The Book of Job Paraphrased, Chapter 40
CHAP. XL.
ARGUMENT.
Job modeſtly declining to ſay one word in his own defence, (though he was graciouſly invited by God to ſpeak, if he had any Plea remaining,) is ſtill more humbled by a plain declaration from the Divine Majeſty, that Elihu had reaſon to reprove him for his immoderate Complaints, (which ſome might look upon as an Accuſation of God's Providence;) and for maintaining his own Righteouſneſs ſo much, and God's Righteouſneſs ſo little, in the Diſpute he had had with his Friends. Shewing him withall, that he was not ſenſible enough of the infinite Diſtance and Inequality between him and God; when he deſired ſo vehemently to argue his Caſe with Him, that he forgot to make thoſe Submiſſions to the Divine Majeſty, which had better become him. This Diſproportion is moſt lively repreſented and illuſtrated, by an admirable deſcription of the ſtrength of the BEHEMOTH, a word of Egyptian termination; ſignifying, not the Elephant, (which ſeldome lies down, and never among reeds, as this doth, v. 21.) but a creature in that Country called by the Greek Writers Hippopotamus, i. e. River-horſe. For it appears by the Second book of Eſdras, Chap. VI. v. 49. that the Hebrews reckon Behemoth, not among the Land-creatures, but among thoſe belonging to the Water, which were created on the fifth day. And there is none, that we know, of that ſort, to whom the Characters here mentioned belong, but the Creature now named.
1. MOreover the LORD anſwered Job, and ſaid,1. AFTER a ſhort ſilence, to ſee what Job would reply to this long Diſcourſe, the Lord proceeded, and ſaid;
2. Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty inſtruct him? he that reproveth God, let him anſwer it.2. Why doſt thou not ſpeak? Hath not the Almighty brought Arguments enow to convince thee? Let him that will argue with God about His Providence, firſt make an Anſwer to theſe Queſtions.
3. ¶ Then Job anſwered the LORD, and ſaid,3. Then Job, whoſe Confuſion had made him ſilent, anſwered with great humility, and ſaid;
4. Behold, I am vile, what ſhall I anſwer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.4. Behold, I am a wretched creature, and not worthy to ſpeak unto thy Majeſty: nor do I know what to anſwer; and therefore I will hold my peace.
5. Once have I ſpoken, but I will not anſwer: yea, twice, but I will proceed no farther.5. I have ſaid too much already, in ſpeaking only theſe two words to Thee: But I have done; I will adde no more.
6. ¶ Then anſwered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and ſaid,6. Then the Divine Majeſty ſpake again, after the ſame manner as before, ſaying,
7. Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.7. What? haſt thou (who deſiredſt ſo much to plead with Me) loſt thy Courage? pluck up thy ſpirit, man, and prepare thy ſelf (as I ſaid at the firſt) to anſwer the Queſtions I ſhall farther ask thee.
8. Wilt thou alſo diſannull my judgment? wilt thou condemn me that thou mayeſt be righteous?8. Is there any reaſon to ſuſpect my Care of Mankind, who have ſhewn it ſo much about other Creatures? Canſt thou not defend thy ſelf, but thou muſt alſo complain of Me? muſt I be condemned, that thou maiſt be juſtified?
9. Haſt thou an arm like God? or canſt thou thunder with a voice like him?9. Who art thou, that talkeſt ſo much of thine own Innocence, that thou forgetteſt to maintain my Righteouſneſs? Haſt thou a Power equall to mine? or canſt thou ſpeak with a Voice like this; or imitate the Thunder thou heareſt in the clouds?
10. Deck thy ſelf now with majeſty and excellency, and aray thy ſelf with glory and beauty.10. Lift up thy ſelf then, and let me ſee thee appear in the higheſt Majeſty: put on thy Robes, and ſhew thy ſelf in ſuch Royal ſtate, that all may honour and reverence thy excellent Greatneſs.
11. Caſt abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abaſe him.11. Let all thine Adverſaries round about thee (as becomes a mighty Prince) feel the fierceneſs of thy Wrath: frown upon all the haughty, and make them hang down their heads.
12. Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low: and tread down the wicked in their place.12. Look, I ſay, upon every proud Oppreſſour, and make him cringe and throw himſelf at thy feet: tread down all the Wicked, whereſoever thou ſhalt find them.
13. Hide them in the duſt together, and bind their faces in ſecret.13. Caſt them all into one grave, that the world may be no more troubled with them: cover thoſe faces with perpetual ſhame and confuſion, which now bear themſelves ſo high, and overlook all others.
14. Then will I alſo confeſs unto thee, that thine own right hand can ſave thee.14. When I ſee thee doe ſuch things as theſe, then will I my ſelf alſo magnify thy Power; and acknowledge that thou needeſt none of my help to deliver thee.
15. ¶ Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee, he eateth graſs as an oxe.15. But conſider a while (if thou art not yet humble enough) a Creature *Behemoth, i. e. Riverhorſe.which I have made in a Country not far from thee: He lives among the fiſhes in the great river of Egypt, but he feeds upon the earth, and eateth gra… like an Oxe.
16. Lo now, his ſtrength is in his loyns, and his force is in the navel of his belly.16. Conſider, I ſay, the greatneſs of his Strength, and the firmneſs of his Fleſh: not onelyonly in his Loyns, but even in the Navel of his belly; where other creatures are wont to be weak and tender.
17. He moveth his tail like a cedar: the ſinews of his ſtones are wrapt together.17. He hath a Tail as thick and as ſtiff as a Cedar; but he bends and throws it back at his pleaſure: the Nerves of his thighs are ſo many, that they are intricate and perplexed one within another.
18. His bones are as ſtrong pieces of braſs, his bones are like bars of iron.18. His Bones (for ſo they are rather then Griſsles) are as ſtrong as bars of braſs, and as hard and firm as rods of iron.
19. He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him, can make his ſword to approach unto him.19. He is one of the principal works of God, a very ſingular inſtance of his Power: He that made him hath faſtned ſuch crooked Teeth in his jaws, exceeding ſharp, that therewith he mows the graſs and the corn, as with a Sythe.
20. Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beaſts of the field play.20. For he goes (in the night) to graze upon the hills; in the company of the reſt of the beaſts … the field, who ſport themſelves in thoſe rich paſtures:
21. He lieth under the ſhady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.21. But (in the day) he lies down in ſhady and cloſe places; under the covert of the reeds, and in the fenny mud.
22. The ſhady trees cover him with their ſhadow: the willows of the brook compaſs him about.22. The buſhy trees, which are there very numerous, afford him a ſhelter: he is incompaſſed with the willows and the oſiers, which grow in abundance on the banks of Nile.
23. Behold, he drinketh up a river, and haſteth not: he truſteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.23. Nay, (behold a wonder) he dives to the very bottom of the river, and there takes his repoſe without fear: He will be ſecure, though Jordan alſo ſhould break out, and be poured upon his mouth.
24. He taketh it with his eyes: his noſe pierceth through ſnares.24. Who dare come in his ſight, and attempt to take him by open force? where is he that will undertake to faſten hooks in his Noſe?