Job 40:1-9

1 And the LORD ¹said to Job:

2 "Shall a faultfinder ²contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it."

Job Promises Silence

3 Then Job answered the LORD and said:

4 "Behold, I am ³of small account; what shall I answer you? ⁴I lay my hand on my mouth.

5 I have spoken ⁵once, and I will not answer; ⁶twice, but I will proceed no further."

The Lord Challenges Job

6 Then the LORD ⁷answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

7 ⁸"Dress for action^[a] like a man; ⁹I will question you, and you make it known to me.

8 Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that ¹⁰you may be in the right?

9 Have you ¹¹an arm like God, and can you thunder with ¹²a voice like his?

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Job 40:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 40

In this chapter Job is called upon to give in his answer, Job 40:1,2, which he does in the most humble manner, acknowledging his vileness and folly, Job 40:3-5; and then the Lord proceeds to give him further conviction of his superior justice and power, Job 40:6-9; and one thing he proposes to him, to humble the proud, if he could, and then he would own his own right hand could save him, Job 40:10-15; and observes to him another instance of his power in a creature called behemoth, which he had made, and gives a description of, Job 40:15-24.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 12

1. Job 38:1
2. See Job 33:13
3. [Job 42:6; Ezra 9:6]
4. Job 21:5; Job 29:9; Judges 18:19
5. Job 33:14; Psalms 62:11
6. Job 33:14; Psalms 62:11
7. Job 38:1
8. Job 38:3
9. Job 38:3; Job 42:4
10. See Job 32:2
11. Psalms 89:13; Isaiah 63:12
12. See Job 37:4

Footnotes 1

[a]. Hebrew Gird up your loins

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.