Make Us Gird Our Sinews and Find Simplicity Again
Verse-past-Poetry Bible Commentary
"He bends his tail like a cedar; The sinews of his thighs are knit together.
New American Standard Version
Clarke's Commentary
Verse Task twoscore:17. He moveth his tail similar a cedar — Therefore it was neither the elephant, who has a tail like that of the hog, nor the hippopotamus, whose tail is only most a foot long.
The sinews of his stones — I translate with Mr. Good, and for the same reasons, the sinews of his haunches, which is still more characteristic; as the animal must have excelled in leaping.
Bibliographical Information
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Task forty:17". "The Adam Clarke Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/chore-40.html. 1832.
Bridgeway Bible Commentary
Two beasts (40:fifteen-41:34)
Earlier Task accepts the challenge to govern the moral society, God warns him that it is far more difficult than governing the natural and physical order. Therefore, Task must first consider what power he has over, for instance, the beasts. Two examples are sufficient to print upon Job that he faces an impossibility. The kickoff of these is the monster Behemoth, by and large idea to be the hippopotamus. It is amid the strongest creatures of God's creation (15-18), anointed on the state, untroubled in the h2o and very hard to capture (19-24).
The 2nd beast described to Chore is Leviathan, the mythical body of water monster or, possibly, the crocodile. Tin can Task catch i with a hook as he catches a fish? Can he brand information technology talk, or make it piece of work for him, or make a pet of it? Can he sell it in the marketplace (41:1-6)? Even if Job were able to catch one he would be lamentable. He would never do it again (7-viii)! If, then, no person in his correct mind would cartel stir up Leviathan, how unthinkable to attempt to stand up up confronting God (9-11).
God and so describes some fearsome features of this dragon-like animal: its armour of tough skin, its strong jaws, its terrible teeth (12-17). When it blows air and h2o out of its nostrils, information technology appears to be blowing out fire and smoke (18-21). The animal is so fearfully strong that simply the sight of its movements fills even the strongest with terror (22-25). No weapon tin can pierce its atomic number 26-like peel (26-29). When it moves from the country into the water its movements dig up the mud similar a threshing-sledge and whip up white foam on the h2o (30-32). This fearsome beast is the male monarch of beasts, unconquerable past human power, yet it is part of the world God has created (33-34).
Bibliographical Information
Flemming, Donald C. "Commentary on Job xl:17". "Fleming's Bridgeway Bible Commentary". https://world wide web.studylight.org/commentaries/bbc/task-twoscore.html. 2005.
Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible
He moveth his tail like a cedar - Margin, "setteth up." The Hebrew word ( חפץ châphêts) means "to bend, to curve;" and hence, it commonly denotes "to be inclined, favorably disposed to desire or please." The obvious meaning here is, that this animal had some remarkable power of "bending" or "curving" its tail, and that there was some resemblance in this to the motion of the cedar-tree when moved by the air current. In "what" this resemblance consisted, or how this was a proof of its power, it is not quite easy to make up one's mind. Rosenmuller says that the meaning is, that the tail of the hippopotamus was "smooth, round, thick, and firm," and in this respect resembled the cedar. The tail is short - being, according to Abdollatiph (encounter Ros.), near half a cubit in length. In the lower role, says he, it is thick, "equalling the extremities of the fingers;" and the idea here, according to this, is, that this brusque, thick, and manifestly firm tail, was bent over by the volition of the animal as the wind bends the branches of the cedar.
