_CANST THOU DRAW OUT LEVIATHAN WITH AN HOOK? OR HIS TONGUE WITH A CORD WHICH THOU LETTEST DOWN?_ Leviathan - Latin, the twisted animal, gathering itself in folds. The last syllable, than, appertains to the form of the noun, as in Nehushtan; the first part, levi, in Arabic, means twisting (Bochart,... [ Continue Reading ]
_CANST THOU PUT AN HOOK INTO HIS NOSE? OR BORE HIS JAW THROUGH WITH A THORN?_ Hook - rather, a rope of rushes х_ 'AGMOWN_ (H100)]. THORN - rather, a ring or hook х_ CHOWACH_ (H2336)]. So wild beasts were led about when caught (Isaiah 37:29; Ezekiel 29:4); fish also were secured thus, and thrown i... [ Continue Reading ]
_WILL HE MAKE MANY SUPPLICATIONS UNTO THEE? WILL HE SPEAK SOFT WORDS UNTO THEE?_ Soft words - that thou mayest spare his life. No; he is untameable.... [ Continue Reading ]
_WILL HE MAKE A COVENANT WITH THEE? WILT THOU TAKE HIM FOR A SERVANT FOR EVER?_ Can he be tamed for domestic use? (so Job 39:10.)... [ Continue Reading ]
_WILT THOU PLAY WITH HIM AS WITH A BIRD? OR WILT THOU BIND HIM FOR THY MAIDENS?_ A bird - that is tamed. BIND HIM FOR THY MAIDENS? - with a thread or string, as a pet or toy for them.... [ Continue Reading ]
_SHALL THE COMPANIONS MAKE A BANQUET OF HIM? SHALL THEY PART HIM AMONG THE MERCHANTS?_ Companions - rather, partners (namely, in fishing). MAKE A BANQUET. The parallelism rather supports Umbreit, 'Do partners (in trade) desire to purchase him?' х_ KAARAH_ (H3739) _ `AL_ (H5921)] (so the Hebrew, D... [ Continue Reading ]
_CANST THOU FILL HIS SKIN WITH BARBED IRONS? OR HIS HEAD WITH FISH SPEARS?_ His hide is not penetrable, as that of fish.... [ Continue Reading ]
_LAY THINE HAND UPON HIM, REMEMBER THE BATTLE, DO NO MORE._ If thou lay, etc., thou wilt have reason ever to REMEMBER the battle, how severe it was, and thou wilt never try, it again.... [ Continue Reading ]
_BEHOLD, THE HOPE OF HIM IS IN VAIN: SHALL NOT ONE BE CAST DOWN EVEN AT THE SIGHT OF HIM?_ _ BEHOLD, THE HOPE OF HIM IS IN VAIN: SHALL NOT ONE BE CAST DOWN EVEN AT THE SIGHT OF HIM?_ The hope - of taking him: or else, 'of any one who tries a battle with him' (Job 41:8). IS IN VAIN _ NIKZAABAAH_ ... [ Continue Reading ]
_NONE IS SO FIERCE THAT DARE STIR HIM UP: WHO THEN IS ABLE TO STAND BEFORE ME?_ Fierce - courageous; foolhardy. If a man dare not attack one of my creatures (Genesis 49:9; Numbers 24:9), who will dare (as Job had wished) oppose himself (Psalms 2:2) to ME, THE CREATOR? This is the main drift of the... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHO HATH PREVENTED ME, THAT I SHOULD REPAY HIM? WHATSOEVER IS UNDER THE WHOLE HEAVEN IS MINE._ Prevented - done me a favour first: anticipated me with service (Psalms 21:3). None can call me to account ("stand before me," Job 41:10) as unjust, because I have withdrawn favours from him (as in Job's... [ Continue Reading ]
_I WILL NOT CONCEAL HIS PARTS, NOR HIS POWER, NOR HIS COMELY PROPORTION._ I will not conceal. A resumption of the description broken off by the digression, which formed an agreeable change. HIS POWER - literally, the word or way; i:e., true proportion or expression х_ DªBAR_ (H1697)] of his stren... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHO CAN DISCOVER THE FACE OF HIS GARMENT? OR WHO CAN COME TO HIM WITH HIS DOUBLE BRIDLE?_ Discover - `Who can uncover the surface of his garment?' (akin, Job 10:11:) strip off the hard outer coat with which the inner skin is covered. WITH - rather, within his double jaws-literally, bridle х_ REC... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHO CAN OPEN THE DOORS OF HIS FACE? HIS TEETH ARE TERRIBLE ROUND ABOUT._ Doors of ... face - his jaws. His teeth are 60 in number, larger in proportion than his body, some standing out, some serrated, fitting into each other like a comb (Bochart).... [ Continue Reading ]
_HIS SCALES ARE HIS PRIDE, SHUT UP TOGETHER AS WITH A CLOSE SEAL._ Rather х_ 'ªPIYQEEY_ (H650) _ MAAGINIYM_ (H4043)], his furrows of shields (as 'tubes' 'channels,' note, Job 40:18) are his pride - i:e., the rows of scales, like shields, covering him: he has seventeen such rows in his furrowed coat... [ Continue Reading ]
_ONE IS SO NEAR TO ANOTHER, THAT NO AIR CAN COME BETWEEN THEM._ No JFB commentary on these verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
_BY HIS NEESINGS A LIGHT DOTH SHINE, AND HIS EYES ARE LIKE THE EYELIDS OF THE MORNING._ His neesings, х_ `ªTIYSHAAH_ (H5846)]. Translate, 'his sneezing causeth a light to shine.' Amphibious animals, emerging after having long held their breath under water, respire by violently expelling the breath... [ Continue Reading ]
