Giobbe 41:9 Commento

The description here given of the leviathan, a very large, strong, formidable fish, or water-animal, is designed yet further to convince Job of his own impotency, and of God's omnipotence, that he might be humbled for his folly in making so bold with him as he had done. I. To convince Job of his own weakness he is here challenged to subdue and tame this leviathan if he can, and make himself master of him (Job 41:1-9), and, since he cannot do this, he must own himself utterly unable to stand before the great God (Job 41:10). II. To convince Job of God's power and terrible majesty several particular instances are here given of the strength and terror of the leviathan, which is no more than what God has given him, nor more than he has under his check, (Job 41:11, Job 41:12). The face of the leviathan is here described to be terrible (Job 41:12, Job 41:14), his scales close (Job 41:15-17), his breath and neesings sparkling (Job 41:18-21), his flesh firm (Job 41:22-24), his strength and spirit, when he is attacked, insuperable (Job 41:25-30), his motions turbulent, and disturbing to the waters (Job 41:31, Job 41:32), so that, upon the whole, he is a very terrible creature, and man is no match for him (Job 41:33, Job 41:34).

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 41 A large description is here given of the leviathan, from the difficulty and danger of taking it, from whence it is inferred that none can stand before God, Job 41:1; from the several parts of him, his face, teeth, scales, eyes, mouth and neck, flesh and heart, Job 41:11; and from various wonderful terrible things said of him, and ascribed to him, Job 41:25.

Behold, the hope of him is in vain,.... Of getting the mastery over him, or of taking him; and yet both crocodiles and whales have been taken; nor is the taking of them to be despaired of; but it seems the "orca", or the whale with many teeth, has never been taken and killed (o); shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? the sight of a whale is terrible to mariners, lest their ships should be overturned by it; and some have been so frightened at the sight of a crocodile as to lose their senses: and we read of one that was greatly terrified at seeing the shadow of one; and the creature before mentioned is supposed to be much more terrible (p). (o) Vid. Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. vol. 4. p. 846. (p) Scheuchzer. ib.

[“And all the ships come together would not be able to bear the mere skin of his tail.”] All the ships come together are not capable to mortify the extreme and main parts of the dragon. People using bodies or ships cannot by themselves lift a single piece of the skin of his tail. But with the favor of divine virtue, they can bear not only a piece of the skin of his tail but also his entire body, and [they can] mortify it. Each of us mortifies what is in him, that is, the devil, according to the words of the apostle, “Then God will soon crush Satan under your feet.”

Behold, his hope shall disappoint him. And in the sight of all he shall be cast down. 37. But this ought to be so understood, as to be referred to his body also; because all wicked men who fear not the strictness of Divine justice, flatter themselves in vain on His compassion. And He presently returns to console us, and foretels his coming destruction at the last judgment, saying; And in the sight of all he shall be cast down. For he will be cast down in the sight of all, because when the eternal Judge then terribly appears, when legions of Angels stand at His side, when the whole ministry of heavenly Powers is attending, and all the Elect are brought to behold this spectacle, this cruel and mighty monster is brought captive into the midst, and with his own body, that is, with all reprobates, is consigned to the eternal fires of hell, when it is said, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels. [Matt. 25, 41] O what a spectacle will that be, when this most huge monster will be displayed to the eyes of the Elect, which at this time of contest, could he but be seen, might have too much terrified them! But it is so ordered by the secret and wonderful judgment of God, that he is now conquered by His grace, though not seen by the combatants, and that then he is beheld by the joyful victors as already captive. But they then learn more fully how much they are indebted to the Divine assistance, when they have once seen so mighty a beast, whom they have now conquered in their weakness; and behold in the huge size of their enemy, how much they owe to the grace of their Defender. For our soldiers then return from this battle bringing back the trophies of their virtues; and when, having recovered their bodies, they are now about to obtain, in that judgment, an admission to the heavenly kingdom, they behold first the most monstrous strength of this ancient serpent, that they may not esteem lightly the danger they have escaped. It is therefore well said; And in the sight of all he will be cast down, because the sight of his death then causes joy, whose life, being now endured, daily engages with tortures in contest with the just. But as if we should immediately complain on hearing these things, and should say to the Lord, 'O Lord, Who art not ignorant that this Leviathan is of such great strength, why dost Thou arouse him to engage in contest with our weakness?' He immediately added; Chap. xli. ver. 1. I will not rouse him as one that is cruel. And as if the ground of the reason were immediately asked by us, 'How dost Thou not arouse him, as one that is cruel, since we know that Thou permittest him to devour and to destroy so many?' He immediately added, saying,

About the conquest by which he is overcome by God he adds, "Behold, his hope will be in vain for him." If this is referred to the whale it is clear. For when the whale follows fish hoping to catch them, he runs aground on some shore, and as he cannot free himself from this because of the shallowness of the water, he is frustrated in his hope to capture fish. So when he rises to the surface he rushes to death. He expresses this then saying, "and he will perish with everyone looking on," because men run from all sides when they see him to kill him. In this he wants to show that the hope the devil has for the subversion of the saints will be frustrated, and he with all his following will be cast down into hell on the day of judgment with all the saints looking on.

God's great power in the leviathan, of which creature he gives a very circumstantial description, vv. 1-34.

Behold, the hope - If thou miss thy first advantage, there is no hope afterwards: the very sight of this terrible monster would dissipate thy spirit, if thou hadst not a positive advantage against his life, or a place of sure retreat to save thine own.

(Job 41:1-34) leviathan--literally, "the twisted animal," gathering itself in folds: a synonym to the Thannin (Job 3:8, Margin; see Psa 74:14; type of the Egyptian tyrant; Psa 104:26; Isa 27:1; the Babylon tyrant). A poetical generalization for all cetacean, serpentine, and saurian monsters (see on Job 40:15, hence all the description applies to no one animal); especially the crocodile; which is naturally described after the river horse, as both are found in the Nile. tongue . . . lettest down?--The crocodile has no tongue, or a very small one cleaving to the lower jaw. But as in fishing the tongue of the fish draws the baited hook to it, God asks, Canst thou in like manner take leviathan?

the hope--of taking him. cast down--with fear "at the (mere) sight of him."