LORD and said,
4 “Behold, I aminsignificant; what can I sayinresponse to You?I aput my hand on my mouth.Job 21:5; 29:95 “I have spokenonce, and aI will not reply;Or twice, and I will addnothingmore.”Job 9:3, 15
God Questions Job
6 Then the aLORDansweredJob from the whirlwind and said,Job 38:1
7 “Now1atightenthebelt on your waist like a man;I will bask you, and you instruct Me.I.e., as if for battleJob 38:3Job 38:3; 42:48 “Will you reallyanullify My judgment?Will you bcondemn Me csothat you may be justified?Rom 3:4Job 10:3, 7; 16:11; 19:6; 27:2Job 13:18; 27:69 “Or do you have an arm like God,And can you athunder with a voicelike His?Job 37:5; Ps 29:3
10 “aAdornyourself with pride and dignity,And clotheyourself with honor and majesty.Ps 93:1; 104:111 “Letout your aoutbursts of anger,And look at everyone who is barrogant, and humble him.Is 42:25; Nah 1:6, 8Is 2:12; Dan 4:3712 “Look at everyone who is arrogant, andahumble him,And btrampledown the wicked1where they stand.Lit under them1 Sam 2:7; Is 2:12; 13:11; Dan 4:37Is 63:313 “aHide them together in the dust;Imprison1them in the hiddenplace.Lit their facesIs 2:10-1214 “Then I will also1confess to you,That your own righthand can save you.Or praise you
God’s Power Shown in Creatures
15 “Behold, 1Behemoth, whichaI made2aswellas you;He eatsgrass like an ox.I.e., a powerful animal, possibly a hippopotamusLit with youJob 40:1916 “Behold, his strength in his waist,And his power in the muscles of his belly.17 “He hangs his taillike a cedar;The tendons of his thighs are knittogether.18 “His bones are tubes of bronze;His 1limbs are like bars of iron.Lit bones
19 “He is the afirst of the ways of God;Let his bMakerbring His swordnear.Job 41:33Job 40:1520 “Indeed the 1mountainsabring him food,And all the animals of the fieldbplaythere.I.e., the mountain streamsPs 104:14Ps 104:2621 “He liesdownunder the lotusplants,In the hidingplace of the reeds and the marsh.22 “The lotusplantscover him with 1shade;The willows of the brooksurround him.Lit his shade23 “If a river1rages, he is not alarmed;He isconfident, though the aJordanrushes to his mouth.Or oppressesGen 13:1024 “Can anyone capture him 1when he is on watch,Can anyone piercehisnose with barbs?Lit in his eyes
2 “Will the faultfinderacontend with the Almighty?Let him who breprovesGodanswer it.”Job 9:3; 10:2; 33:13; Is 45:9Job 13:3; 23:4; 31:35
3 Then Jobanswered the LORD and said,
4 “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You?I alay my hand on my mouth.Job 21:5; 29:95 “Once I have spoken, and aI will not answer;Even twice, and I will addnothing more.”Job 9:3, 15
God Questions Job
6 Then the aLORDansweredJob out of the storm and said,Job 38:1
7 “Nowagird up your loins like a man;I will bask you, and you instruct Me.Job 38:3Job 38:3; 42:48 “Will you reallyaannul My judgment?Will you bcondemn Me cthat you may be justified?Rom 3:4Job 10:3, 7; 16:11; 19:6; 27:2Job 13:18; 27:69 “Or do you have an arm like God,And can you athunder with a voicelike His?Job 37:5; Ps 29:3
10 “aAdornyourself with eminence and dignity,And clotheyourself with honor and majesty.Ps 93:1; 104:111 “Pour out athe overflowings of your anger,And look on everyonewho is bproud, and make him low.Is 42:25; Nah 1:6, 8Is 2:12; Dan 4:3712 “Look on everyonewho is proud, andahumble him,And btreaddown the wicked1where they stand.Lit under them1 Sam 2:7; Is 2:12; 13:11; Dan 4:37Is 63:313 “aHide them in the dusttogether;Bind1them in the hiddenplace.Or their facesIs 2:10-1214 “Then I will also1confess to you,That your own righthand can save you.Or praise you
God’s Power Shown in Creatures
15 “Beholdnow, 1Behemoth, whichaI made2as well as you;He eatsgrass like an ox.Or the hippopotamusLit withJob 40:1916 “Beholdnow, his strength in his loinsAnd his power in the muscles of his belly.17 “He bends his taillike a cedar;The sinews of his thighs are knittogether.18 “His bones are tubes of bronze;His 1limbs are like bars of iron.Lit bones
19 “He is the afirst of the ways of God;Let his bmakerbringnear his sword.Job 41:33Job 40:1520 “Surely the mountainsabring him food,And all the beasts of the fieldbplaythere.Ps 104:14Ps 104:2621 “Under the lotusplants he liesdown,In the covert of the reeds and the marsh.22 “The lotusplantscover him with 1shade;The willows of the brooksurround him.Lit his shade23 “If a river1rages, he is not alarmed;He is confident, though the aJordanrushes to his mouth.Or oppressesGen 13:1024 “Can anyone capture him 1when he is on watch,With 2barbs can anyone piercehisnose?Lit in his eyesLit snares