Giobbe 40:20 Commento

Many humbling confounding questions God had put to Job, in the foregoing chapter; now, in this chapter, I. He demands an answer to them (Job 40:1, Job 40:2). II. Job submits in a humble silence (Job 40:3-5). III. God proceeds to reason with him, for his conviction, concerning the infinite distance and disproportion between him and God, showing that he was by no means an equal match for God. He challenges him (Job 40:6, Job 40:7) to vie with him, if he durst, for justice (Job 40:8), power (Job 40:9), majesty (Job 40:10), and dominion over the proud (Job 40:11-14), and he gives an instance of his power in one particular animal, here called "Behemoth," (Job 40:15-24).

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 40 In this chapter Job is called upon to give in his answer, Job 40:1, which he does in the most humble manner, acknowledging his vileness and folly, Job 40:3; and then the Lord proceeds to give him further conviction of his superior justice and power, Job 40:6; 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; 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.

He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens. This may be thought to agree very well with the river horse, the inhabitant of the Nile, where reeds in great plenty grew, and adjoining to which were fenny and marshy places, and shady trees; and, as historians relate (e), this creature takes its lodging among high reeds, and in shady places; yea, the reeds and sugar canes, and the leaves of the papyrus, are part of the food on which it lives; and hence the hunters of them sometimes cover their bait with a reed to take them; though it must be allowed that the elephant delights to be about rivers, and in clayey and fenny places (f), and therefore Aelianus (g) says it may be called the fenny animal. (e) Ammian. Marcellin. l. 22. Bellonius & Achilles Tatius apud Bochart ut supra. (Apud Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 5. c. 14. col. 760.) (f) Aristot. Hist. Animal. l. 9. c. 46. Plin. l. 8. c. 10. Aelian. de Animal. l. 9. c. 56. (g) lbid. l. 9. c. 24.

“And when he has gone up to a steep mountain, he causes joy to the quadrupeds in the deep.” This means the wild animals have raised their heads only when this animal has withdrawn to the mountains. If [God] has created these two enormous beasts, he did so in order that you might know that he may create all of them according to their own type. But God does not do so because his creation is oriented to provide what is useful to you. Notice how these beasts observe their proper laws: they haunt that part of the sea which is not navigable. But one may ask, What is their use? We ignore what is the mysterious utility of these monsters, but, if we want to take the risk of an explanation, we may say that they lead toward the knowledge of God.

