ChristadelphianBooksOnline
David Baird
The Education of Job

Chapters 40:6-41:34 - Yahweh Educates Job - Yahweh's Second Speech

	40:6-9	Introduction and challenge
	40:10-14	Job is invited to rule the world
	40:15-24	Behemoth - who can overpower him?

Leviathan

	41:1-9	Can Job tame leviathan?
	41:10-11	Who then can confront leviathan's maker?
	41:12-24	The power of leviathan
	41:25-29	Man is ineffectual against his ferocity
	41:30-32	He causes turbulence
	41:33-34	He is king of his domain

Job may have felt that he had adequately responded to Yahweh's opening speech. This was not the case. Yahweh addresses Job a second time and hones in on Job's presumption of righteousness. The question of 40:8, "Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?", is the key to this speech.

The LORD directly challenged Job with terms that cannot be avoided or misinterpreted and followed them, not with a diversity of divine achievements but with detailed analyses of two animals. It is also apparent that the symbology attached to behemoth and leviathan is paramount. It is not just an exposition of God's handiwork, as we saw in the first speech, but extended allegories that relate to pride, sin and man's powerlessness.

After this speech Job is compelled to acknowledge God's righteousness and his own total unworthiness. Job's education was completed.

40:6-9 Introduction and challenge

Even though Job was in a subdued frame of mind, any perception he had that his response signified the end of the matter came crashing down when Yahweh addressed Job (40:7) by repeating the formula of 38:3. It was almost as if nothing had been said before. Almost, as Yahweh omits the question, "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?" (38:2).

I believe that this omission was deliberate as Job's response was derived from a knowledge enhanced by God's and, to a lesser extent, Elihu's interventions. His response contained nothing wrong or unwise and he had learned that silence, in this context, was the preferred course of action. He had definitely progressed in his understanding but not yet to Yahweh's satisfaction. This is powerfully enunciated in 40:8.

40:8 is the opening verse of the heart and pivot of the LORD's total expression. The personal issue between God and Job is directly dealt with - "Wilt thou disannul my judgment (mishpat)? Wilt thou condemn (rasha) me, that thou mayest be righteous (tzadak)?"

Had Job done this? A perusal of the three Hebrew words noted provides overwhelming evidence that he had. For example, mishpat was used by Job when he:

Questioned God's judgment (9:19, 14:3, 19:7, 27:2);
Asserted his confidence in his own righteousness (13:18, 23:4), and
Proclaimed how righteous he was before his affliction (29:14).

Job also regularly affirmed that he was tzadak (9:15, 10:15, 13:18, 27:5-6, 29:14, 31:6, 32:1-2). Rasha was a classification that Job rejected for himself (10:2,7) but, in the heat of debate, appeared to suggest that the wicked (rasha) were not effectively dealt with by God (10:2, 21:7-18).

Yahweh's inquisition of Job was essentially based on the words that had flowed from Job's mouth. He could not deny the charges. Job may not have uttered the audacious phrase, "My righteousness is more than God's" (35:2), but it is certainly implied when the various parts of Job's words are put together. Yahweh in 40:8 (as did the inspired writer in 32:2) affirmed Elihu's assessment of Job in 35:2.

The inappropriateness of Job's words was emphasised by the questions in 40:9. Job did not have the ability to enter into a contest with God. He lacked the strength and the authority. He could not disannul whatever God purposed. He could not turn back the stretched out hand of God (Isa 14:27).

40:10-14 Job is invited to rule the world

There is no doubt that this is one the most crucial sections of the Book of Job. It highlights the fact that man, without God, cannot save himself. Job thought he knew what was right. Job had already spoken, without authorisation, on God's behalf (23:10-12), predicted God's judgment (13:18), and complained of the apparent unfairness of his circumstances (9:17-18).

Did Job have the strength and authority of God (40:9)? If he felt he did then Yahweh invited Job to rule the universe. All Job had to do was adorn himself with majesty (ga'on) and excellency (gobah) and array himself with glory (hod) and beauty (40:10). All of these attributes are attached to God throughout Scripture (e.g. 1Chron 29:11; Psa 21:5, 90:16, 93:1, 104:1-2) and are found, in reference to God, in the speeches of Eliphaz (gobah - 22:12), Zophar (gobah - 11:8) and Elihu (ga'on - 37:4; hod - 37:22). They are not used by Job in his speeches. While this may be coincidental, it could be an additional layer of detail provided by Yahweh as he reminded Job of qualities Job had failed to attribute to the Almighty.