The point of comparison is not the "length," just the fact of its beingness easily bent over or curved at the pleasure of the fauna. Why this, however, should accept been mentioned as remarkable, or how the power of the animal in this respect differs from others, is not very apparent. Some, who take supposed the elephant to exist hither referred to, have understood this of the proboscis. Merely though "this would be" a remarkable proof of the power of the fauna, the linguistic communication of the original volition not admit of it. The Hebrew word ( זנב zânâb) is used only to denote the tail. It is "possible" that there may be here an allusion to the unwieldy nature of every role of the beast, and especially to the thickness and inflexibility of the skin and what was remarkable was, that notwithstanding this, this fellow member was entirely at its command. Still, the reason of the comparing is non very articulate. The clarification of the motion of the "tail" here given, would hold much better with some of the extinct orders of animals whose remains have been recently discovered and arranged by Cuvier, than with that of the hippopotamus. Particularly, information technology would agree with the business relationship of the ichthyosaurus (encounter Buckland's "Geology, Bridgewater Treatise," vol. i. 133ff), though the other parts of the beast hither described would not accord well with this.
The sinews of his stones are wrapped together - Good renders this, "haunches;" Noyes, Prof. Lee, Rosenmuller, and Schultens, "thighs;" and the Septuagint just has: "his sinews." The Hebrew word used here ( פחד pachad) means properly "fright, terror," Exodus xv:16; Task 13:11; and, according to Gesenius, it and so means, since "fear" is transferred to cowardice and shame, annihilation which "causes" shame, and hence, the underground parts. So it is understood here past our translators; but there does non seem to exist any good reason for this translation, simply at that place is every reason why information technology should non be thus rendered. The "object" of the description is to inspire a sense of the "power" of the beast, or of his capacity to inspire terror or dread; and hence, the allusion here is to those parts which were fitted to convey this dread, or this sense of his power - to wit, his strength. The usual significant of the word, therefore, should exist retained, and the sense then would exist, "the sinews of his terror," that is, of his parts fitted to inspire terror, "are wrapped together;" are firm, compact, solid. The allusion and so is to his thighs or haunches, as being formidable in their aspect, and the seat of strength. The sinews or muscles of these parts seemed to be like a hard-twisted rope; meaty, firm, solid, and such equally to defy all attempts to overcome them.
Bibliographical Data
Barnes, Albert. "Commentary on Chore xl:17". "Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/job-40.html. 1870.
Smith's Bible Commentary
Chapter forty
Moreover the Lord answered Task, and said, Shall he that contends with the Almighty instruct him? ( Job 40:one-2 )
"Job, are you trying to instruct me?" Isn't that ridiculous? Can you recall of everyone trying to instruct God? How foolish! But y'all're looking at one. How many times I've tried to instruct God. "Now, God, this is the mode I see it, and I think Yous ought to work it out this manner." "Lord, why aren't yous doing it this manner?" I have been so foolish thinking that I tin can instruct God, and I get upset when He doesn't follow my instructions. That's the impaired office. I seek to instruct God and then go upset when He doesn't follow them. Unfortunately, in that location are those who are espousing some kind of a doctrine that really deals with instructing God and telling God exactly what to do and when to do it and how to do information technology and He'south got to practise it if you instruct Him in the correct ways. And they have the power out of God's hands and put it in man'southward hands of man's destiny. "You lot control your destiny; information technology is your confession that controls the destiny." Making the positive confession, that's the control of your destiny. And they take the control of a man's destiny out of God's hands and put information technology into man'south hands, and they are constantly instructing God. That's dangerous.
God said to Job,
Shall he who contends with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproves God, let him answer it. Task answered the LORD, and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? ( Job xl:ii-4 )
God said, "Hey, wait, you lot've been trying to instruct Me, contending with Me, trying to instruct Me. All right, respond Me, Job." Task said, "What tin I say? What can I answer, Lord? I am vile. Trying to instruct You, contending with You. God, I am vile."
Once I accept spoken; simply I'm non going to answer: yea, twice; simply I will keep no further. And then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Gird up your loins like a man: I'm going to demand of thee, declare unto Me. Will y'all as well disannul my judgment? will you condemn me, that you lot may be righteous? ( Job forty:5-viii )
Recollect almost this for a moment, because I think quite often nosotros are guilty of this ourselves. Condemning God in seeking to make ourselves righteous. "I don't know how God could do that to me. After all, when I'm so good and I'grand so pure and I'chiliad so righteous. Why would God let that to happen to me? God isn't off-white to me. God isn't just. He'southward immune it to happen to me." Dangerous.
Have you lot an arm like God? or tin you lot thunder with a voice similar him? Cast abroad the rage of your wrath: and behold anybody that is proud, abase him ( Task 40:ix , Job 40:11 )
Now God says, "Here, do this now. Become ahead and,"
Deck yourself with the majesty and excellency; assortment yourself with glory and dazzler. And cast abroad the rage of the angry person: behold everyone that is proud in the earth, abase him. Look on every one that is proud, and bring him depression; and tread downwardly the wicked in their place. Hibernate them in the dust together; bind their faces in secret. And then I also will confess to you that your own correct hand tin can save you ( Task 40:10-14 ).
God said, "If yous can do these things, and so I'll confess to you lot your correct hand tin relieve you lot. If you can abase every proud person and bring them low and all."
Now God goes and He gives the illustration of the elephant and talks of the elephant, again 1 of His creatures and of the description of the elephant, its size and its diet and and so along. "
Bibliographical Information
Smith, Charles Ward. "Commentary on Job forty:17". "Smith'due south Bible Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/csc/task-40.html. 2014.
Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
He moveth his tail like a cedar,.... To which information technology is compared, non for the length and largeness of information technology; for the tail both of the elephant and of the river horse is short; though Vartomannus c says, the tail of the elephant is similar a buffalo's, and is four hands long, and thin of hair: only considering of the smoothness, roundness, thickness, and firmness of information technology; such is the tail of the river horse, being like that of a hog or boar d; which is crooked, twisted, and which information technology is said to turn back and well-nigh at pleasance, equally the word used is thought to signify. Aben Ezra interprets it, "maketh to stand": that is, stiff and strong, and firm like a cedar. I writer due east speaks of the horse of the Nile, equally having a scaly tail; but he seems to derange information technology with the body of water horse. Junius interprets information technology of its penis, its genital function; to which the Targum in the Rex's Bible is inclined: and Cicero f says, the ancients used to call that the tail; but that of the elephant, according to Aristotle g, is but small, and not in proportion to the size of its body; and not in sight, and therefore tin inappreciably be thought to exist described; though the next clause seems to favour this sense:
the sinews of his stones are wrapped together; if by these are meant the testicles, every bit some recall, and then the Targums; the sinews of which were wreathed, implicated and ramified, like branches of trees, as Montanus renders it. Bochart interprets this of the sinews or nerves of the river horse, which having such plenty of them, are exceeding strong; so that, as some report, this fauna will with one foot sink a gunkhole h; I take known him open up his mouth, says a traveller i, and set up one tooth on the gunnel of a boat, and another on the second strake from the keel, more four feet distant, and in that location bite a hole through the plank, and sink the boat.
c Navigat. l. 4. c. 9. d Aristot. Plin. Solin. & Isidore ut supra. (See Job forty:16.) e Nicet. Choniat. apud Fabrit. Gr. Bibliothec. vol. six. p. 410. f Epist. l. 9. ep. 22. k Hist. Amimal. l. 2. c. ane. h Apud Hierozoic, par. two. l. 5. c. 14. col. 758. i Dampier's Voyages, vol. ii. part 2. p. 105.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill'south Exposition of the Unabridged Bible Modernised and adapted for the computer past Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rights Reserved, Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard Bearer, 1 Atomic number 26 Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliographical Information
Gill, John. "Commentary on Job forty:17". "Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/job-xl.html. 1999.
Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible
| Description of Behemoth. | B. C. 1520. |
fifteen Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox. 16 Lo now, his force is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. 17 He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together. 18 His bones are as potent pieces of brass; his bones are similar bars of iron. 19 He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him. 20 Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. 21 He lieth under the shady copse, in the covert of the reed, and fens. 22 The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him near. 23 Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. 24 He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares.
God, for the further proving of his ain power and disproving of Job'southward pretensions, concludes his discourse with the description of two vast and mighty animals, far exceeding man in bulk and force, ane he calls behemoth, the other leviathan. In these verses we take the former described. "Behold now behemoth, and consider whether thou fine art able to contend with him who made that beast and gave him all the power he has, and whether it is non thy wisdom rather to submit to him and make thy peace with him." Behemoth signifies beasts in general, but must hither be meant of some one detail species. Some understand information technology of the bull; others of an amphibious animal, well known (they say) in Egypt, called the river-horse (hippopotamus), living among the fish in the river Nile, simply coming out to feed upon the earth. But I confess I run across no reason to depart from the aboriginal and most more often than not received stance, that it is the elephant that is here described, which is a very potent stately creature, of very large stature higher up any other, of wonderful sagacity, and of so cracking a reputation in the fauna kingdom that among so many iv-footed beasts as we have had the natural history of (Job 38:i-39; Job 38:1-39) nosotros tin scarcely suppose this should be omitted. Notice,
I. The description here given of the behemoth.
1. His body is very stiff and well built. His strength is in his loins, Job 40:16; Job 40:16 . His bones, compared with those of other creatures, are like bars of iron, Task 40:eighteen; Chore forty:18 . His back-bone is so potent that, though his tail be not large, yet he moves it like a cedar, with a commanding forcefulness, Job 40:17; Job 40:17. Some empathize information technology of the trunk of the elephant, for the discussion signifies whatever extreme part, and in that there is indeed a wonderful strength. So potent is the elephant in his dorsum and loins, and the sinews of his thighs, that he will carry a large wooden belfry, and a great number of fighting men in it. No animal whatsoever comes near the elephant for strength of body, which is the master affair insisted on in this description.
2. He feeds on the productions of the world and does non prey upon other animals: He eats grass as an ox (Chore twoscore:15; Job forty:15), the mountains bring him forth food (Job 40:20; Job 40:20), and the beasts of the field do non tremble before him nor abscond from him, as from a lion, just they play about him, knowing they are in no danger from him. This may give u.s.a. occasion, (i.) To acknowledge the goodness of God in ordering it and then that a beast of such bulk, which requires and then much food, should not feed upon flesh (for then multitudes must die to keep him alive), simply should be content with the grass of the field, to forbid such devastation of lives as otherwise must take ensued. (2.) To commend living upon herbs and fruits without mankind, according to the original appointment of man's food, Genesis 1:29. Fifty-fifty the strength of an elephant, as of a horse and an ox, may exist supported without flesh; and why not that of a homo? Though therefore we use the freedom God has immune us, yet exist non amidst riotous eaters of flesh, Proverbs 23:20. (3.) To commend a quiet and peaceable life. Who would non rather, like the elephant, have his neighbours easy and pleasant about him, than, like the lion, have them all afraid of him?
iii. He lodges under the shady trees (Job twoscore:21; Task 40:21), which cover him with their shadow (Job 40:22; Job 40:22), where he has a free and open air to exhale in, while lions, which live by casualty, when they would repose themselves, are obliged to retire into a close and night den, to live therein, and to abide in the covert of that, Chore 38:40; Job 38:forty. Those who are a terror to others cannot only be sometimes a terror to themselves too; but those volition be easy who will let others be easy about them; and the reed and fens, and the willows of the brook, though a very weak and slender fortification, withal are sufficient for the defence force and security of those who therefore dread no harm, because they design none.
4. That he is a very great and greedy drinker, non of vino or potent drinkable (to exist greedy of that is peculiar to man, who by his drunkenness makes a beast of himself), but of off-white water. (1.) His size is prodigious, and therefore he must have supply accordingly, Job 40:23; Job 40:23. He drinks so much that one would retrieve he could drink up a river, if you would give him time, and not hasten him. Or, when he drinks, he hasteth not, every bit those practise that drinkable in fright; he is confident of his own strength and safety, and therefore makes no haste when he drinks, no more haste than proficient speed. (2.) His eye anticipates more than than he can accept; for, when he is very thirsty, having been long kept without water, he trusts that he can drink up Hashemite kingdom of jordan in his oral fissure, and even takes it with his eyes, Job forty:24; Job 40:24 . As a covetous human being causes his eyes to wing upon the wealth of this earth, which he is greedy of, and so this groovy creature is said to snatch, or draw upwards, fifty-fifty a river with his eyes. (3.) His nose has in information technology forcefulness plenty for both; for, when he goes greedily to drink with it, he pierces through snares or nets, which perhaps are laid in the waters to catch fish. He makes nothing of the difficulties that lie in his way, and so great is his force so eager his ambition.
