God's great power seen in the leviathan.
1CANST thou 1draw out 2leviathana with an hook? or 3his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?
1 Namely, to catch him, as other fishes are caught. He wants to say: not thou; for he is too strong and great thus to be taken.
2 Understand a great and terrible sea monster, which is called leviathan, according to some opinions, from the Hebrew word lavah, signifying to add or adjoin, in regard that his body is covered with abundance of scales, which are joined and fastened together very close. Some do understand a sea dragon. Compare Isa. 27:1.
a river or sea monster*
3 Namely, pull, after thou shalt have laid hold thereof with the hook or eye. Other, and shalt thou pull down his tongue with a cord?
2Canst thou put an 4hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a 5thorn?
4 Understand an iron hook, having the shape of a bending bulrush. The sense is, that a man, when he had taken him, would not be able to keep or curb the leviathan with such an instrument, as one is able to do with other creatures.
5 Or, hook from thorns, or made in the shape of a thorn.
3Will he make 6many supplications unto thee? will he speak 7soft words unto thee?
6 Namely, to be let loose again out of thine hand, after thou hast taken him, and to enjoy his former liberty. This is spoken of the creatures according to the manner of men. Compare Job 39 on verse 18.
7 Hebr. smooth things or discourses, such as is used by them who pray and endeavor to obtain something by humble and submissive language.
4Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant 8for ever?
8 Hebr. for a slave or servant of eternity, that is, for a slave, to serve and be subjected to thee for ever.
5Wilt thou play with him as with a 9bird? or wilt thou bind him 10for thy maidens?
9 See of the Hebrew word Gen. 7 on verse 14 and Lev. 14 on verse 4.
10 Namely, that they may amuse themselves with him, and make him their pastime.
6Shall the 11companions make a 12banquet of him? shall they part him among the 13merchants?
11 Understand the fishermen, who are together in an agreement and company, and may have caught such a fish.
12 Namely, for joy over such a draught, or hope to take him.
13 Hebr. Canaanites, thus were the merchants called, by reason that the ancient inhabitants of the land Canaan did much negotiate, the country being very commodiously situated for it along the Mediterranean Sea. The word is likewise taken in Prov. 31:24; Isa. 23:8; Hosea 12:8.
7Canst thou 14fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with 15fish spears?
14 That is, lay hold on him on all sides, and pierce him all over to take him sure and hold him fast.
15 Namely, wherewith the fishes are struck, held fast and kept caught.
8Lay thine hand 16upon him, remember 17the battle, 18do no more.
16 Namely, to stroke him and sport with him, and so to make him familiar to thee. Other, doest thou lay thy hand upon him, namely to lay hold on him by force and so to catch him.
17 Namely, which thou shalt be sure to undergo if thou go any way about to seize on him to catch him.
18 That is, do not try anymore to come near to him, for fear to be hurt. Other, will remember the combat no more.
9Behold, 19the hope of him is in 20vain: shall not 21one 22be cast down even at the 23sight of him?
19 Namely, he who would take him, and for that end lays hand on him. Other, the hope of him, namely, of taking him.
20 Hebr. become untruthful, that is, altogether vain and idle, inasmuch as he shall not be able to take him.
21 Namely, the leviathan. Other, shall he (namely, he who seeks to catch him) also not before his face, or when he is seen, be struck down or thrown down?
22 Namely, for fear of him that goes about to catch him.
23 That is, of the one that seeks to catch him.
10None is so 24fierce that dare stir 25him up: 26who then is able to stand before me?
24 Hebr. cruel, bold, horrible.
25 The leviathan. See of him Job 41:1.
26 If men are not able to endure the sight of such a creature, how shall they be able to endure the dreadfulness of My majesty to contend with Me?
11Whob hath prevented 27me, 28that I should repay him? whatsoeverc is under the whole heaven is mine.
b Rom. 11:35.
27 Namely, by doing anything for Me, or being in any way beneficial to Me.
28 That is, that I would be bound to testify some acknowledgment for the benefit received.
c Exod. 19:5; Deut. 10:14; Psalm 24:1; 50:12; 1 Cor. 10:26, 28.
12I will not conceal 29his parts, nor his power, nor his 30comely 31proportion.
29 Namely, of the leviathan. The Lord proceeds in the description of him.
30 Or, acceptableness, or, goodliness.
31 Or, proportion, structure, composition, namely, whereby all the members are in great wisdom most artfully and ingeniously framed.
13Who can discover 32the face of his garment? or who can come to 33him with his 34double bridle?
32 Or, the uppermost. Hebr. the face of. Many do hereby understand the sea, with which he is covered. The sense would be, that no man was able to bring him out of the sea, wherewith he was covered as with a garment, to draw him on shore, there to do with him what one pleases. Others understand by the face of his garment, his skin and scales which no man would dare or be able to pull off.
33 Namely, to put the same into his mouth and so to bridle and force him. The sense is manifested by the next verse.
34 That is, with a very strong and tough bridle.
14Who can 35open the 36doors of his face? his teeth are 37terrible round about.
35 Namely, to lay the bridle into it and to put it on.
36 That is, his mouth or jaws.
37 Namely, with which he terrifies man, when he would come near him.
15His 38scales are his 39pride, 40shut up together as with a close seal.
38 Understand the scales of these beasts, which have the shape of and serve for shields. This cannot be applied to our whales, which have a thick and smooth skin without scales.
39 Hebr. An exultation, or, excellence, or, haughtiness are the strengths of the scales.
40 The meaning is, that his scales are set very close and compact together. See Job 41:1 on the word leviathan.
1641One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
41 Namely, the shield or scale of the leviathan.
17They are joined 42one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.d
42 Hebr. the man to his brother, that is, the one to the other.
d to break apart, to sever
18By his 43neesingse a light doth shine, and his eyes are 44like the eyelids of the morning.
