Job 40
1 And the Lord God answered Job, and said,
And the LORD said to Job:
2 Will [any one] pervert judgement with the Mighty One? and he that reproves God, let him return it for answer.
“Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who argues with God give an answer.”
3 And Job answered and said to the Lord,
Then Job answered the LORD:
4 Why do I yet plead? being rebuked even while reproving the Lord: hearing such things, whereas I am nothing: and what shall I answer to these [arguments]? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.
“Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth.
5 I have spoken once; but I will not do so a second time.
I have spoken once, but I have no answer— twice, but I have nothing to add.”
6 And the Lord yet again answered and spoke to Job out of the cloud, [saying],
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
7 Nay, gird up now your loins like a man; and I will ask you, and do you answer me.
“Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me.
8 Do not set aside my judgement: and do you think that I have dealt with you in any other way, than that you might appear to be righteous?
Would you really annul My justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?
9 Hast you an arm like the Lord's? or do you thunder with a voice like his?
Do you have an arm like God’s? Can you thunder with a voice like His?
10 Assume now a lofty bearing and power; and clothe yourself with glory and honour.
Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and clothe yourself with honor and glory.
11 And send forth messengers with wrath; and lay low every haughty one.
Unleash the fury of your wrath; look on every proud man and bring him low.
12 Bring down also the proud man; and consume at once the ungodly.
Look on every proud man and humble him; trample the wicked where they stand.
13 And hide them together in the earth; and fill their faces with shame.
Bury them together in the dust; imprison them in the grave.
14 [Then] will I confess that your right hand can save [you].
Then I will confess to you that your own right hand can save you.
15 But now look at the wild beasts with you; they eat grass like oxen.
Look at Behemoth, which I made along with you. He feeds on grass like an ox.
16 Behold now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.
See the strength of his loins and the power in the muscles of his belly.
17 He sets up his tail like a cypress; and his nerves are wrapped together.
His tail sways like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are tightly knit.
18 His sides are sides of brass; and his backbone is [as] cast iron.
His bones are tubes of bronze; his limbs are rods of iron.
19 This is the chief of the creation of the Lord; made to be played with by his angels.
He is the foremost of God’s works; only his Maker can draw the sword against him.
20 And when he has gone up to a steep mountain, he causes joy to the quadrupeds in the deep.
The hills yield him their produce, while all the beasts of the field play nearby.
21 He lies under trees of every kind, by the papyrus, and reed, and bulrush.
He lies under the lotus plants, hidden among the reeds of the marsh.
22 And the great trees make a shadow over him with their branches, and [so do] the bushes of the field.
The lotus plants conceal him in their shade; the willows of the brook surround him.
23 If there should be a flood, he will not perceive it; he trust that Jordan will rush up into his mouth.
Though the river rages, Behemoth is unafraid; he remains secure, though the Jordan surges to his mouth.
24 [Yet one] shall take him in his sight; [one] shall catch [him] with a cord, and pierce his nose.
Can anyone capture him as he looks on, or pierce his nose with a snare?
