Job 40

1 ...

2 Will he who is protesting give teaching to the Ruler of all? Let him who has arguments to put forward against God give an answer.

3 And Job said in answer to the Lord,

4 Truly, I am of no value; what answer may I give to you? I will put my hand on my mouth.

5 I have said once, and even twice, what was in my mind, but I will not do so again.

6 Then the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind, and said,

7 Get your strength together like a man of war: I will put questions to you, and you will give me the answers.

8 Will you even make my right of no value? will you say that I am wrong in order to make clear that you are right?

9 Have you an arm like God? have you a voice of thunder like his?

10 Put on the ornaments of your pride; be clothed with glory and power:

11 Let your wrath be overflowing; let your eyes see all the sons of pride, and make them low.

12 Send destruction on all who are lifted up, pulling down the sinners from their places.

13 Let them be covered together in the dust; let their faces be dark in the secret place of the underworld.

14 Then I will give praise to you, saying that your right hand is able to give you salvation.

15 See now the Great Beast, whom I made, even as I made you; he takes grass for food, like the ox.

16 His strength is in his body, and his force in the muscles of his stomach.

17 His tail is curving like a cedar; the muscles of his legs are joined together.

18 His bones are pipes of brass, his legs are like rods of iron.

19 He is the chief of the ways of God, made by him for his pleasure.

20 He takes the produce of the mountains, where all the beasts of the field are at play.

21 He takes his rest under the trees of the river, and in the pool, under the shade of the water-plants.

22 He is covered by the branches of the trees; the grasses of the stream are round him.

23 Truly, if the river is overflowing, it gives him no cause for fear; he has no sense of danger, even if Jordan is rushing against his mouth.

24 Will anyone take him when he is on the watch, or put metal teeth through his nose?

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Job 40 Commentary

Chapter 40

Job humbles himself to God. (1-5) The Lord reasons with Job to show his righteousness, power, and wisdom. (6-14) God's power shown in Behemoth. (15-24)

Verses 1-5 Communion with the Lord effectually convinces and humbles a saint, and makes him glad to part with his most beloved sins. There is need to be thoroughly convinced and humbled, to prepare us for remarkable deliverances. After God had shown Job, by his manifest ignorance of the works of nature, how unable he was to judge of the methods and designs of Providence, he puts a convincing question to him; Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? Now Job began to melt into godly sorrow: when his friends reasoned with him, he did not yield; but the voice of the Lord is powerful. When the Spirit of truth is come, he shall convince. Job yields himself to the grace of God. He owns himself an offender, and has nothing to say to justify himself. He is now sensible that he has sinned; and therefore he calls himself vile. Repentance changes men's opinion of themselves. Job is now convinced of his error. Those who are truly sensible of their own sinfulness and vileness, dare not justify themselves before God. He perceived that he was a poor, mean, foolish, and sinful creature, who ought not to have uttered one word against the Divine conduct. One glimpse of God's holy nature would appal the stoutest rebel. How, then will the wicked bear the sight of his glory at the day of judgment? But when we see this glory revealed in Jesus Christ, we shall be humbled without being terrified; self-abasement agrees with filial love.

Verses 6-14 Those who profit by what they have heard from God, shall hear more from him. And those who are truly convinced of sin, yet need to be more thoroughly convinced and more humbled. No doubt God, and he only, has power to humble and bring down proud men; he has wisdom to know when and how to do it, and it is not for us to teach him how to govern the world. Our own hands cannot save us by recommending us to God's grace, much less rescuing us from his justice; and therefore into his hand we must commit ourselves. The renewal of a believer proceeds in the same way of conviction, humbling, and watchfulness against remaining sin, as his first conversion. When convinced of many evils in our conduct, we still need convincing of many more.

Verses 15-24 God, for the further proving of his own power, describes two vast animals, far exceeding man in bulk and strength. Behemoth signifies beasts. Most understand it of an animal well known in Egypt, called the river-horse, or hippopotamus. This vast animal is noticed as an argument to humble ourselves before the great God; for he created this vast animal, which is so fearfully and wonderfully made. Whatever strength this or any other creature has, it is derived from God. He that made the soul of man, knows all the ways to it, and can make the sword of justice, his wrath, to approach and touch it. Every godly man has spiritual weapons, the whole armour of God, to resist, yea, to overcome the tempter, that his never-dying soul may be safe, whatever becomes of his frail flesh and mortal body.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 40

In this chapter Job is called upon to give in his answer, Job 40:1,2, which he does in the most humble manner, acknowledging his vileness and folly, Job 40:3-5; and then the Lord proceeds to give him further conviction of his superior justice and power, Job 40:6-9; and one thing he proposes to him, to humble the proud, if he could, and then he would own his own right hand could save him, Job 40:10-15; and observes to him another instance of his power in a creature called behemoth, which he had made, and gives a description of, Job 40:15-24.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible