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40 I am the Lord All-Powerful,
but you have argued
    that I am wrong.
Now you must answer me.

Job said to the Lord:
    Who am I to answer you?
I did speak once or twice,
    but never again.

Then out of the storm
    the Lord said to Job:
Face me and answer
    the questions I ask!
Are you trying to prove
that you are innocent
    by accusing me of injustice?
Do you have a powerful arm
and a thundering voice
    that compare with mine?
10 If so, then surround yourself
    with glory and majesty.
* 11 Show your furious anger!
Throw down and crush
12     all who are proud and evil.
13 Wrap them in grave clothes
and bury them together
    in the dusty soil.
14 Do this, and I will agree
that you have won
    this argument.

I Created You

15 I created both you
    and the hippopotamus.[a]
It eats only grass like an ox,
16 but look at the mighty muscles
in its body 17     and legs.
Its tail is like a cedar tree,
    and its thighs are thick.
18 The bones in its legs
    are like bronze or iron.

19 I made it more powerful
than any other creature,
    yet I am stronger still.
20 Undisturbed, it eats grass
while the other animals
    play nearby.[b]
* 21 It rests in the shade of trees
    along the riverbank
22 or hides among reeds
    in the swamp.
23 It remains calm and unafraid
with the Jordan River rushing
    and splashing in its face.
24 There is no way to capture
    a hippopotamus—
not even by hooking its nose
    or blinding its eyes.

Footnotes

  1. 40.15 the hippopotamus: The Hebrew text has “Behemoth,” which was sometimes understood to be a sea monster like Rahab (9.13; 26.12), Leviathan (3.8; 41.1), and Tannin (7.12).
  2. 40.20 nearby: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 20.

40 The Lord said to Job:(A)

“Will the one who contends with the Almighty(B) correct him?(C)
    Let him who accuses God answer him!”(D)

Then Job answered the Lord:

“I am unworthy(E)—how can I reply to you?
    I put my hand over my mouth.(F)
I spoke once, but I have no answer(G)
    twice, but I will say no more.”(H)

Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm:(I)

“Brace yourself like a man;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.(J)

“Would you discredit my justice?(K)
    Would you condemn me to justify yourself?(L)
Do you have an arm like God’s,(M)
    and can your voice(N) thunder like his?(O)
10 Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor,
    and clothe yourself in honor and majesty.(P)
11 Unleash the fury of your wrath,(Q)
    look at all who are proud and bring them low,(R)
12 look at all who are proud(S) and humble them,(T)
    crush(U) the wicked where they stand.
13 Bury them all in the dust together;(V)
    shroud their faces in the grave.(W)
14 Then I myself will admit to you
    that your own right hand can save you.(X)

15 “Look at Behemoth,
    which I made(Y) along with you
    and which feeds on grass like an ox.(Z)
16 What strength(AA) it has in its loins,
    what power in the muscles of its belly!(AB)
17 Its tail sways like a cedar;
    the sinews of its thighs are close-knit.(AC)
18 Its bones are tubes of bronze,
    its limbs(AD) like rods of iron.(AE)
19 It ranks first among the works of God,(AF)
    yet its Maker(AG) can approach it with his sword.(AH)
20 The hills bring it their produce,(AI)
    and all the wild animals play(AJ) nearby.(AK)
21 Under the lotus plants it lies,
    hidden among the reeds(AL) in the marsh.(AM)
22 The lotuses conceal it in their shadow;
    the poplars by the stream(AN) surround it.
23 A raging river(AO) does not alarm it;
    it is secure, though the Jordan(AP) should surge against its mouth.
24 Can anyone capture it by the eyes,
    or trap it and pierce its nose?(AQ)