Tyndale Open Study NotesJob 40

Tyndale House Publishers

Job 40:1-5

God challenges Job. Job admits he cannot judge the moral world. God shows Job's ignorance of the natural world's elements related to the realm of heaven, weather, animals, and birds (38:4–21; 22–38; 39–39:30).

Job 40:1-2

The ancient Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) does not include the end of God's first speech.

Job 40:3-5

Job's short and humble reply does not admit guilt, but it does admit how "insignificant" he is (40:4). Earlier, he believed he could approach God like a prince or even question him (31:37; 13:22–23).

Job 40:4

I am insignificant (compare 42:6): Job was not asking God to forgive his sin. Like Abraham, he recognized that he was not worthy (Genesis 18:27).
Job had asked those comforting him to cover their mouths to show shock (21:5). Here, he does so himself in reaction to his own inappropriate words.

Job 40:5

I have nothing to add: He had no more accusations against God and would not argue again.

Job 40:6-7

The LORD repeated his earlier challenge (refer to 38:1–3).

Job 40:8

Job's words had angered Elihu (10:7; 27:2; 31:35–37; 32:2; 34:5). Now, God himself challenged Job's words.

Job 40:11-12

Job could not humble proud people without God's authority (Isaiah 2:11–12, 17; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5–6; Malachi 4:3; Romans 16:20).

Job 40:15-24

After 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 in a poem about God’s creation of the natural world, not in a myth about the world's formation. Most commentators think Behemoth is the hippopotamus, a large, grass-eating animal (40:15–19). It rests in the river among lotus plants and reeds (40:21). Like the wild ox, Behemoth is strong (40:16–18, 24; 39:11). Yet it is mostly peaceful (40:20–23).