Job 40: Job puts his hand on his mouth, and Yahweh describes Behemoth

In plain English: And Yahweh answered Job, and said:

In plain English: Will someone who finds fault argue with the Almighty? Let the one who argues with God (or: who corrects God) answer it.

The Hebrew words: "Almighty" is Shaddai, which the dictionary gives as "the Almighty". It is in 31 verses of Job and 48 verses of the Bible, and the WEB says "Almighty" in all of them. "God" here is Eloah, which the dictionary gives as "a deity or the Deity". It is in 41 verses of Job, and the WEB says "God" in all 41. "He who argues" is yissor, which the dictionary gives as "a reprover". It is in this verse only in the whole Bible. "Argues" in the second half is yakach, which the dictionary gives as "to be right (i.e. correct)", "to argue" and "to decide, justify or convict".

What changes: Word by word the second half reads "one who corrects God, let him answer it". The WEB reads "He who argues with God". Either way the one who contends is told to answer.

In plain English: Then Job answered Yahweh, and said:

In plain English: Look, I am of small account. What will I answer you? I put my hand on my mouth.

In plain English: I have spoken once, and I will not answer. Yes, twice, but I will go no further.

In plain English: Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:

In plain English: Now brace yourself like a man (the Hebrew says: gird up your loins). I will question you, and you will answer me.

In plain English: Will you even cancel my judgment (or: my justice)? Will you call me guilty, so that you may be in the right?

In plain English: Or do you have an arm like God's? Can you thunder with a voice like his?

In plain English: Now deck yourself with excellence (or: majesty) and dignity. Dress yourself in honor and majesty (or: glory and splendor).

In plain English: Pour out the fury of your anger. Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low.

In plain English: Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked where they stand (the Hebrew says: in their place).

In plain English: Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces in the hidden place.

In plain English: Then I too will admit to you (or: praise you) that your own right hand can save you.

In plain English: Look at Behemoth, which I made along with you (or: as I made you). He eats grass like an ox.

The Hebrew word: "Behemoth" is behemot in the Hebrew. This is the only verse in the whole Bible that has this word. The verse says Yahweh made it "as well as you" (word by word: "with you"), and that it eats grass like an ox.

Church tradition: Interpreters have identified Behemoth in different ways: as an animal, as a creature of story, or as something else. The text of Job names none of them. It says only what Yahweh says of it in this speech.

In plain English: Look, his strength is in his thighs (the Hebrew says: loins). His force is in the muscles of his belly.

In plain English: He moves (or: stiffens) his tail like a cedar. The sinews of his thighs are woven together.

In plain English: His bones are like tubes of bronze. His limbs are like bars of iron.

In plain English: He is the chief (or: first) of the ways of God. The one who made him gives him his sword (or: let his maker bring his sword near).

The Hebrew words: "Chief" is reshit, which the dictionary gives as "the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically, a firstfruit)". The second half is short: word by word it reads "the one who made it, let him bring near his sword". "Bring near" is nagash, which the dictionary gives as "to be or come (causatively, bring) near (for any purpose)".

What changes: With the WEB, the one who made Behemoth gives him his sword. With the word-by-word reading, his maker is told to bring the sword near. The text does not say more about the sword.

In plain English: Surely the mountains bring him food (or: carry him their produce), where all the animals of the field play.

In plain English: He lies under the lotus trees, in the hiding place of the reeds and the marsh.

In plain English: The lotus trees cover him with their shade. The willows (or: poplars) of the brook surround him.

In plain English: Look, if a river overflows, he does not tremble. He is confident, though the Jordan swells up to his mouth.

The Hebrew word: "Jordan" is Yarden. It is the only time the river is named in Job, and the WEB says "Jordan". The text does not say where Behemoth lives.

In plain English: Can anyone take him when he is on the watch (the Hebrew says: by his eyes), or pierce his nose with a snare?

The Hebrew words: The first words of the verse are "by his eyes" in the Hebrew. The WEB reads "when he is on the watch".

What changes: With the WEB, the question is whether anyone can take him while he is watching. With "by his eyes" the question is whether anyone can take him by (or in front of) his eyes. The text does not say which is meant.