Job 40
1 God continued speaking to Job.
Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said,
2 “Are you still going to fight with the Almighty and try to set him straight? Anyone who argues with God must give some answers.”
Shall he that cavilleth contend with the Almighty? he that argueth with God, let him answer it.
3 Job answered the Lord,
Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
4 “Me—I am nothing at all. I have no answers. I put my hand in front of my mouth.
Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer thee? I lay mine hand upon my mouth.
5 I have already said far too much and I won't say anything more.”
Once have I spoken, and I will not answer; yea twice, but I will proceed no further.
6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind,
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
7 “Prepare yourself, be strong, for I am going to question you, and you must answer me.
Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
8 Are you really going to say my decisions are wrong? Are you going to condemn me so you can be right?
Wilt thou even disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be justified?
9 Are you as powerful as I am? Does your voice thunder like mine?
Or hast thou an arm like God? and canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
10 Why don't you dress yourself with majesty and dignity, and clothe yourself with glory and splendor!
Deck thyself now with excellency and dignity; and array thyself with honour and majesty.
11 Let loose your fierce anger. Humble the proud with a glance.
Pour forth the overflowings of thine anger: and look upon every one that is proud, and abase him.
12 Bring down the proud with your gaze; tread the wicked underfoot right where they are.
Look on every one that is proud, [and] bring him low; and tread down the wicked where they stand.
13 Bury them in the dust; lock them away in the grave.
Hide them in the dust together; bind their faces in the hidden [place].
14 Then I will also agree that your own strength can save you.
Then wilt I also confess of thee that thine own right hand can save thee.
15 Consider Behemoth, a creature I made just like I made you. It eats grass like cattle.
Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as all ox.
16 Look at its powerful loins, the muscles of its belly.
Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the muscles of his belly.
17 It bends its tail like a cedar; its thigh sinews are strong.
He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his thighs are knit together.
18 Its bones are like bronze tubes; its limbs like iron rods.
His bones are as tubes of brass; his limbs are like bars of iron.
19 It is the most important example of what God can do; only the one who made it can approach it with a sword.
He is the chief of the ways of God: he [only] that made him can make his sword to approach [unto him].
20 The hills produce food for it, and all the wild animals play there.
Surely the mountains bring him forth food; where all the beasts of the field do play.
21 It lies under the lotus; it hides in the reeds of the marsh.
He lieth under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reed, and the fen.
22 The lotus covers it with shade; the willow trees of the valley surround it.
The lotus trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.
23 Even if the river is in flood, it is not concerned; it remains calm when the Jordan river surges against it.
Behold, if a river overflow, he trembleth not: he is confident, though Jordan swell even to his mouth.
24 No one can catch it while it is watching, or pierce its nose with a noose.
Shall any take him when he is on the watch, or pierce through his nose with a snare?