God continues to challenge Job to flex his muscles and, in his ferocity, to abase the proud and demolish the wicked (40:11-12). That's what Job wanted to see done so that he could be vindicated. It is interesting to note the play on words as "proud" (ge'eh) is derived from the same primary word (ga'a) as "majesty" (ga'on) of 40:10. The difference between the two words is only minor yet their outcomes are widely divergent. Instead of being elevated by his association with God's majesty, Job had lifted himself up in pride. Before Job could abase the proud, he needed to have his own pride conquered by the majesty of the Almighty.

If Job had the strength and authority of the LORD he could take hold of the proud and the wicked and, to quote the Jerusalem Bible's colourful translation, "Bury the lot of them in the ground, and shut them, silent-faced in the dungeon" (40:13). If he could do that then Yahweh would be the first to acknowledge that Job's own right hand could save (yasha) him (40:14). Job knew the folly of this as he understood that salvation (yeshua) could only come from God (13:16). Salvation was not to be found with his friends (26:2) or any man, but his understanding had been embittered by his circumstances.

Verse 14 brought Job to the end of his quest for truth. It brought him to the unsullied realisation that he must hand the whole matter over to God. His life is not in his hands to save it. He must completely trust in God to do what is actually right, rather than what Job believed to be right. 40:10-14 is the theological heart of the Book of Job's 42 chapters. It instructs all believers, not just Job, in the ways of God. It tells us that:

Our perception of being in the majesty of God and therefore superior to others is in reality being in the thrall of human pride;
Our perception that God is slow to act is incorrect as it is in reality the patience of His redeeming power. He works to His agenda and not man's;
Any believer who complains about particular events in his life is implying that he could propose to God better ways to run the universe; and
Any believer who erroneously feels he can match God also incorrectly believes that he can save himself without God's intervention.

What follows are two detailed illustrations from the animal kingdom that reinforce these divine axioms.

40:15-24 Behemoth - who can overpower him?

Who or what is behemoth? This transliterated Hebrew word (behemot) is only found in 40:15 and is derived from behema (12:7, 18:3, 35:11) which is the common word for beasts or cattle (Gen 1:24). Linguistically, behemot does not apply exclusively to a specific animal. The context of its usage helps to identify the animal. Opinions vary on its application in 40:15 but the majority vote is for the hippopotamus.

The hippopotamus would have been well-known to Job and his companions as it was "reliably reported from the Orontes river in Syria around 1500BC, and was in the lower Nile until the twelfth century AD" (G.S.Cansdale, "Animals of Bible Lands", Paternoster Press, 1970, p101). Even in the event that it did not exist in Job's immediate environment, Job and his companions had a familiarity with matters Egyptian (8:11-19, 9:26). It also seems that as the elephant was unknown in Palestine and its environs, the hippopotamus was the largest beast known to the people of that locale.

Despite the poetic language being used, most factual statements, as the following dot-points show, link behemot with the hippopotamus.

It is a grazing animal (40:15). It averages a nightly consumption of around 70 kilograms of grass.
It is immensely strong (40:16,18).
It has powerful legs (40:17 - "the sinews of his thighs" RSV, Roth, NIV etc. AV's "stones" is incorrect.) It spite of its unwieldy appearance, the hippopotamus is remarkably fast and agile and can overtake a running man.
It grazes over long distances and can climb steep slopes (40:20).
It is an aquatic animal (40:21-23) as it is designed to suit a life in water. Its sense organs (nostrils, eyes, ears) are set on top of its head. Its nostrils can be tightly closed when it submerges.
Being an aquatic animal it is hunted with hooks (probably harpoons) and preferably when it is off-guard as it has razor-sharp lower canine teeth and can be aggressive when provoked (40:24).

