Bible Commentaries

Canst thou draw out ^l leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord [which] thou lettest down?

(l) Meaning the whale.

Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or ^m bore his jaw through with a thorn?

(m) Because he fears lest you should take him.

Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take ⁿ him for a servant for ever?

(n) To do your business, and be at your command?

Lay thine hand upon him, remember ^o the battle, do no more.

(o) If you once consider the danger, you will not meddle with him.

Behold, ^p the hope of him is in vain: shall not [one] be cast down even at the sight of him?

(p) That is, that trusts to take him.

None [is so] fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to ^a stand before me?

(a) If no one dare stand against a whale, which is but a creature, who is able to compare with God the creator?

Who hath prevented me, that I should ^b repay [him? whatsoever is] under the whole heaven is mine.

(b) Who has taught me to accomplish my work?

I will not conceal ^c his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.

(c) The parts and members of the whale?

Who can discover the face ^d of his garment? [or] who can come [to him] with his double ^e bridle?

(d) That is, who dare pull off his skin?

(e) Who dare put a bridle in his mouth?

Who can ^f open the doors of his face? his teeth [are] terrible round about.

(f) Who dare look in his mouth?

By his neesings ^g a light doth shine, and his eyes [are] like the eyelids of the morning.

(g) That is, casts out flames of fire.

In his neck remaineth strength, and ^h sorrow is turned into joy before him.

(h) Nothing is painful or hard for him.

Sharp stones ⁱ [are] under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.

(i) His skin is so hard that he lies with a great ease on the stones as in the mud.

He maketh the deep to ^k boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.

(k) Either he makes the sea to seem like it is boiling by his wallowing, or else he spouts water in such abundance as it would seem that the sea boiled.

He maketh a path to ^l shine after him; [one] would think the deep [to be] hoary.

(l) That is, a white froth and shining stream before him.

He beholdeth ^m all high [things]: he [is] a king over all the children of pride.

(m) He despises all other beasts and monsters, and is the proudest of all others.