Job 40:21

Job 40:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.
• New International Version (NIV)Under the lotus plants it lies, hidden among the reeds in the marsh.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Under the lotus plants he lies, in the shelter of the reeds and in the marsh.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He lies under the lotus trees, In a covert of reeds and marsh.

Context of Job 40:21

19“He is the first [in magnitude and power] of the works of God; [Only] He who made him can bring near His sword [to master him]. 20Surely the mountains bring him food, And all the wild animals play there. He lies down under the lotus plants, In the hidden shelter of the reeds in the marsh. 22The lotus plants cover him with their shade; The willows of the brook surround him. 23If a river rages and overflows, he does not tremble; He is confident, though the Jordan [River] swells and rushes against his mouth.

Job 40:21 word by word

תַּֽחַת־צֶאֱלִ֥ים יִשְׁכָּ֑ב בְּסֵ֖תֶר קָנֶ֣ה וּבִצָּֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He liethשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: lay downH7901
• under the shady treesצֶאֱלִיםtse'el · lotusH6628
• in the covertסֵ֫תֶרsêther sithrâh · secrecyH5643
• of the reedקָנֶהqâneh · branch: stemH7070
• and fensבִּצָּהbitstsâh · swampH1207

Cross-references for Job 40:21

• Isaiah 19:6The canals will become foul-smelling, The streams of Egypt will thin out and dry up, The reeds and the rushes will rot away.
• Isaiah 35:7And the burning sand (mirage) will become a pool [of water] And the thirsty ground springs of water; In the haunt of jackals, where they lay resting, Grass becomes reeds and rushes.

Commentaries on Job 40:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21He lieth under the shady trees - This and the following verses refer to certain habits of the behemoth, with which we are and must be unacquainted,Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21He lieth under the shady trees - Referring to his usually inactive and lazy life. He is disposed to lie down in the shade, and especially in the vegetable growth in marshy places on the banks of lakes and rivers, rather than to dwell in the open field or in the upland forest. This account agrees well with the habits of the hippopotamus. The word here and in Job 40:22 rendered “shady trees” (צאלים tse'eliym ), is by Gesenius, Noyes, Prof. Lee, and…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-24Verses 15-24 God, for the further proving of his own power, describes two vast animals, far exceeding man in bulk and strength. Behemoth signifies beasts. Most understand it of an animal well known in Egypt, called the river-horse, or hippopotamus. This vast animal is noticed as an argument to humble ourselves before the great God; for he created this vast animal, which is so fearfully and wonderfully made. Whatever strength this or any other creature…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-24After listing natural animals, God described Behemoth and "Leviathan" as creatures humans cannot control (39:1–30; 40:15–24; 41:1–34). Job could not control the wild donkey or ox (39:5–12; 40:15–24). However, God created and could control them, and Job had to accept this fact (41:2). Here, Behemoth appears to be a natural creature: It is an animal God made, just as he made Job (40:15). It is not a fierce predator but eats grass like an ox (40:15). It is…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-2415-24. God shows that if Job cannot bring under control the lower animals (of which he selects the two most striking, behemoth on land, leviathan in the water), much less is he capable of governing the world. behemoth--The description in part agrees with the hippopotamus, in part with the elephant, but exactly in all details with neither. It is rather a poetical personification of the great Pachydermata, or Herbivora (so "he eateth grass"), the idea of…Read the comment

Topics related to Job 40:21

• God

In the dictionaries

• Shady, Trees
• Abase
• Array
• Behemoth
• Cane
• Compass
• Disannul
• Reed
• Thunder
• Covert

Commentaries on Job 40

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings