Job's Humble Response
Study note
God pauses and challenges Job directly: will the one who argues with the Almighty correct him? Let the one who accuses God answer! Job responds with profound humility. He says he is unworthy. He puts his hand over his mouth. He spoke once, but he will not answer again. He spoke twice, but he has nothing more to add.
1 Then the Lord spoke to Job again and said, Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said,
2 'Is the person who loves to argue with the Almighty ready to set him straight? Let the one who has been accusing God step up and answer!' Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.
3 Job answered the Lord and said, Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
4 'I am too small for this. How could I possibly respond to you? I am pressing my hand over my mouth.' Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
5 'I already said too much once. I even spoke a second time. But I will not say another word.' Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
God Speaks Again
Study note
God speaks a second time from the whirlwind. He again tells Job to brace himself. Then God asks the pivotal question: would Job discredit God's justice? Would Job condemn God just to prove himself right? If Job has an arm like God's and can thunder with a voice like his, then let him dress himself in glory and majesty. Let him crush every proud person. Then God himself will admit that Job's own right hand can save him.
6 Then the Lord spoke to Job once more from the whirlwind and said, Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
7 'Stand up and face me like a man. I will be the one asking the questions, and you will be the one giving the answers.' Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
8 'Are you truly going to throw out my justice? Would you say I am wrong so you can say you are right?' Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?
9 'Is your arm as powerful as God's arm? Can your voice boom like thunder the way his does?' Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
10 'If so, then go ahead -- get dressed up in glory and splendor. Wrap yourself in honor and majesty.' Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.
11 'Let loose the full fury of your anger. Take one look at every proud person and cut them down.' Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.
12 'Take one look at every proud person and bring them to their knees. Stomp the wicked right where they stand.' Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
13 'Bury every one of them in the ground. Lock them up together in the place of the dead.' Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.
14 'If you can do all that, then I myself will admit that your own power is enough to save you.' Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.
Behold Behemoth
Study note
God describes Behemoth, a creature of enormous power -- possibly a hippopotamus, an elephant, or a now-extinct creature. It eats grass like an ox. Its strength is in its loins. Its tail sways like a cedar tree. Its bones are like tubes of bronze and bars of iron. It is the first of God's great works. It lies under the lotus plants by the river and is not alarmed even when the river surges. God's point: if Job cannot control Behemoth, how can he challenge the one who made it?
15 'Now take a look at Behemoth, a creature I made right alongside you. It munches on grass the same way an ox does.' Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.
16 'look at the raw strength in its back and belly! What incredible power packed into those muscles!' Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.
17 'Its tail stands stiff like a cedar tree. The muscles in its legs are woven tight like cords.' He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.
18 'Its bones are like tubes made of bronze. Its legs are like solid bars of iron.' His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.
19 'It is the top of the line among everything God made. Only the one who created it is able to approach it with a sword.' He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him.
20 'The hills bring food to it, and all sorts of wild animals play nearby.' Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.
21 'It stretches out under the lotus plants, tucked away among the reeds and the marshland.' He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.
22 'The lotus plants shade it from the sun. Willow trees along the stream surround it on every side.' The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.
23 'When the river churns and rages, it does not even flinch. It stays perfectly calm even when the Jordan rushes straight at its mouth.' Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.
24 'Can anyone catch it while it is on the alert? Can anyone trap it and drive a hook through its nose?' He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares.