Job 40:22

22 The lotus plants give it shade among the willows beside the stream.

Job 40:22 Meaning and Commentary

Job 40:22

The shady trees cover him [with] their shadow
Under which it lies, as in ( Job 40:21 ) ; which is thought not so well to agree with the elephant, since, according to Aelianus ^F8 and other writers, it lies not down, at least but rarely, but sleeps standing; it being very troublesome to it to lie down and rise up again; and besides it is represented by some authors ^F9 as higher than the trees, and therefore this is supposed to agree better with the river horse; especially since it follows,

the willows of the brook compass him about;
or the willows of the Nile, as some choose to render it; which would put it out of all doubt that the river horse is intended, if it could be established, it being an inhabitant of that river; and yet the above writer ^F11 speaks of elephants, when grown old, seeking large thick and shady woods to take up their abode in.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Ibid. (Aelian. de Animal.) c. 31.
F9 Ibid. l. 7. c. 6.
F11 Ibid. c. 2.

Job 40:22 In-Context

20 The mountains offer it their best food, where all the wild animals play.

21 It lies under the lotus plants, hidden by the reeds in the marsh.

22 The lotus plants give it shade among the willows beside the stream.

23 It is not disturbed by the raging river, not concerned when the swelling Jordan rushes around it.

24 No one can catch it off guard or put a ring in its nose and lead it away.