_OUT OF HIS MOUTH GO BURNING LAMPS, AND SPARKS OF FIRE LEAP OUT._ Burning lamps - torches: namely, in respiring (Job 41:18) seem to go out.... [ Continue Reading ]
_OUT OF HIS NOSTRILS GOETH SMOKE, AS OUT OF A SEETHING POT OR CALDRON._ SEETHING - boiling: literally, blow under, a pot under which a fire is blown х_ DUWD_ (H1732) _ NAAPUWACH _ (H5301)]. CALDRON, х_ 'AGMON_ (H100), from _ 'AAGAM_ (H98), to glow] - a glowing caldron.... [ Continue Reading ]
_HIS BREATH KINDLETH COALS, AND A FLAME GOETH OUT OF HIS MOUTH._ Kindleth coals - poetical imagery (Psalms 18:8, "There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it").... [ Continue Reading ]
_IN HIS NECK REMAINETH STRENGTH, AND SORROW IS TURNED INTO JOY BEFORE HIM._ Remaineth - abideth permanently. His chief strength is in the neck. SORROW - anxiety or dismay personified. IS TURNED INTO JOY - rather, danceth, exulteth х_ TAADUWTS_ (H1750), from _ DUWTS_ (H1750)]: wherever he goes,... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE FLAKES OF HIS FLESH ARE JOINED TOGETHER: THEY ARE FIRM IN THEMSELVES; THEY CANNOT BE MOVED._ Flakes - rather, dewlaps. That which falls down: margin, fallings х_ MAPAAL_ (H4651), from _ NAAPAL_ (H5307), fall]. They are "joined" fast and firm together, not hanging loose, as in the ox. ARE FIR... [ Continue Reading ]
_HIS HEART IS AS FIRM AS A STONE; YEA, AS HARD AS A PIECE OF THE NETHER MILLSTONE._ Heart. 'In large beasts, which are less acute in feeling, there is great firmness of the heart, and slower motion' (Bochart). The nether millstone, on which the upper turns, is especially hard.... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHEN HE RAISETH UP HIMSELF, THE MIGHTY ARE AFRAID: BY REASON OF BREAKINGS THEY PURIFY THEMSELVES._ When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid. The crocodile: a type of the awe which the Creator inspires when He rises in wrath. BREAKINGS - namely, of the mind: i:e., terrors. PURIFY THEMS... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE SWORD OF HIM THAT LAYETH AT HIM CANNOT HOLD: THE SPEAR, THE DART, NOR THE HABERGEON._ Cannot hold - on his hard skin. HABERGEON - coat of mail: avail must be taken by Zeugma out of "hold," as the verb in the second clause; "hold" cannot apply to the coat of mail.'... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE ESTEEMETH IRON AS STRAW, AND BRASS AS ROTTEN WOOD._ Iron ... brass - namely, weapons.... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE ARROW CANNOT MAKE HIM FLEE: SLINGSTONES ARE TURNED WITH HIM INTO STUBBLE._ Arrow - literally, the son of the bow; Oriental imagery, (Lamentations 3:13, margin.) STUBBLE - sling stones produce no more effect than it would to throw stubble at him.... [ Continue Reading ]
_DARTS ARE COUNTED AS STUBBLE: HE LAUGHETH AT THE SHAKING OF A SPEAR._ Darts, х_ TOWTAACH_ (H8455), from yaatach] - Arabic, 'smite with a club:' rather, clubs; darts have been already mentioned.... [ Continue Reading ]
_SHARP STONES ARE UNDER HIM: HE SPREADETH SHARP POINTED THINGS UPON THE MIRE._ Sharp stones - rather, as margin, potsherds х_ CHADUWDEEY_ (H2303) _ CHAARES_ (H2789)]: i:e., the sharp and pointed scales on the belly, like broken pieces of pottery. SHARP-POINTED THINGS - rather, a threshing instrum... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE MAKETH THE DEEP TO BOIL LIKE A POT: HE MAKETH THE SEA LIKE A POT OF OINTMENT._ He maketh the deep to boil like a pot - whenever he moves. SEA - the Nile (Isaiah 19:5; Nahum 3:8). POT OF OINTMENT - the vessel in which it is mixed. Appropriate to the crocodile, which emits a musky smell.... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE MAKETH A PATH TO SHINE AFTER HIM; ONE WOULD THINK THE DEEP TO BE HOARY._ Path - the foam on his track. HOARY - as the hair of the aged.... [ Continue Reading ]
_UPON EARTH THERE IS NOT HIS LIKE, WHO IS MADE WITHOUT FEAR._ Upon earth - literally, 'upon the dust:' upon this crumbling transitory earth. THERE IS NOT HIS LIKE, х_ MOSHEL_ (H4915)] - anything like to him. WHO - being one "who is made without fear," etc.... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE BEHOLDETH ALL HIGH THINGS: HE IS A KING OVER ALL THE CHILDREN OF PRIDE._ Beheldeth - as their superior. CHILDREN OF PRIDE - the proud and fierce beasts. So Job 28:8; Hebrew, sons of pride. To humble the pride of man, and to teach implicit submission, is the aim of Yahweh's speech, and of the... [ Continue Reading ]