43 Hebr. His neesings maketh a light to shine, that is, each or every one of them. Understand thereby the breathing of the leviathan, wherewith he forces the water to gush upward, which causes a shining or bright luster upon the sea.
e sneezing
44 That is, as the beams of the daybreak, unto which the eyes of the leviathan are compared by reason of their greatness, redness and brightness. Compare Job 3 on verse 9.
1945Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and 46sparks of fire leap out.
45 That is, the smoke, which comes forth from his breathing and blowing, is so great and abundant, as if he had torches burning within his bellows, and sparks of fire burst forward. This and what follows seem to be hyperbolical expressions to show forth the greatness and terribleness of the very breath and blowing of this beast, and the extraordinary mighty effects thereof.
46 Hebr. sparks or sprinkling of fire. Also a lamp of fire, Gen. 15:17, for a fiery lamp; burning coals of fire, Lev. 16:12; likewise a chariot of fire and horses of fire, 2 Kings 2:11, etc.
20Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or 47caldron.
47 Or, water-pool, standing water, from which there are rising up damps and vapors.
21His 48breath kindleth 49coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.
48 Hebr. soul. Also Dan. 10:17.
49 The Hebrew word signifies sometimes kindled and fiery coals, as Prov. 6:28; Isa. 44:19; sometimes dead and lifeless coals, as here; likewise 2 Sam. 22:9; Psalm 18:8.
22In his neck 50remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy 51before him.
50 That is, it has there its firm place and habitation. The meaning is, that in that part of the body he was exceeding strong.
51 A poetical expression, giving to understand that in the leviathan there was no sorrow, no care, no fear, no grief, no heaviness at all, but only bravery, courage and undaunted strength. Other, thou shouldest leap up before him for heaviness, that is, fear and terror.
2352The flakesf of his flesh are joined together: 53they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.
52 Understand that the fleshy pieces, which in other fishes, especially great ones, are flaccid, infirm, hanging loose, but in this sea creature they are very firm, close and compactly cleaving together.
f folds
53 Namely, of the foresaid pieces of his flesh.
24His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether 54millstone.
54 In the mills there were two millstones, 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 show in some sort, by way of comparison, the strength and vigor thereof.
25When he 55raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason 56of breakings they 57purify themselves.
55 Namely, whereby he lifts himself up and show himself above the water.
56 Whereby he tosses, tumbles and swims through the sea, breaking the waves and billows before him, and making the water rough and boisterous.
57 That is, 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. Compare Psalm 107:23, etc., Psalm 107:28, etc.; Jonah 1:5.
26The sword of him 58that layethg at him 59cannot hold: the spear, the dart, 60nor the habergeon.h
58 Namely, the sword.
g strike at
59 That is, not effect or avail anything, but it shall rather bend itself crooked, or break to pieces by the hardness or toughness of leviathan’s skin than wound or hurt him.
60 Namely, shall subsist.
h coat of mail*
2761He esteemeth 62iron as straw, and brass as 63rotten wood.
61 This is spoken of the animals according to the manner of men. See Job 39 on verse 18, and below verse 29.
62 Understand the iron weapons, and so in the sequel.
63 Hebr. wood of corruption.
28The 64arrow cannot make him flee: 65slingstones are turned with him into stubble.
64 Hebr. The son of the bow, that is, 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 out from there. See Job 5 on verse 7.
65 Compare 2 Chron. 26:14 and the annotation.
2966Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.
66 The Hebrew word properly signifies (according to some opinions) a certain engine of war, whereby stones were cast in a very violent manner. In ancient times called ballista.
3067Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp 68pointed things 69upon the mire.
67 Hebr. sharpness of the sherd, or sherds. Understand the craggy rocks which are sticking out here and there in the sea, whereupon the leviathan sometimes reposes himself, and is nothing else to him but a potsherd, which, by reason of his hard skin, can do him no hurt.
68 Hebr. the incised. Understand the crags, which do stand out in many places with such sharp tops and points, as if they were cut or hewn out by the art of man.
69 The sense is, that this beast, lying upon those points and crags, had no more trouble or pain by them than if he lay all upon mud and quagmire.
31He maketh the 70deep to 71boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a 72pot of ointment.
70 That is, the sea. Also Psalm 107:24; Jonah 2:3. Likewise in the next verse the word deep is taken for the sea.
71 That is, 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.
72 The word in the original properly signifies a mixing of spices, herbs and other substances, which are made up into ointments, conserves, perfumes, comfits and sauces. Here it is taken for the commotion which the leviathan makes in the bottom of the sea by the vastness and strength of his body.
32He maketh a path to 73shine after him; one would think the deep to be 74hoary.
73 Namely, in regard that by his mighty and boisterous tossing he makes the water full of foam and froth, which, because of its whiteness, produces some brightness.
74 That is, that one might judge the sea to be full of gray hairs by reason of the whiteness of the froth.
3375Upon earth there is 76not 77his 78like, who is made without fear.
75 Hebr. Upon the dust. As such the earth is called in Prov. 8:26 the dust of the world.
76 Namely, among the animals.
77 Namely, with the leviathan. See the next verse.
78 Understand in regard of his dreadful strength and greatness.
34He 79beholdeth all high things: he is a king 80over all the children of pride.
79 Hebr. sees, that is, he despises, beholds stoutly, without any fear. Also Job 40:11; see the annotation.
80 Hebr. sons of the haughty beast. Understand the greatest, stoutest, haughtiest and strongest of the wild animals. Compare Job 28:8.