Job 41

God sheweth forth the end of the description of the Leviathan, v.1. declareth that he is obliged to none, but Lord of all, 2. Goeth on in the description of the Leviathan, for the demonstration of his divine power, etc to shew, since the same is incomprehensible, that therefore we must not speak against, nor carp or tax his works, 3. Etc.

1. None is (so) bold, [Heb. Fierce, fell, terrible, daring] that he should rouse him up? [him, viz. The Leviathan See of him above chap.40.v.20.] who is he then that should stand [Or place himself] before my face? [i.e. of men are not able, or have not the heart to endure the sight of such a Creature; how shall they be able to endure the dreadfulness of my Majesty, for to contend or contest with me?]

2. Who hath prevented me [viz. By doing any thing for me, or being any way beneficial to me] that I should recompence (him)? [i.e. that I should be bound to testify some acknowledgement for the benefits received] what (soever) is under the whole heaven is mine.

3. I will not conceal his limes, [viz. Leviathans; The LORD proceedeth in the description of him] nor the rehearsal of (his) strengths, nor the pleasantness. [or acceptableness, goodliness] of his shape: [or proportion, disposition, structure, feature, viz. Whereby all the members, are most artificially, fitly and completely framed and joined together in great wisdom.]

4. Who can discover the uppermost of his garment? [Heb. The face of, etc. Many do hereby understand the Sea, wherewith he is covered; and so the sense should be that no man was able to bring him out of the Sea, wherewith he was covered as with a garment for to draw and hale him a shore, there to do with him, what one listed. Others understand by the uppermost garment, his skin or scales which no man should dare or be able to pull off.] Who dare come on (him) with his double bridle, [i.e. with a very strong and tough one, viz. To put the same into his mouth, and so to bridle and force him. The sense is manifested by the next verse.]

5. Who dare open the door of his face? [i.e. of his mouth or jaws, viz. For to put in the bridle, and so to bridle him] round about his teeth are terror, [viz. Which would seize on him, that should adventure so neer him.]

6. His strong shields are very excellent; [Heb. An exaltation, or excellency, or haughtiness, are the strengths of the shields, understand the scales of this beast, which have the shape of, and serve for shields. This can not be applied to our Whales, which have a thick and smooth skin without seals] each one closed, as with a close printing seal [the meaning is, that his scales are set very close, and compactly together. See above 40.on v.20. on the word Leviathan.]

7. The one [viz. The shield, or scale of the Leviathan] is so close to the other, that the wind, can not get be between.

8. They cleave together. [Heb. The man to his brother, i.e. the one to the other.] they take hold one of another that they do not divide themselves.

9. Every one of his sneezing’s maketh a light to shine: [Heb. His sneezing maketh a light to shine, i.e. each or every one them: understand thereby the breathing of the Leviathan, wherewith he forceth the Water to gush upward into the Air, which causeth a shining, or bright lustre or lightsomeness upon the Sea.] and his eyes are like the Eye-lids of the Day-break [i.e. as the beams of the day-break, unto which the Eyes of the Leviathan are compared, by reason of their bigness, redness, and brightness; brightness. Compare above 3.on v.9.]

10. Out of his breathing and blowing, is so great and abundant, as if he had torches burning within his jaws, and sparks of fire brake out thence. This and what followeth, seem to be hyperbolical expressions, to shew forth the greatness and terribleness of the very breath and blowing of this beast, and the extraordinary mighty effects thereof] fiery sparks do issue forth (there). [Heb. Sparks or sprinkling of fire, so a torch of fire, Gen.15.17. for a fiery torch, coals of fiery, Lev.16.12. item. Chariots of fire and horses of fire, 2 Kings 2:11. etc.]

11. Out of his nostril there comes forth smoke, as (out) of a seething pot, and large kettle [Or water-pool, standing-water, viz. From which there are damps and vapours rising up.]

12. His breath [Heb. Soul. So Dan.10.17.] would wake coals to flame [The Hebrew word doth sometimes signify kindled and fiery coals, as Prov.6.28. Isa.44.19. Sometimes dead and lifeless ones, as here, item 2 Sam.22.9. Psal.18.9.] and a flame cometh forth out his mouth.

13. In his neck harboureth strength: [i.e. there it hath its strong hold, or firm habitation as it were, meaning that in that part of the body he was exceeding strong.] before him sadness her self leapeth up for joy. [a poetical expression, giving to understand, that in the Leviathan there was no care, nor fear, nor grief, nor heaviness at all, but that he was always full of chear, jollity courage and undauntedness. Oth. Thou shouldest leap up before him for heaviness, i.e. for fear and terror.]

