God’s Word Translation
Job 40:15
15“Look at Behemoth, which I made along with you. It eats grass as cattle do.
Job 40:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.
- New International Version (NIV)“Look at Behemoth, which I made along with you and which feeds on grass like an ox.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Behold, Behemoth, which I made as I made you; he eats grass like an ox.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Look now at the behemoth, which I made along with you; He eats grass like an ox.
Context of Job 40:15
13Hide them completely in the dust, and cover their faces in the hidden place. 14Then even I will praise you because your right hand can save you. “Look at Behemoth, which I made along with you. It eats grass as cattle do. 16Look at the strength in its back muscles, the power in its stomach muscles. 17It makes its tail stiff like a cedar. The ligaments of its thighs are intertwined.
Read all of Job 40Job 40:15 word by word
הִנֵּה־נָ֣א בְ֭הֵמוֹת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֣יתִי עִמָּ֑ךְ חָ֝צִ֗יר כַּבָּקָ֥ר יֹאכֵֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 40:15
- Genesis 1:24Then God said, “Let the earth produce every type of living creature: every type of domestic animal, crawling animal, and wild animal.” And so it was.
- Job 40:20The hills bring it food, and all the wild animals play there.
- Job 39:8It explores the mountains for its pasture and looks for anything green.
- Psalms 104:14You make grass grow for cattle and make vegetables for humans to use in order to get food from the ground.
Commentaries on Job 40:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Behold now behemoth - The word בהמות behemoth is the plural of בהמה behemah, which signifies cattle in general, or graminivorous animals, as distinguished from חיתו chayetho, all wild or carnivorous animals. See Genesis 1:24. The former seems to mean kine, horses, asses, sheep, etc., and all employed in domestic or agricultural matters; the latter, all wild and savage beasts, such as lions, bears, tigers, etc.: but the words are not always taken in these…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Behold now behemoth - Margin, “or, the elephant, as some think.” In the close of the argument, God appeals to two animals as among the chief of his works, and as illustrating more than any others his power and majesty - the behemoth and the leviathan. A great variety of opinions has been entertained in regard to the animal referred to here, though the “main” inquiry has related to the question whether the “elephant” or the “hippopotamus” is denoted. Since…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 40:15
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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