Job 41:12-22

12 “I will not fail to speak of Leviathan’s limbs, its strength and its graceful form.

13 Who can strip off its outer coat? Who can penetrate its double coat of armor^[a] ?

14 Who dares open the doors of its mouth, ringed about with fearsome teeth?

15 Its back has^[b] rows of shields tightly sealed together;

16 each is so close to the next that no air can pass between.

17 They are joined fast to one another; they cling together and cannot be parted.

18 Its snorting throws out flashes of light; its eyes are like the rays of dawn.

19 Flames stream from its mouth; sparks of fire shoot out.

20 Smoke pours from its nostrils as from a boiling pot over burning reeds.

21 Its breath sets coals ablaze, and flames dart from its mouth.

22 Strength resides in its neck; dismay goes before it.

Job 41:12-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 41

A large description is here given of the leviathan, from the difficulty and danger of taking it, from whence it is inferred that none can stand before God, Job 41:1-10; from the several parts of him, his face, teeth, scales, eyes, mouth and neck, flesh and heart, Job 41:11-24; and from various wonderful terrible things said of him, and ascribed to him, Job 41:25-34.

Cross References

• 1. Job 40:18
• 2. S Job 39:11
• 3. S Job 30:11; S Job 39:10
• 4. Psalms 22:13
• 5. Job 40:17
• 6. S Job 3:9
• 7. Daniel 10:6
• 8. Psalms 18:8
• 9. S Job 4:9; Isaiah 11:4; Isaiah 40:7
• 10. Psalms 18:8; Isaiah 10:17; Isaiah 30:27; Isaiah 33:14; Isaiah 66:14-16; Jeremiah 4:4
• 11. S Job 39:11

Footnotes

• [a]. Septuagint; Hebrew "double bridle"
• [b]. Or "Its pride is its"