The only apparent anomaly in this description is in 40:17 where its tail is likened to a cedar. The language may sound hyperbolical but Gibson provides a simple explanation when he writes, "The comparison of the short, stiff, muscular tail, to the strong and elastic cedar branch (which is probably intended) seems really to be perfectly natural, and need cause no difficulty". The mention of the Jordan in 40:23 need also cause no difficulty. While the hippopotamus may not have dwelt in the Jordan, the river is being mentioned as a typical specimen of a rushing river. Any other rushing river could have been quoted but the Jordan was familiar to Job and was noted for its capacity to flood.

Why then does Yahweh describe the hippopotamus at this place in His second speech? There is little doubt that the characteristics of the hippopotamus are being used to draw comparisons with mankind, particularly Job. This is hinted in 40:15 when Yahweh opened this section, "Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee". While it is true that behemoth was made, along with man, on the sixth day of creation, this introduction strongly suggests that behemoth is here representative of man. Further investigation also reveals behemoth being compared to Job in his pride. This is noteworthy in 40:19.

As the hippopotamus was characterised by strength (40:16-18) so too was Job. Despite Job lamenting his lack of strength (6:11-12, 26:2), Elihu twice makes mention of the excellence of God's power (36:5, 37:23). Elihu in these verses also states that God does not despise the work of His hands (36:5) nor does he indiscriminately afflict (37:23). Job displayed his misapplied strength by contradicting those concepts. As far as he was concerned, God despised and oppressed the work of His hands (10:3, 30:11). This strength of Job could only be conquered by submission to his maker. This message is reinforced in 40:19.

The hippopotamus, possibly because of is size, is called "the first of the works of God" (40:19 RSV, NKJV). While the latter half of 40:19 is the "despair of all commentators" (Andersen), it has been translated, "Yet his Maker can approach him with his sword" (NIV - see also RV, NKJV). The point is that the hippopotamus can overpower any other beast, including man, in a one-to-one confrontation. However, against God it cannot prevail. The symbol is readily discerned. While Job, in debate and with his spiritual pride inflamed, comprehensively outscored his three antagonists, he could not prevail over the Almighty.

The self-confidence of the hippopotamus is also displayed in the comfort of its surroundings. He can find grass on the hills (har - AV "mountains" is literally correct. "Hills" is preferable here and har is rendered as such in 58 other places in Scripture). His size precluded him from being attacked and his herbivorous diet meant that other animals were at ease around of him (40:20). His comfort was further enhanced by his restful surroundings as he lay in cooling streams or under the shadows of nearby vegetation (40:21-22). While Job could not be considered to be in comfort as he received these words, it was certainly the case prior to his affliction (29:2-11). He was prosperous and popular. His demeanour was peaceful and non-aggressive. He was in harmony with his environment and those around him. He was also convinced of his own righteousness.

So convinced that, like the hippopotamus, "when the river rages, he is not alarmed; he is secure, though the Jordan should surge against his mouth" (40:23 NIV). Even an incurable disease coupled with overwhelming personal tragedy had not shaken Job's self-confidence (27:1-6). He was able to withstand any direct assault on his integrity. Doubtless the hippopotamus was hunted and taken but success for the hunter was less likely when the beast was alert (40:24 RV - see also Prov 1:17 for similar use of the Hebrew). Job's self-righteousness was impervious to the darts of his three friends and while he was softened up by the blows of Elihu, his real motivation for repentance came from an unexpected source. He had requested answers but received questions that could not be disabled.

Leviathan

The epic poem about leviathan closes the words of Yahweh. This, the longest poem about a terrifying animal, was deliberately left until last to provide a terrific climax. This animal strikes fear into mankind with its physical features, vicious disposition, fearlessness and inability to be tamed. While the leviathan of 3:8 is most likely a mythological creature, the one described in chapter 41 is considered by most to be the Nile crocodile. The whole of chapter 41 is poetic and full of imagery, but it contains several points that could hardly be applied to any other animal. The personal understanding demanded by the poem (e.g. "Canst thou ...") presents an animal well-known to Job and, as we have noted elsewhere, Job and his companions had a more than reasonable knowledge of matters Egyptian (see notes 40:15).

