English Standard Version
Job 40:17
17He makes his tail stiff like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are knit together.
Job 40:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.
- New International Version (NIV)Its tail sways like a cedar; the sinews of its thighs are close-knit.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He moves his tail like a cedar; The sinews of his thighs are tightly knit.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Its tail is as strong as a cedar. The sinews of its thighs are knit tightly together.
Context of Job 40:17
15"Behold, Behemoth, which I made as I made you; he eats grass like an ox. 16Behold, his strength in his loins, and his power in the muscles of his belly. He makes his tail stiff like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are knit together. 18His bones are tubes of bronze, his limbs like bars of iron. 19"He is the first of the works of God; let him who made him bring near his sword!
Read all of Job 40Job 40:17 word by word
יַחְפֹּ֣ץ זְנָב֣וֹ כְמוֹ־אָ֑רֶז גִּידֵ֖י פַחֲדָ֣יו יְשֹׂרָֽגוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 40:17
Commentaries on Job 40:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17He moveth his tail like a cedar - Therefore it was neither the elephant, who has a tail like that of the hog, nor the hippopotamus, whose tail is only about a foot long. The sinews of his stones - I translate with Mr. Good, and for the same reasons, the sinews of his haunches, which is still more characteristic; as the animal must have excelled in leaping.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17He moveth his tail like a cedar - Margin, “setteth up.” The Hebrew word (חפץ châphêts ) means “to bend, to curve;” and hence, it commonly denotes “to be inclined, favorably disposed to desire or please.” The obvious meaning here is, that this animal had some remarkable power of “bending” or “curving” its tail, and that there was some resemblance in this to the motion of the cedar-tree when moved by the wind. In “what” this resemblance consisted, or how…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 40:17
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries