Job 41:30-34

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 41:11-34

God, having in the Job 42:1-6 shown Job how unable he was to deal with the leviathan, here sets forth his own power in that massy mighty creature. Here is, I. God's sovereign dominion and independency laid down, Job 41:11. 1. That he is indebted to none of his creatures. If any pretend he is indebted to them, let them make their demand and prove their debt, and they shall receive it in full and not by composition: ?Who has prevented me?? that is, ?who has laid any obligations upon me by any... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 41:30

Sharp stones are under him ,.... And yet give him no pain nor uneasiness; he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire ; and makes his bed of them and lies upon them; as sharp stones, as before, shells of fishes, broken pieces of darts, arrows, and javelins thrown at him, which fall around him: this does not so well agree with the crocodile, the skin of whose belly is soft and thin; wherefore dolphins plunge under it and cut it with a thorn, as Pliny F8 Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 25. ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 41:31

He maketh the deep to boil F11 "Fervetque----aequor". Virgil. Georgic. l. 1. v. 327. like a pot ,.... Which is all in a from through the violent agitation and motion of the waves, caused by its tossing and tumbling about; which better suits with the whale than the crocodile, whose motion in the water is not so vehement; he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment ; this also seems to make against the crocodile, which is a river fish, and is chiefly in the Nile. Lakes indeed are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 41:32

He maketh a path to shine after him ,.... Upon the sea, by raising a white from upon it, through its vehement motion as it passes along, or by the spermaceti it casts out and leaves behind it. It is said F19 Vid. Scheuchzer. ibid. (vol. 4.) p. 853. that whales will cut and plough the sea in such a manner, as to leave a shining glittering path behind them, the length of a German mile, which is three of ours; one would think the deep to be hoary ; to be old and grey headed, or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 41:33

Upon the earth there is not his like ,.... As to form and figure; in most creatures there is some likeness between those in the sea and on the land, as sea horses, calves, &c.; but there is no likeness between a whale and any creature on earth; there is between the crocodile and the lizard; nor is any like the whale for the largeness of its bulk; the Targum is, "his dominion is not on the earth,' but on the sea, as Aben Ezra notes; but rather the sense is, there is no power on earth... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 41:34

He beholdeth all high things ,.... Or "who beholdeth all high things "; even he that made leviathan, that is, God, as the above interpreter: he does that which Job was bid to do, and could not; beholds everyone that is proud, and abases him, Job 40:11 ; and therefore he ought to acknowledge his sovereignty and superiority over him, and submit to him; he is a king over all the children of pride : the proud angels that fell, and all the proud sons of men; proud monarchs and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 41:30

Sharp stones are under him - So hard and impenetrable are his scales, that splinters of flint are the same to him as the softest reeds. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 41:31

He maketh the deep to boil like a pot - This is occasioned by strongly agitating the waters at or near the bottom; and the froth which arises to the top from this agitation may have the appearance of ointment. But several travelers say that the crocodile has a very strong scent of musk, and that he even imparts this smell to the water through which he passes, and therefore the text may be taken literally. This property of the crocodile has been noticed by several writers. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 41:32

He maketh a path to shine after him - In certain states of the weather a rapid motion through the water disengages many sparks of phosphoric fire. I have seen this at sea; once particularly, on a fine clear night, with a good breeze, in a fast-sailing vessel, I leaned over the stern, and watched this phenomenon for hours. The wake of the vessel was like a stream of fire; millions of particles of fire were disengaged by the ship's swift motion through the water, nearly in the same way as by... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 41:33

Upon earth there is not his like - There is no creature among terrestrial animals so thoroughly dangerous, so exceedingly strong, and so difficult to be wounded or slain. Who is made without fear - Perhaps there is no creature who is at all acquainted with man, so totally destitute of fear as the crocodile. read more

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