Outside of the Book of Job, leviathan is mentioned in four places (Psa 74:14, 104:26 and twice in Isa 27:1). In Psalm 74:14 and Isaiah 27:1, leviathan is representative of pagan nations (Egypt and Assyria) who were enemies of Israel, intent on Israel's destruction, and were eventually destroyed by the intervention of Yahweh. These allusions lend support to Brother Styles' perception that the leviathan of chapter 41 is a symbol of sin and indeed the language applied to leviathan can be easily attached to sin. Therefore, the leviathan poem goes deeper than any previous poem. It is not only a doxology extolling the power and care of the Almighty (as in the LORD's first speech), nor does it deal with the pride of mankind, particularly Job's, that downplays God's righteousness (as in the behemoth poem). It exposed the root cause of man's problems. It demonstrated the power, ferocity and doggedness of sin. Man, on his own, cannot defeat it (40:14). The leviathan poem was Yahweh's crowning argument and it left Job completely humbled in His presence (42:5-6).

41:1-9 Can Job tame leviathan?

The style of Yahweh's first speech resurfaces here as this part of His discourse begins with a series of questions. These questions have the objective of convincing Job how helpless he is in the presence of leviathan. The questions border on the absurd as it was impossible for Job to be able to tame the crocodile in the way God suggested. Yet underneath this surface of seeming silliness lie profound lessons, especially as they apply to man and sin.

Can Job take the crocodile with the hook (hakka - literally "fish hook") or the bulrush (agmon - AV "hook", Green "read rope" 41:2)? Maybe Job could tame it and bridle its mouth with a cord? Perhaps he could pierce the crocodile's jaw with a thorn (41:1-2)? All these proposals, in the literal sense, are ridiculous. But God tamed Sennacherib, the great enemy of Israel and blasphemer, not with a fish hook but a nose ring (Isa 37:29). The same sort of ring, not a brittle thorn or a fragile bulrush, was figuratively passed through the jaw of the Pharaoh, king of Egypt (Ezek 29:4). God can do what man cannot. How effectively can man control sin? He struggles to tame even his tongue (Jas 3:7-8). Sin reigns untamed in his body unless he presents himself alive to God in Christ Jesus (Rom 6:11-12).

Is the crocodile the sort of beast who seeks Job's favour with gentle words? Will he make a covenant with Job and be his servant for ever (41:3-4)? Of course not, just as tender words are not to be found with the dominant (Prov 18:23). Instead they are part of the true disciple's repertoire (Prov 15:1, 25:15). We cannot expect sin to come around to a divine way of operation. It is impossible to make winning deals with sin because sin is deceitful (Heb 3:13). Like a crocodile, it cannot be trusted. We will always end up serving sin and not the other way around (Matt 6:24).

Can you make a pet of the crocodile or put him on a leash for your maidens (41:5)? How bizarre is this! We couldn't or wouldn't do this with a crocodile but we can be guilty of doing the same with sin. We think we have it under our control and introduce others, including our family, to its wiles. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1John 1:8). Without God in our lives (Psa 119:11), sin will be unrestrained (2Pet 2:14).

Nor is sin, as the crocodile (41:6 RSV, NIV), some sort of commodity we buy and sell in order to make profit. While this is possible, and has always been part of mankind's economy, the result of such activity is death without hope (Ezek 18:4). It has no spiritual profit. If a man is just and has faithfully walked in God's statutes, he shall live (Ezek 18:5-9; Matt 5:6).

Perhaps Job could take him on in combat and assail the crocodile with harpoons and spears (41:7)? As 41:8 warns, this is not a good move. If you lay your hands on the crocodile it will probably be the first and last time you will do so! Any hope of subduing him in that way is false. It very appearance filled the would-be subduer with dismay (41:9). The crocodile is simply too strong, too well protected, too fierce and too big for man, especially when one considers that, in times past, the Nile crocodile could reach a length of 10 metres. In Job's day this was a more likely event as man had not yet developed the armaments to easily kill it and whatever they flung at it usually bounced harmlessly off it (41:26-29).

It is the height of folly to think that a mere man can subdue this terrifying monster. The same applies to our battle with sin (Rom 7:14-15). As Jeremiah wrote:

"O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walkest to direct his steps" (Jeremiah 10:23).

41:10-11 Who then can confront leviathan's maker?