The mountains bring him forth grass. 1. The proud become the more familiarly devoted to the ancient enemy, who is described by the voice of the Lord, under the name Behemoth, the higher they swell with pride within, at the successes of this life. For their pride increases with their distinction, but with their pride is added care; the mind is distracted hither and thither, because their desires also increase together with their possessions. And when they bring forth thoughts without number as the hay of the field, they feed the hunger of this Behemoth with these thoughts, as if with food which he longed for. Whence it is now rightly said; The mountains bring him forth grass. 2. In Holy Scripture, when 'mountain' is put in the singular number, there is designated sometimes the Incarnate Lord, sometimes Holy Church, sometimes the covenant of God, sometimes the apostate angel, sometimes any particular heretic. But when 'mountains' are named in the plural number, there is expressed sometimes the high estate of Apostles and Prophets, but sometimes the pride of worldly powers. For a mountain designates the Lord, as it is written, And in the last days the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains. [Is. 2, 2] For the mountain on the top of the mountains is the Incarnate Lord, transcending the loftiness of Prophets. Again, by a mountain is designated Holy Church, as it is written, They that trust in the Lord are as mount Sion. [Ps. 125, 1] For Sion means looking out, and by this looking out is typified the Church contemplating God. Again, by a mountain is expressed the covenant of God, as Habakkuk says, God will come from Libanus, and the Holy One from the shady and thick mountain. [Hab. 3, 3] For He Who by the pages of His covenant has promised that He will come, came, as it were, from that by which He held Himself, as it were, under a promise. And this covenant is well said to be a shady and thick mountain, because it is darkened by the thick obscurities of allegories. Again, by a mountain is designated the apostate angel, as is said to preachers concerning the ancient enemy under the character of the king of Babylon, Lift ye up a banner upon the gloomy mountain. For holy preachers lift up a banner above the gloomy mountain, when they exalt the virtue of the cross against the pride of Satan, which is frequently concealed under the mist of hypocrisy. Again, by a mountain any kind of heretic is expressed, as the Psalmist says with the voice of the Church, In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Pass over as a sparrow to the mountain? [Ps. 11, 1] For when a faithful soul is bidden to abandon unity, and to trust in the swelling doctrine of an heretical preacher, it is persuaded, as it were, to forsake the Lord, and to migrate to the mountain. Again, by mountains is designated the loftiness of Apostles and Prophets, as it is written, Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God. [Ps. 36, 6] And it is said by the voice of Paul, That we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. [2 Cor. 5, 21] Or as the Psalmist again says by the voice of the Church in hope, I have lifted up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence will come my help. [Ps. 121, 1] Again, by mountains is expressed the pride of secular powers, of whom the Psalmist says, The hills melted like wax from the presence of the Lord: [Ps. 97, 5] because many, who had before been swollen up with stubborn pride, were melted through penitence with great fear, when God was manifested in the flesh. Or as the same Prophet says again, They go up, mountains and go down, plains. [Ps. 104, 8] For many persecutors of the Lord come against Him in pride, but return from Him in humility. And these go up, mountains, by the swelling of power; but come down, plains, namely, by becoming level, through acknowledgment of sin. 3. But because some continue in the height of their pride, and disdain to bend humbly to the Divine commands, and that, because they cease not to think and perpetrate wickedness according to the desire of the ancient enemy; it is rightly said of Behemoth in this place; The mountains bring him forth grass. For the proud men of the world bring forth grass to this Behemoth, because they refresh him by that which they work wickedly. They bring forth grass to this Behemoth, because they offer him their unstable and treacherous pleasures. For men, says the Apostle, shall be lovers of their own selves. [2 Tim. 3, 2] And he summed up their description, saying; Lovers of pleasures more than of God. [ib. 4] What then is the grass of the mountains, except unstable pleasure, which is begotten from the heart of the proud? For if they did not despise God in their pride, they would never commit so many wantonnesses ['lubrica'] in their lasciviousness, by which grass this Behemoth is doubtless fed; because by hungering in them after the punishment of eternal death, he is pampered with their evil habits. For the proud of this world, even if ever, hindered by the course of God's dispensation, they desist from fulfilling their wicked works, yet multiply wickednesses in thought; at one time to make themselves appear superior to others in wealth and honour; at another, to exercise this very power in endeavouring to injure others; at another, to melt away in light deeds and pleasures, when influenced by wanton emotions. For since they never think of doing right, but always wrong, things, from the favours they have received from God, what else do they but fight against God with His own gifts? Because then this Behemoth always discerns in the minds of the proud his own desires, he finds, as it were, grass on the mountains, with which he replenishes and swells the belly of his malice. But it is well subjoined, All the beasts of the field will play there. 4. What are designated by 'beasts' but unclean spirits, what by the 'field,' but the present world? Whence it is said against Ephraim, of the chief of the malignant spirits himself; The beasts of the field shall tear them. [Hos. 13, 8] Or as Isaiah says; No evil beast shall go up thereon. [Is. 35, 9] But that the world is understood by the word field, the word of the Lord witnesses in the Gospel, which says, But the field is the world. [Matt. 13, 38] The beasts of the field, then, play in the grass of the mountains, because in this world the devils, who have been cast forth from above, delight in the evil doings of the proud. The beasts play in the grass, when the reprobate spirits draw away the hearts of men into unlawful thoughts. Is it not sport for evil spirits, to deceive at one time by false promises the minds of men which were made after the image of God, at another to make mock at them with empty terrors, at another to urge upon them transitory pleasures as if lasting, at another to make light of lasting punishments as if transitory? He had doubtless feared being the sport of these beasts, who said, O my God, I trust in Thee, let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies make a jest of me. [Ps. 25, 2] Because then the heart of the proud is overcome by every sin, so as to be ready for every malignant spirit which assails it with evil thoughts, it is rightly said of the grass of the mountains, All the beasts of the field will play there. For since the proud pass over no wickedness in their thoughts, there is no beast of the field which is not satiated with the grass of these mountains. For even if at any time they avoid the lust of the flesh, yet they commit the sin of inward lust by boasting of their very chastity. If at any time they do not covetously grasp at any thing without them, they are by no means free from the allurement of avarice; for though they are not eager after any thing, yet they strive to grasp at praise, for their forbearance, from human applause. The mountains, therefore, bring forth grass for this Behemoth, and all the beasts of the field play there, because every malignant spirit feeds at greater liberty in the heart of the proud, in proportion as every sin is generated from pride. But since we have heard what this Behemoth feeds on, we must now needs hear where it is that he rests meanwhile through his evil desire. It follows,

Since he had said that, "He eats grass like an ox," (v.10) he shows where he gets his grass to eat, and so he says, "The mountains yield grass for him." By this one understands that the proud and lofty men in this world offer the devil the material of his delight or eating. He shows how this is done saying, "All the beasts of the fields will play there." For just as the wild animals gather in the mountains for security and leisure, according to the literal sense, so under the protection of men in high places, men who rage like beasts rest secure. This is clearly shown in Daniel, "beneath the tree," which means the kingly dignity, "animals and beasts live." (4:9)

Job humbles himself before the Lord, Job 40:1-5. And God again challenges him by a display of his power and judgments, Job 40:6-14. A description of behemoth, Job 40:15-24.

The mountains bring him forth food - It cannot therefore be the hippopotamus, as he is seldom found far from the rivers where he has his chief residence. Where all the beasts of the field play - He frequents those places where he can have most prey. He makes a mock of all the beasts of the field. They can neither resist his power, nor escape from his agility. All this answers to what we know of the mammoth, but not at all to the hippopotamus.

GOD'S SECOND ADDRESS. (Job 40:1-24) the Lord--Hebrew, "JEHOVAH."

The mountain is not his usual haunt. BOCHART says it is sometimes found there (?). beasts . . . play--a graphic trait: though armed with such teeth, he lets the beasts play near him unhurt, for his food is grass.