Job 40:22

The shady trees cover him with their shadow ,.... Under which it lies, as in Job 40:21 ; which is thought not so well to agree with the elephant, since, according to Aelianus F8 Ibid. (Aelian. de Animal.) c. 31. and other writers, it lies not down, at least but rarely, but sleeps standing; it being very troublesome to it to lie down and rise up again; and besides it is represented by some authors F9 Ibid. l. 7. c. 6. as higher than the trees, and therefore this is supposed to agree better with the river horse; especially since it follows,

the willows of the brook compass him about ; or the willows of the Nile, as some choose to render it; which would put it out of all doubt that the river horse is intended, if it could be established, it being an inhabitant of that river; and yet the above writer F11 Ibid. c. 2. speaks of elephants, when grown old, seeking large thick and shady woods to take up their abode in.