These two verses are the vital point of the leviathan poem. They clearly enunciate the message of the Almighty that is stated more ironically in 40:10-14. Job did not have the power or authority to rule the world. Job was incapable of saving himself. In fact, in this continuation of the sentiments of 41:9, "No one is so fierce (azkar) that he dares to stir him (i.e. the crocodile) up" (41:10). Job would not be so foolish to antagonise a crocodile, yet he was willing to antagonise Yahweh whom he labelled as azkar (AV "cruel") in 30:21. Job was prepared to present himself before the Almighty and proclaim his personal righteousness as the basis for his vindication (13:18, 23:7, 31:3-37).

Job was convinced of his righteousness (6:29, 27:6, 29:14) and even though he had previously acknowledged that it was futile to oppose God (9:4), he had complained that God was not prepared to regard Job's claims (30:20-23). The question is explicit. If Job was not strong enough to challenge a crocodile why then did he challenge leviathan's maker? As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "Are we stronger than he?" (1Cor 10:22).

The inference is clear. If man is powerless against leviathan, he is definitely powerless against God. As Yahweh continued, in the Hebraically obscure 41:11, "Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me" (NIV see also RSV, RV). As Brother Styles writes, "The language here is akin to that used of people offering God the best of their flock and feeling He should be very impressed by it. What such people need to remember, however, was that the animal belonged to God in the first place and only by His blessing did the individual possess it."

In other words, God does not owe us anything regardless of how righteous we may feel. What we receive from God is not meant to coincide with our perception of our personal righteousness. God owns everything (Exod 19:15; Deut 10:14; 1Cor 10:26) and what we have is due to His provision. For that we should be thankful (1Chron 29:11-14). By extension, Job's righteousness was also derived from God. Without his understanding of, and relationship with, God he would be consumed by sin as readily as a man would be crushed in a wrestling bout with a Nile crocodile. He would be totally without hope; powerless against sin.

While 41:11 is a verse that was designed to humble Job and put him in his proper place, we should also understand the wonderful positive message it contains. The Apostle Paul cites this verse in Romans 11:35. The context of that citation is devoted to subjects such as mercy, wisdom, knowledge and glory, with the emphasis being on the riches of God's plentiful mercy. The Apostle declared the underlying intent of Yahweh's words. Job had to be freed from any perception of self-righteousness to comprehend the excellent wisdom and abundant mercy of the Almighty. Yes, Job was the greatest man of his generation and was a spiritual giant, but he had to fully appreciate that he was dependent on God (Rom 11:36). He was the recipient of God's gifts whereas he felt he was being treated unfairly. He did not understand the mind of the LORD as it was applied to his circumstances (Rom 11:34).

In the end, Job was in no doubt. Everything came from God. God can do all things. Job could not claim credit for any of it (42:2-6). Job saw that having God in his life was the key to true righteousness and that righteousness has no alliance with human pride.

41:12-24 The power of leviathan

In maintaining the type we could just as easily label this section "The power of sin." The described characteristics of leviathan aptly fit the boldness, destructiveness and resilience of sin. Like the crocodile, sin is extremely difficult to overcome. Its ability to withstand the efforts of those who wish to conquer it is well understood by those who endeavour to do so. Even the highly spiritual Apostle Paul was compelled to write:

"For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me" (Romans 7:19-20).

It is noteworthy that Yahweh from 41:11 onwards no longer exclusively addresses His questions to Job. Instead of "Canst Thou?", we read "Who can?". This indicated that Yahweh has completed His direct education of Job. He knew what Job was thinking. The message had penetrated and made a powerful impact. Yahweh concludes His speeches with instruction for all. Nobody was and is exempt. All have to appreciate that sin is a remorseless, uncaring beast. Sin, like leviathan, does not take prisoners or exercise mercy. Every mortal human being must learn to place their lives in Yahweh's care to have any hope of not being crushed by sin.

The description that follows is detailed and occasionally open to interpretation. Again, in places, the Hebrew is obscure and some widely divergent variations exist. Notwithstanding this, the overall theme is unperturbed as the power of leviathan is consistently stressed.

Verse 12	God will not hold back in describing the powerful limbs and matchless strength of the crocodile. God also will not conceal the power and strength of sin (Ezek 33:7-11). A clear recognition of sin's attributes will encourage those who wish to be righteous to turn to God for help.

