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Job Places His Hand over His Mouth

40 Then Yahweh answered Job and said,

“Will the faultfinder (A)contend with the Almighty?
Let him who (B)reproves God answer it.”

Then Job answered Yahweh and said,

“Behold, I am insignificant; what can I respond to You?
I (C)place my hand over my mouth.
Once I have spoken, and (D)I will not answer;
Even twice, and I will add nothing more.”

Yahweh Will Ask Job

Then (E)Yahweh answered Job out of the [a]whirlwind and said,

“Now (F)gird up your loins like a man;
I will (G)ask you, and you make Me know.
Will you really (H)annul My judgment?
Will you (I)condemn Me (J)that you may be justified?
Or do you have an arm like God,
And can you (K)thunder with a voice like His?

10 (L)Adorn yourself with exaltation and loftiness,
And clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
11 Pour out (M)the overflowings of your anger,
And look on everyone who is (N)proud, and make him low.
12 Look on everyone who is proud, and (O)humble him,
And (P)tread down the wicked [b]in their place.
13 (Q)Hide them in the dust together;
Bind their faces in the hidden place.
14 Then I will also praise you,
That your own right hand can save you.

Behold the Behemoth

15 “Behold now, [c]Behemoth, which (R)I made along with you;
It eats grass like an ox.
16 Behold now, its power in its loins
And its vigor in the muscles of its belly.
17 It hangs its tail like a cedar;
The sinews of its thighs are knit together.
18 Its bones are tubes of bronze;
Its [d]limbs are like bars of iron.

19 “It is the (S)first of the ways of God;
Let its (T)Maker bring near its sword.
20 Surely the mountains (U)bring it food,
And all the beasts of the field (V)play there.
21 Under the lotus plants it lies down,
In the hidden place of the reeds and the marsh.
22 The lotus plants cover it with [e]shade;
The willows of the brook surround it.
23 If a river oppresses, it is not alarmed;
It is secure, though the (W)Jordan bursts forth to its mouth.
24 Can anyone capture it before its eyes,
With snares can anyone pierce its nose?

Footnotes

  1. Job 40:6 Or storm
  2. Job 40:12 Lit under them
  3. Job 40:15 Hippopotamus, dinosaur, or other; lit great beast
  4. Job 40:18 Lit bones
  5. Job 40:22 Lit his shade

God continues to speak to Job

40 The Lord said to Job,

‘Do you still want to argue with me, the Almighty God?
You say that I have not been fair.
Now you must explain what you mean.’

Job replies to God

Then Job answered the Lord. This is what he said:

‘I am only a foolish man.
    I cannot answer your questions.
I cover my mouth with my hand
    so that I say nothing.
I have already spoken too many times.
    I will say no more.’

God speaks to Job again

Then the Lord spoke to Job from inside the storm. This is what he said:

‘Prepare yourself for a difficult job!
I will ask you some more questions and you must answer them.

Do you say that I am not a fair judge?
Do you want to show that I am guilty, not you?
    Then you could say that you are right.
Do you have the same power to do great things as I have?
Can you speak with a voice as loud as thunder?
    I can!
10 If you think that you can do all this,
    show how great you are!
    Show everyone your power and your glory!
11 Show everyone your great anger!
Look at all the people who like to boast
    and bring them down low!
12 Yes, cause all the proud people to be humble.
    Knock down wicked people to the ground.
13 Bury them all together in the dust of the ground.
    Cover their faces and put them in their graves.
14 If you can do these things, Job,
    I will praise you.
I will agree that you have the power to save yourself.

15 Listen! I created the monsters called Behemoth.[a]
    I made you and I made them too.
They eat grass, as cows do.
16 But look at the strength of their legs and their body!
17 Their tails are like the branches of a cedar tree.
    Their legs are thick and very strong.
18 Their bones are like sticks made of bronze.
    Their legs are as strong as iron.
19 These monsters are some of the greatest animals that I have made.
But I who made them can take my sword
    and go near to them.
20 They eat the grass that grows on the hills.
    That is where the wild animals play.
21 They lie down under the thorn trees.
    They hide among the reeds at the edge of the water.
22 They rest in the shadow of the thorn trees,
    and among the willow trees beside the water.
23 Even when the river is deep and dangerous,
    these monsters are not afraid.
The water of the Jordan River may cover their mouths,
    but they still feel safe.
24 There is no way that anyone can catch one of them.
    No one can make its eyes blind.
    No one can put a ring in its nose and lead it away.’

Footnotes

  1. 40:15 This may be speaking about the large animal that we call a hippopotamus.