14. The pieces of his flesh cleave together; [Understand that the fleshy pieces, which in other fishes, especially great ones, use to be slap, uniform, hanging loose in a manner, are in this Sea-creature very firm close and compactly cleaving together] each one is firm in him, it is not moved. [viz. Of the foresaid pieces of his flesh.]

15. His heart is firm like a stone; yea firm like a part of the nethermost (mill-stone) [In the mills there were two mill-stones, the uppermost and the nethermost, and because the nethermost was made of the strongest and hardest stones, therefore the heart of this Beast is compared to that, to shew in some sort, by way of comparison the strength and vigour thereof.]

16. The strong (ones) are afraid of his exalting: [viz. Whereby he lifteth up, and sheweth himself above the water] because of (his) irruptions, [whereby he tosseth, tumbleth, and swimmeth through the Sea, breaking the waves and billows before him, and making the water rough and boisterous] they expiate themselves, [i.e. the strongest and stoutest of all the rest, are so seized with fear and terror, that they seek to make their peace and atonement with God, even as if they had death before their eyes ready to dispatch them. Compare Psa.107.23, &c. And 28.&c. Jon.1.5.]

17. If any hit him with the sword, that [word, namely] shall not subsist; [i.e. not effect or avail any thing. But it shall rather bend it self crooked, or break to pieces by the hardness or toughness of Leviathans skin, then wound or hurt him] Spear, shaft, nor Male-coat. [viz. Shall not subsist or avail.]

18. He accounteth [Spoken of beasts according to the manner of men. See above chap.39.on v.21. and below here v.20.] the iron for straw, [understand the iron weapons, and so in the sequel] and the steel for rotten wood. [Heb. Wood of corruption.]

19. The arrow shall not make him fly. [Heb. The son of the bow, etc. i.e. which is shot forth by means of the bow: thus an arrow is likewise called, a son of the quiver, Lam.3.13. because he is taken forth from thence. See above 5.on v.7.] the sling-stones [compare 2. Chron.26.14. and the annot.] are turned to him into stubble.

20. The casting-stones [The Hebrew word doth properly signify (according to some opinions) a certain engine of war, whereby stones were cast in a very violent manner] are counted by him as stubble, and he laughteth at the shaking of the lance.

21. Under him are sharp sheards: [Heb. Sharpness of the sheard, or sheards. Understand the craggy Rocks which are here and there in the Sea, whereupon the Leviathan doth sometimes repose himself, they being no otherwise to him then pot-sheards, which by reason of his hard and scaly skin, can do him no hurt] he spreadeth himself upon the sharpest [Heb. The cut out, understand the crags which do stand out in many places, with such sharp tops and points, as if they were cut or hewen out so by the art of man] (as) upon mire, [the sense is, that this beast living upon those points and crags, he had no more trouble or pain by them, then if he lay all upon mud and quag-mite.]

22. He maketh the deep, i.e. the Sea. So Psal.107.24. John 2:4. and so in the next verse the word abyss is taken for the Sea] to seeth [i.e. be full of billows and surges, roaring and foaming, by reason of his tumbling and turning or weltering himself in the bottom of the Sea] like a pot; he putteth the Sea like an Apothecaries cookery [The word in the Original doth properly signify a mixing of dry herbs, and other materials for to be made up into slaves, conserve, perfumes, comfit, juleps, pultises and the like. Here it is taken for the stir and commotion, which the Leviathan maketh in the bottom of the Sea, by the vastness and strength of his body.

23. After him he lighteneth the path: [viz. In regard that by his mighty and boisterous tossing, he maketh the water full of foam and froth, which because of its whiteness, produceth some lightsomeness and brightness] one should hold the abyss, [or Sea-bottom] for grayness [i.e. that one might judge the Sea to be full of gray heirs, by reason of the whiteness of the froth.]

24. Upon the Earth [Heb. Upon the dust, so the Earth is called, the dust of the world, Prov.8.26.] there is nothing [viz. Among the beasts] to be compared with him: [viz. With the Leviathan. See the next verse; understand in regard of his dreadful strength and greatness] who is made to be without terror.

25. He looketh on all that is high. [Heb. He seeth all, i.e. he contemneth, looketh stoutly, without any awe or dread. So above 40.6. see the annot.] he is a King over all young haugty beasts. [Heb. Sons of the haughty beast; understand the greatest, stoutest, haughtiest and strongest of the wild beasts. Compare above 28.8.]