II. The use that is to be made of this clarification. We have taken a view of this mountain of a beast, this over-grown beast, which is hither set before us, not only equally a testify (equally sometimes it is in our state) to satisfy our curiosity and to amuse united states, simply as an argument with usa to humble ourselves before the corking God; for, 1. He made this vast beast, which is so appallingly and wonderfully made; it is the work of his hands, the contrivance of his wisdom, the product of his power; it is behemoth which I fabricated, Job 40:15; Job 40:15 . Whatsoever strength this, or whatever other fauna, has, it is derived from God, who therefore must be acknowledged to accept all power originally and infinitely in himself, and such an arm as it is not for usa to contest with. This creature is here called the primary, in its kind, of the ways of God (Task 40:19; Job xl:19), an eminent instance of the Creator'southward power and wisdom. Those that will peruse the accounts given by historians of the elephant will find that his capacities arroyo nearer to those of reason than the capacities of whatsoever other creature-creature any, and therefore he is fitly chosen the master of the means of God, in the inferior function of the cosmos, no animate being below human being preferable to him. 2. He made him with man, as he made other iv-footed beasts, on the same day with man (Genesis 1:25; Genesis i:26), whereas the fish and fowl were made the twenty-four hours earlier; he made him to live and move on the same earth, in the same element, and therefore man and beast are said to exist jointly preserved by divine Providence as boyfriend-commoners, Psalms 36:6. "It is behemoth, which I made with thee; I made that beast as well as thee, and he does not quarrel with me; why then dost thou? Why shouldst thou demand peculiar favours because I made thee (Job 10:9; Job 10:9), when I made the behemoth likewise with thee? I fabricated thee besides as that beast, and therefore can as easily manage thee at pleasure as that brute, and volition practise it whether thou refuse or whether k choose. I made him with thee, that thou mayest look upon him and receive instruction." We need not make it for proofs and instances of God'due south almighty power and sovereign dominion; they are near u.s., they are with the states, they are under our heart wherever nosotros are. three. He that made him can make his sword to approach to him (Job twoscore:19; Job 40:xix), that is, the same hand that made him, notwithstanding his great bulk and forcefulness, tin can unmake him again at pleasance and impale an elephant as easily as a worm or a fly, without any difficulty, and without the imputation either of waste or wrong. God that gave to all the creatures their being may have away the beingness he gave; for may he non do what he will with his ain? And he tin can do it; he that has ability to create with a word no dubiety has power to destroy with a word, and tin as easily speak the creature into zilch as at first he spoke information technology out of nada. The behemoth perhaps is here intended (as well as the leviathan afterwards) to correspond those proud tyrants and oppressors whom God had just now challenged Job to abase and bring down. They think themselves as well fortified confronting the judgments of God as the elephant with his basic of brass and iron; but he that fabricated the soul of man knows all the avenues to it, and tin can brand the sword of justice, his wrath, to approach to it, and touch on it in the almost tender and sensible part. He that framed the engine, and put the parts of information technology together, knows how to take it in pieces. Woe to him therefore that strives with his Maker, for he that fabricated him has therefore power to make him miserable, and will not make him happy unless he will be ruled by him.
Copyright Argument
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Bibliographical Information
Henry, Matthew. "Complete Commentary on Task 40:17". "Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible". https://world wide web.studylight.org/commentaries/mhm/job-40.html. 1706.
Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/job/40-17.html
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