Job 41

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Template:Short description Template:Bible chapter

Job 41 is the 41st chapter of the book of Job in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.Template:Sfn[1] The book is anonymous; most scholars believe it was written around 6th century BCETemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn This chapter records the speech of God to Job, which belongs to the "Verdicts" section of the book, comprising Job 32:1–42:6.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Text

The original text is written in Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 34 verses in English Bibles, but only 26 verses in Hebrew Bible using a different verse numbering (see below).

Verse numbering

There are some differences in verse numbering of this chapter in English Bibles and Hebrew texts:[2]

English Hebrew
41:1–8 40:25–32
41:9–34 41:1–26

This article generally follows the common numbering in Christian English Bible versions, with notes to the numbering in Hebrew Bible versions.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).Template:Sfn

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE; some extant ancient manuscripts of this version include Codex Vaticanus (B; 𝔊B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: 𝔊S; 4th century), and Codex Alexandrinus (A; 𝔊A; 5th century).Template:Sfn

Analysis

The structure of the book is as follows:Template:Sfn

  • The Prologue (chapters 1–2)
  • The Dialogue (chapters 3–31)
  • The Verdicts (32:1–42:6)
  • The Epilogue (42:7–17)

Within the structure, chapter 41 is grouped into the Verdict section with the following outline:Template:Sfn

  • Elihu's Verdict (32:1–37:24)
  • God's Appearance (Yahweh Speeches) and Job's Responses (38:1–42:6)
    • God's First Speech (38:1–40:2)
      • Theme Verse and Summons (38:1–3)
      • The Physical World (38:4–38)
      • The Physical Earth (38:4–7)
      • The Sea (38:8–11)
      • The Morning (38:12–15)
      • The Outer Limits of the Earth (38:16–18)
      • Light and Darkness (38:19–21)
      • The Waters – Snow, Hail, Rain, Frost, Ice (38:22–30)
      • The Heavenly Bodies (38:31–33)
      • Storms (38:34–38)
    • The Animal World (38:39–40:2)
      • God Provides for the Lions and Ravens (38:39–41)
      • The Mountain Goats (39:1–4)
      • The Wild Donkey (39:5–8)
      • The Wild Ox (39:9–12)
      • The Ostrich (39:13–18)
      • The Warhorse (39:19–25)
        • The Hawk and the Eagle (39:26–30)
      • Brief Challenge to Answer (40:1–2)
    • Job's First Reply – An Insufficient Response (40:3–5)
    • God's Second Speech (40:6–41:34)
      • Theme Verse and Summons (40:6–8)
      • The Challenge Expanded (40:9–14)
      • The Challenge of Controlling Behemoth (40:15–24)
      • Leviathan (41:1–34)
        • The Challenge to Contend with Leviathan (41:1–7)
        • Some Conclusions (41:8–11)
        • His Armor (41:12–17)
        • His Breathing. of Fire (41:18–21)
        • His Strength (41:22–25)
        • Weapons Cannot Defeat Him (41:26–29)
        • He Creates Turmoil (41:30–32)
        • Conclusion (41:33–34)
    • Job's Second Reply (42:1–6)

God's speeches in chapters 38–41 can be split into two parts, both starting with almost identical phrases and having a similar structure:Template:Sfn

First speech Second speech
A. Introductory formula (38:1) A1. Introductory formula (40:6)
B. Thematic challenge (38:2–3)
i. Theme A (key verse – verse 2)
ii. Summons (verse 3)
 B1. Thematic challenge (40:7–14)
i. Summons (verse 7)
ii. Theme B (key verse – verse 8)
iii. Challenge expanded (verses 9–14)
C, Particularization of theme
i. In the physical world (38:4–38)
ii. In the animal and bird kingdoms (38:39–39:30)
 C1, Particularization of theme
i. With Behemoth (40:15–24)
ii. With Leviathan (41:1–34)
D. Brief Challenge to Answer (40:1–2)

The revelation of the Lord to Job is the culmination of the book of Job, that the Lord speaks directly to Job and displays his sovereign power and glory. Job has lived through the suffering—without cursing God, holding his integrity, and nowhere regretted it – but he was unaware of the real reason for his suffering, so God intervenes to resolve the spiritual issues that surfaced.[3] Job was not punished for sin and Job's suffering had not cut him off from God, now Job sees the end the point that he cannot have the knowledge to make the assessments he made, so it is wiser to bow in submission and adoration of God than to try to judge him.[3]

Chapter 41 continues YHWH's second speech with the focus on the sea creature Leviathan.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn The chapters consists of two sections:

  1. A challenge to Job to contend with Leviathan (verses 1–11)
  2. An extended description of Leviathan's features (verses 12–34)
Book of Job in Illuminated Byzantine Manuscripts with Cyclic Illustration (AD 1200). Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Rome.

Template:AnchorGod challenges Job to contend with Leviathan (41:1–11)

The section opens with a series of questions to challenge Job to contend with Leviathan, which is quite overpowering for humans.Template:Sfn The human challenge against Leviathan is described as futile (verses 8–10a), so the implication is "who can stand before" YHWH who created Leviathan (verse 10b).Template:Sfn

Verse 1

[YHWH said:] "Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook,
Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower?"[4]

Template:AnchorGod speaks more of Leviathan (41:12–34)

After an introductory statement (verse 12), God speaks more extensively on the Leviathan: its armor (verses 13–17), fire breathing (verses 18–21), strength (verses 22–25), inability of weapons to defeat it (verses 26–29), the turmoil it creates (verses 30–32) and a general conclusion (verses 33–34).Template:Sfn It is out of the question for humans to control this creature (whether natural or symbolic of the forces of evil and chaos), but it needs to be controlled for the creation to continue and God has the control of it and all the creatures to order the world.Template:Sfn Therefore, God's rule is more than Job can imagine and more nuanced than simply rewarding righteousness or punishing wickedness.Template:Sfn

Verse 22

Illustration of Leviathan from the Medieval grimoires.
[YHWH said:] "In his neck abides strength,
and terror dances before him."[8]

See also

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References

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Sources

Template:Book of Job

  1. ↑ Holman Illustrated Bible Handbook. Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. 2012.
  2. ↑ Notes on Job 41:1 in NET Bible
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note [a] on Job 38:1 in NET Bible
  4. ↑ Template:Bibleref2 NKJV or Template:Bibleverse Hebrew Bible
  5. ↑ Note on Job 41:1 in NKJV
  6. ↑ Note [b] on Job 41:1 in NET Bible
  7. ↑ Note [c] on Job 41:1 in NET Bible
  8. ↑ Template:Bibleref2 MEV or Template:Bibleverse Hebrew Bible
  9. ↑ Note on Job 41:22 in NET Bible
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