Job 41 Commentary

“Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?”

Body. Septuagint, “entrails are like brazen shields.” Protestants, “His scales are his pride shut up together, as with a close seal.” (Haydock)

“Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?”

Sneezing. When the whale breathes, it causes the water to foam. (Pineda) (Menochius) — The eyes of the crocodile are also (Haydock) very bright, when out of the water. (Pliny viii. 25.) They appear first, and therefore were used as an hieroglyphic of Aurora, (Horus i. 65.) or of the morning star. (Haydock) — Syriac, “His look is brilliant.” Arabic, “The apples of his eyes are fiery, and his eyes are like the brightness of the morning.” Septuagint, “like Aurora.” (Calmet) — Olaus (xxi. 5.) says, “that the eyes of the whale shine at night,…and at a distance, are taken by fishermen for great fires.”

“None is so fierce that dare stir him up : who then is able to stand before me?”

Fire, when they spout water, (Menochius) or pursue their prey open mouthed. This description is extremely poetical, like that of anger, 2 Kings xxii. 9. (Calmet)

“Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.”

Smoke; breath, or streams of water sent upwards.

“I will not conceal his parts, nor his power , nor his comely proportion.”

Breath, like bellows, ver. 10. (Menochius)

“Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle? with: or, within”

Neck. Some deny that the crocodile has any, being formed like a lizard. But it is a dispute about words. The animal turns with difficulty, so that Thomas Gage assures us he escaped one by going in different directions. — Want. It ravages a whole country. Hebrew, “fear.” (Calmet) — Protestants, “sorrow is turned into joy before him;” which seems strange. Septuagint, “destruction runs before him.” (Haydock) — The poets place fear, carnage, &c., in the train of Mars. (Calmet)

“Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.”

Place; though people may shoot at him, they will make no impression, chap. xl. 20, 26. (Haydock) — If God send his thunderbolts at him, the monster must however perish. (Calmet) — Symmachus, “His flesh being cast for him, as in the foundry, (molten) is immoveable.” (Haydock) — Yet God destroyeth him whom man cannot overcome. (Worthington)

“His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. scales: Heb. strong pieces of shields”

Stone. Pineda understands this of the whale’s heart. Others suppose that it alludes to its cruel and fearless temper. (Menochius) — The Arabs call a valiant man, “heart of stone.” (Calmet) — Smiths. Protestants, “as a piece of the nether millstone,” (Haydock) which must be larger and more compact than that which is above. (Calmet) — Septuagint, “He hath stood immoveable as an anvil.” (Haydock)

“One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.”

Angels. Elim. That is, the mighty, the most valiant, shall fear this monstrous fish, and in their fear shall seek to be purified, (Challoner) by contribution. (Sanchez) — R. Levi has given a ridiculous exposition, which is adopted by Sa (Amama) and others, (Haydock; see Ezechiel ii. 7.; Aristotle iv. prob. 32.) as the natural consequences of fear. (Calmet) (Menochius) — The Fathers refer this to the fall of Lucifer, when the other angels might tremble for their own safety. (Haydock) — Angels with reverent fear honour God’s power, and his most perfect servants are filled with apprehensions at his judgments; as the most valiant are terrified at the sight of this huge fish. (Worthington) — Septuagint, “If he turn, there is fear among the wild quadrupeds, jumping on the land.” Hebrew, ‘When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings, they purify themselves.” (Protestants) or “spoil themselves,” (Calmet) expecting nothing but certain death. (Amama)

“They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.”

Plate. Protestants, “habergeon.” The precise nature of these arms is not known. (Calmet) — Neither offensive or defensive weapons can avail. (Menochius) — All agree that the crocodile can be pierced only under the belly. (Calmet)

“Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.”

Are. Literally, “are turned into stubble,” as in Hebrew. (Haydock) — They have no more effect. (Menochius)

“Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.”

Hammer. Septuagint sphura, means also, “the bottom of a rock.” This would not overwhelm the whale; as some are represented like floating islands. Protestants, “darts.” (Haydock) — Chaldean, “axe.” Others have, “the ballista;” an instrument to throw stones. (Calmet)

“His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.”

Under him. He shall not value the beams of the sun: and gold to him be like mire. (Challoner) (Menochius) — Hebrew, “sharp stones (or potsherds) are under him; he spreadeth (or lieth upon) sharp-pointed things, as upon the mire.” (Haydock) — He is not afraid of being hurt.

“In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him. is turned into joy: Heb. rejoiceth”

When. Hebrew, “a pot of ointment.” This boils out very much. (Calmet) — The flesh of the crocodile has also the smell of musk; (Bochart) and Peter Martyr asserts, that Columbus found some in America, which plunged into the water, and left behind them the odour of musk or castor. When they are wounded, they give the same perfume to the sea, or rather to the waters, where they abide. The Hebrews style all deep rives and lakes, seas. (Calmet) — Crocodiles were kept in the lake Mœris, being adored and honoured as gods. (Herodotus ii. 69.) — Septuagint, “He deems the sea as a vase of ointment; (23) and the Tartarus of the abyss, like a prisoner.” Theodotion adds, “He hath considered the abyss as a walk.”

“The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. flakes: Heb. fallings”

The deep as growing old. Growing hoary, as it were, with the froth which he leaves behind him. (Challoner) — The Vulgate has well expressed the force of the original, and shews the rapidity with which the crocodile moves. (Calmet) — Protestants, “one would think the deep to be hoary.” The devil transforms himself into an angel (Haydock) of light. (Du Hamel)

“His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.”

Power. Hebrew and Septuagint, “none like him on earth,” for bulk. — One. Septuagint, “made to be played with, or beaten, by my angels.” (Haydock)

“When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.”

He is king, &c. He is superior in strength to all that are great and strong amongst living creatures: mystically it is understood of the devil, who is king over all the proud. (Challoner) (St. Gregory xxxiv. 4., and 17.) (Worthington) — Hence Job perceived that God has also now permitted this cruel foe to exercise a dominion over him, and to pull him from his high station, though innocent. (Haydock) — This would henceforward be more frequently the order of Providence, and therefore he expresses his entire resignation, chap. xlii. (Houbigant) — Pride: the strongest and fiercest animals. (Haydock) — The crocodile has been seen encountering even the elephant, and gaining the victory. He is king of all fishes. Septuagint, “of all in the waters.” Chaldean, “of all the sons of the mountains:” or Theodotion, “of arrogance.” This may particularly denote the Egyptians, as the crocodile was one of their gods; and people are often styled after them, Numbers xxi. 29., and Jeremias xlviii. 46. (Calmet) — Pharao even means “a crocodile,” in Arabic. (Bochart, Anim. p. ii. b. v. 16.) — He is styled simply, the proud, Psalm lxxxviii. 11. (Calmet) — The pride of the Egyptians was notorious, Ezechiel xxxii. 12. (Calmet)