Verse 13	"Who can strip off his outer garment?" (RV). This is a general description of his armour of scales. More detail is supplied in 41:15. The "double bridle (*recen)" has been variously interpreted as the crocodile's upper and lower jaws (Gibson, Reichert, Roth, Delitzsch), double coat of mail (RSV, JB, NEB) or as a bridle for restraint (NIV - "Who would approach unto him with a bridle?"). As recen* means "bridle" and is only translated as such in Scripture (30:11; Psa 32:9; Isa 30:28), it makes sense that its usage in 41:13 relates somehow to the crocodile's mouth.

Verse 14	This continues the reference to the powerful jaws of the crocodile with special mention being made of its teeth. The teeth of the wicked are highlighted in a number of places (Psa 57:4; 58:6; Prov 30:14), and is characteristic of that which is especially destructive (Dan 7:7).

Verses 15-17	It is now that Yahweh describes the armourplating of the crocodile. He introduces it with the revealing statement, "The rows of shields are his pride (*ga'awa)" (41:15 Green). Attempts to translate ga'awa* as "back" are not supported by the Hebrew and detract from Yahweh's message. The sin of pride hardens man against the impact of divine things (Prov 6:16-17, 8:12-13, 26:12; Jer 43:2), and deceives men into self-reliance (Jer 49:16) and self-righteousness (Luke 18:11-12). The emphasis of 41:15-17 is obvious as the impenetrability of the crocodile's armour is stressed throughout. A man coated in pride is completely protected from the grace and mercy of the Almighty (Psa 10:4).

Verse 18	"His sneezings (*atisha) flash forth light and his eyes are like the eyelids (ap'ap) of the morning" (NKJV). Atisha* is another splendid example of an onomatopoeic Hebrew word as it mimics the sound of a sneeze. The spray forced through the mouth of the sneezing crocodile appeared to flash in the bright sun. His eyes emerging on the surface of the water appeared like the sun rising. *Ap'ap* is translated as "dawning" in 3:9 and Egyptian hieroglyphs represent the dawn with the eye of the crocodile. The sneeze and the barely visible eyes were indicative of the malevolent presence of the crocodile. It was there, lurking, and ready to crush a hapless victim who had ignored the warning signs. The comparison of this with sin is obvious.

Verses 19-21	These verses are clearly poetic hyperbole. Flames do not actually shoot out of the crocodile's mouth, nor do its nostrils belch smoke. However, the image of the Nile crocodile gliding effortlessly through the water and then lunging viciously at its victim and grasping it between its vice-like jaws conveys a fantastic image of sudden and unrestrained aggression. Its objective is to kill. Nothing less. It is little wonder that the crocodile was the template of the mythological fire-breathing dragon. Who can defeat such a beast? Who can defeat sin, its symbolic equivalent? Only God, who is attributed similar identifiers (Psa 18:7-15; Isa 30:33) but with a power so unmatched that He can deliver the humble because they trust in Him (Psa 18:27-30).

Verse 22	The neck is used as a symbol of obstinacy (15:26; Psa 75:5; Isa 48:4) and strength (39:19). To yoke the neck is to exercise control over the beast (Deut 28:48) and to put one's foot on the neck of an enemy is to demonstrate total conquest (Josh 10:24). The crocodile, with its thick neck, heeded nobody and feared nobody. It filled with dismay those who wished to conquer it. Sin has no fear and frustrates all who challenge it (Rom 3:23).

Verse 23	Sin also has no perceptible weakness; no soft underbelly. The same applies to the crocodile. Its underparts are not flabby and soft as the skin located there is very thick and covered with thick scales.

Verse 24	According to this verse, the heart of leviathan is hard. Literally, this is inaccurate but its demeanour is self-satisfying, aggressive and unforgiving. As the prophet Jeremiah wrote, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jer 17:9). Hardness of heart is a trait especially attached to the defiantly wicked (Ezek 3:7; Rom 2:5; Eph 4:18-19).

41:25-29 Man is ineffectual against his ferocity

The dread that leviathan creates in man was noted in 41:10, is recalled in 41:25 and is forcefully driven home in Yahweh's closing remarks (41:33-34). The image conveyed in 41:25 is that of an enormous crocodile emerging from the river and terrifying the brave and the strong to such a level that "from alarm they miss their aim" (Delitzsch). The Hebrew for "purifying" is hata which means to "miss the mark" (Ges) and is the root word for chattaah ("sin"). A number of versions render it with the rather insipid "beside themselves" (RSV, RV, NKJV) but this detracts from the intended image in both its literal and symbolic forms. The fear that leviathan generated caused his hunters to lose their focus and miss their target. This only underlines the impotence of even the great men of faith in dealing with sin. They either failed altogether or, as the verses continue, the weapons, in which they placed so much confidence, were ineffective.

Whether it be striking at him with the sword, spear, dart or harpoon (Delitzsch, Reichert, Gibson - AV "habergeon"), none manage to pierce him (41:26). Hard metals make as much impression on his solid flanks as straw and rotten wood (41:27). Arrows do not make leviathan flee and sling-stones are as damaging as chaff (41:28). "Clubs" (RV, RSV, JB etc) are held in similar esteem and "he laughs at the rattle of javelins" (41:29 RSV).

As Brother Styles writes on these verses, "Compare Romans 7:15-23 for a classic portrayal of the futility any man feels when he tries to overcome sin. Man's weapons, his intelligence, determination, will-power, self-control are of no avail against the dominant power of sin."

41:30-32 He causes turbulence

This section describes the spectacular movement of the crocodile. As it moves across the bank of the river, the scales on its underbelly and tail are sufficiently sharp to scour out a trail that looks as if a threshing-sledge (charuts - AV "sharp pointed things") had been there (41:30). The charuts was a heavy wooden sledge that had pieces of sharpened basaltic rock jammed into holes that were cut into its base. This device was dragged over the grain to beat out the kernels (Amos 1:3). It is a perfect description of the result of the crocodile's slide across the mire before it plunges into the river.

From the bank the crocodile dives deep into the water, creating considerable turbulence. The violent agitation of the water is comparable to the foaming mixture made when ingredients were being boiled to make ointment (41:31). His rapid passage through the water also left a white furrow of foam; "a glittering wake" (41:32 JB).

Even his movements created turbulence and disruption. Everything about him oozes menace and destruction. He leaves scars in the landscape that signal where he has been and that he is not far away. The mere signs of his existence should alert the watchful. Yet how many have been caught unawares and slain by this beast.

The parallels with sin are evident. Sin causes disruption in the life of God's servants (Jas 3:16). Sin leaves scars and disfigurement (Psa 38:3-5). Sin will always take those who are not watchful. And when sin has us in its grip we have no chance of survival unless we cry out to the LORD in our distress (Psa 107:17-22).

41:33-34 He is king of his domain

The climax of this epic poem and Yahweh's speeches is reached as leviathan stands unrivalled and fearless. There is no creature so thoroughly dangerous, so exceedingly strong, so difficult to wound and so without predators among the animal kingdom. He is the king of his domain. Man is its only predator and even then, until the development of high-powered rifles, man barely dented its numbers. In fact, the Nile crocodile is one of only two species of crocodile (the other being the Indo-Pacific also known as the Saltwater crocodile) that habitually hunt humans ("Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians", UNSW Press, 2nd Edition, 1998, p230). In Job's day, man was more endangered by the crocodile than vice versa. The Jerusalem Bible translates these verses:

"He has no equal on earth,
being created without fear.
He looks the haughtiest in the eye;
of all the sons of pride he is the king."

Who can defy leviathan? Who can overwhelm sin; that great dragon that slays mankind? At this, the conclusion of Yahweh's speeches, there is no doubt as to the answer to those questions. Righteousness can only be sourced in the Almighty. Sin can only be conquered with the assistance of God. Man cannot defeat sin on his own. It would be like trying to strangle a Nile crocodile with your bare hands. God is against sin and those who willingly enslave themselves to it (Deut 25:16; Prov 6:16-19; Ezek 29:3). No man can cleanse himself from sin (Prov 20:9; Jer 2:22; Mic 6:6-8). However, those who associate with God's power can be released from sin's grip (Exod 20:20; Psa 119:9-11; Prov 16:6; Mic 7:18).

How will Job, now powerfully educated by Yahweh Himself, respond to what he has just heard? There was only one correct form of reply. Job wisely and humbly exercised it.