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Home › Berean Standard Bible  › Job 41  › Job 41:31

Job 41:31

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Job 41:31 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

He makes the depths seethe like a cauldron; he makes the sea like a jar of ointment.

King James Version KJV

He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.

American Standard Version ASV

He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: He maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.

Bible in Basic English BBE

The deep is boiling like a pot of spices, and the sea like a perfume-vessel.

Free Bible Version FBV

It churns up the sea like water in a boiling pot, like a steaming bowl when ointment is mixed.

Young's Literal Translation YLT

He causeth to boil as a pot the deep, The sea he maketh as a pot of ointment.

World English Bible WEB

He makes the deep to boil like a pot. He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.

Noah Webster Bible WBS

He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.

Translation for Translators T4T

They stir up the water and cause it to foam as they churn/swim through it.

Study Highlights

Key words in the translations above are automatically highlighted. Names of God and Jesus are marked in purple, the Holy Spirit in orange, divine action verbs are underlined, and repeated key words are highlighted in yellow.

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Study Notes — Job 41:31

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Job 41:31 Summary

This verse, Job 41:31, shows us how powerful God is by describing how He can make the deep ocean be very stormy, like a big pot of boiling water, and also very calm, like a jar of smooth ointment. It reminds us that God is in control of everything, including the natural world, as seen in Psalms 104:1-35, where God's care for creation is described. We can trust in His power and care for us, just as the sea is under His control. This helps us understand that God is not just a distant God, but a God who is involved in every detail of our lives, as mentioned in Matthew 10:29-31, where God's care for the smallest details is highlighted.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean for the depths to 'seethe like a cauldron' in Job 41:31?

This phrase suggests a state of intense turmoil and agitation, much like the boiling of a cauldron, and it highlights God's power over the natural world, as seen in Psalms 107:25, where He stirs up the sea, causing the waves to rise.

How can the sea be compared to 'a jar of ointment'?

This comparison emphasizes the calmness and serenity that can also exist in the sea, much like the smooth and peaceful consistency of ointment, illustrating God's ability to bring peace and order, as mentioned in Isaiah 57:20, which contrasts the peaceful state of the righteous with the turbulent sea.

What does this verse reveal about God's character?

This verse showcases God's omnipotence and mastery over creation, demonstrating His ability to both stir up and calm the natural world, reflecting His sovereignty as described in Job 38:1-7, where God questions Job about His understanding of the natural world.

How does this verse relate to our everyday lives?

This verse reminds us of God's power and control over all aspects of life, encouraging us to trust in His sovereignty and provision, just as the Psalmist expresses trust in God's care and provision in Psalms 23:1-4.

Reflection Questions

  1. What are some areas in my life where I need to trust in God's power and sovereignty, just as He demonstrates control over the sea?
  2. How can I apply the contrast between turmoil and calmness in this verse to my own experiences of trial and peace?
  3. In what ways can I reflect God's character, as seen in this verse, in my interactions with the world around me?
  4. What does this verse teach me about the importance of respecting and revering God's power and creation?

Gill's Exposition on Job 41:31

He maketh the deep to boil (k) like a pot,.... Which is all in a from through the violent agitation and motion of the waves, caused by its tossing and tumbling about; which better suits with the

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 41:31

He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. He maketh the deep to boil like a pot - whenever he moves. Sea - the Nile . Pot of ointment - the vessel in which it is mixed.

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 41:31

The deep; the deep waters, or the sea, which is called the deep, , as it is explained in the next clause. To boil like a pot; to swell, and foam, and froth by his strong and vehement motion, as any liquor doth when it is boiled in a pot. The sea; either the great sea, the proper place of the whale, ; or the great river Nilus, which is called a sea, both in Scripture, as , and in other authors, (of which see my Latin Synopsis,) as Euphrates is called the sea of Babylon, ; or lakes or pools, which are most frequently called seas, both in the Old and New Testament, as every one knows. And in such lakes the crocodiles are no less than in Nilus, as it is attested by Herodotus, and Strabo, and others. Like a pot of ointment: this clause seems to be added very emphatically, to intimate that this leviathan causeth not only a vehement commotion, but also a great fragrancy in the sea or waters where it is; which, though it was not observed by the ancients, yet is unanimously affirmed by later authors upon their own knowledge and experience, that it casts a perfume like musk; of which see the names and words of the authors in my Latin Synopsis.

Trapp's Commentary on Job 41:31

Job 41:31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.Ver. 31. He maketh the deep to boil like a pot] He troubleth the whole ocean, he maketh a mighty commotion in the sea, when he rolls himself therein upward and downward, and casts up water on high through a certain conveyance that he hath in his head (Plin. lib. ix. c. 3, 6). He maketh the sea like a pot of ointment] Turning it into a team, like the scum of a boiling pot. Beza rendereth it thus, He maketh the sea like a mortar, wherein colours are beaten; that is, the whirling of the water is like unto a quern, that is turned round of the painter, to temper his colours.

Ellicott's Commentary on Job 41:31

(31) The sea—i.e., not necessarily the salt water, for the Nile is still called the sea by the Arabs, and so with many other large rivers. Example, the “sea-wall” of the Thames below Gravesend.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 41:31

Verse 31. He maketh the deep to boil like a pot] This is occasioned by strongly agitating the waters at or near the bottom; and the froth which arises to the top from this agitation may have the appearance of ointment. But several travellers say that the crocodile has a very strong scent of musk, and that he even imparts this smell to the water through which he passes, and therefore the text may be taken literally. This property of the crocodile has been noticed by several writers.

Cambridge Bible on Job 41:31

31. The commotion he raises in the deep. The second clause of the verse hardly refers to fermentation in the pot of ointment, but rather to the foaming mixture of ingredients.

Barnes' Notes on Job 41:31

He maketh the deep to boil like a pot - In his rapid motion through it. The word “deep” (מצולה metsôlâh) may refer to any deep place - either of the sea, of a river, or of mire, Psalms 69:2.

Whedon's Commentary on Job 41:31

31. The sea — The Arabs still call the Nile bahr, a sea. Pot of ointment — This figure rests, as some suppose, upon the strong, musk-like odour emitted by the crocodile.
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