Job 41:27

KJV

He esteemeth iron as straw, [and] brass as rotten wood.

KJV (with Strong's)

He esteemeth {H2803} iron {H1270} as straw {H8401}, and brass {H5154} as rotten {H7539} wood {H6086}.

Complete Jewish Bible

He regards iron as straw and bronze as rotten wood.

Berean Standard Bible

He regards iron as straw and bronze as rotten wood.

American Standard Version

He counteth iron as straw, And brass as rotten wood.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 41:27 is a pivotal declaration within God's awe-inspiring monologue to Job, vividly illustrating the unparalleled might and imperviousness of Leviathan. This formidable creature, a testament to divine creative power, is depicted as utterly unassailable by human endeavors, rendering even the strongest metals of the ancient world—iron and brass—as inconsequential as flimsy straw or decayed wood. The verse underscores humanity's profound limitations in the face of God's magnificent and untamable creation, ultimately pointing to the Creator's supreme and unquestionable sovereignty.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 41:27 is situated within the climactic divine speeches of chapters 38-41, where God addresses Job directly from the whirlwind. Following Job's initial responses in [Job 40:3-5](/job/40-3 "Job 40:3-5 - Job's Humble Reply"), God continues to challenge Job's understanding of divine wisdom and power by presenting two magnificent, untamable creatures: Behemoth in [Job 40:15-24](/job/40-15 "Job 40:15-24 - Description of Behemoth") and Leviathan, the focus of [Job 41](/job/41 "Job 41 - Description of Leviathan"). This particular verse, [Job 41:27](/job/41-27 "Job 41:27 - Leviathan's Invincibility"), appears within a detailed description of Leviathan's formidable armor and unassailable nature, emphasizing its imperviousness to human weaponry and attempts at subjugation. It serves to further humble Job, illustrating that if he cannot contend with one of God's creations, how much less can he contend with the Creator Himself.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, iron and brass (or bronze) represented the pinnacle of metallurgical technology and military strength. Iron, in particular, was revered for its hardness and durability, used for weapons, tools, and defensive structures. To describe a creature that "esteems" or regards these materials as mere "straw" or "rotten wood" would have conveyed an immediate and profound sense of invincibility to an ancient audience. Furthermore, the concept of a fearsome sea monster like Leviathan resonates with ancient mythological motifs of chaos monsters, which God, as the ultimate sovereign, alone subdues or controls, thereby asserting His supreme authority over all forces, natural and perceived supernatural.
* **Key Themes:** The verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the Book of Job. Primarily, it underscores the theme of **Divine Sovereignty and Omnipotence**. By describing a creature utterly beyond human control, God demonstrates His absolute dominion over all creation, even its most chaotic and terrifying elements. This directly challenges Job's limited perspective and his questioning of God's justice. Secondly, it highlights **Human Limitation and Humility**. If humanity's strongest materials are useless against Leviathan, then human strength, wisdom, and understanding are clearly insufficient to grasp or challenge the ways of God. This theme is crucial for Job's journey toward repentance and a deeper trust in God, as seen in [Job 42:1-6](/job/42-1 "Job 42:1-6 - Job's Repentance"). Finally, it speaks to the **Unfathomable Nature of God's Wisdom**, revealing that God's ways and His creation operate on a scale far beyond human comprehension or control, inviting a posture of awe rather than interrogation.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Esteemeth (Hebrew, חָשַׁב, _chashav'_):** This verb signifies "to regard," "to account," "to reckon," or "to consider." It implies a deliberate assessment or judgment. In this context, Leviathan doesn't merely break iron; it actively *considers* or *regards* it as utterly insignificant, as if it were a triviality. This conveys not just physical imperviousness but an almost disdainful superiority over human-made defenses.
* **Iron (Hebrew, בַּרְזֶל, _barzel'_):** A common and highly valued metal in the ancient world, iron symbolized strength, durability, and technological advancement, especially in weaponry and tools. Its mention here highlights that even the strongest known human material is rendered utterly useless.
* **Straw (Hebrew, תֶּבֶן, _teven'_):** This refers to the stalks of grain left after threshing, typically used for fodder or brick-making. It is inherently light, brittle, and easily broken. The comparison to straw emphasizes the absolute worthlessness and flimsiness of iron in Leviathan's perception.
* **Brass (Hebrew, נְחֹשֶׁת, _nechoshet'_):** Often translated as "bronze" (an alloy of copper and tin), brass was another strong, durable metal used for armor, weapons, and implements. It represented significant metallurgical achievement and strength.
* **Rotten wood (Hebrew, עֵץ רָקָב, _etz raqav'_):** This imagery evokes decay, weakness, and utter structural failure. Unlike fresh, sturdy wood, rotten wood offers no resistance and crumbles easily. Comparing brass to rotten wood vividly portrays its complete inadequacy against Leviathan's power.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"He esteemeth iron as straw":** This clause immediately establishes Leviathan's overwhelming power and invulnerability. The creature does not merely overcome iron; it perceives and treats it with utter contempt, reducing what humanity considers its strongest defense to something as fragile and easily dismissed as dry stubble. This highlights a profound disparity between human capability and Leviathan's inherent might.
* **"[and] brass as rotten wood":** This parallel clause reinforces the first, intensifying the imagery of worthlessness. Just as iron is reduced to straw, brass, another formidable metal, is likened to decayed, crumbling wood. This double comparison underscores the absolute futility of any human-made weapon or defense against Leviathan, emphasizing its impenetrable nature and the sheer inadequacy of human strength or technology in confronting it.

#### Literary Devices
The verse masterfully employs **Simile** and **Hyperbole** to convey Leviathan's unparalleled strength. The use of "as" directly compares the strong metals (iron, brass) to weak, easily destructible materials (straw, rotten wood), creating vivid and immediate imagery of vulnerability. This comparison is a powerful **Simile**, making the abstract concept of invincibility concrete and relatable. Furthermore, the comparisons themselves are a form of **Hyperbole**, an exaggeration for emphasis. While iron and brass are indeed strong, portraying them as utterly worthless against Leviathan dramatically amplifies the creature's formidable power, far beyond ordinary human experience. This exaggeration effectively communicates the creature's unassailable nature and, by extension, the infinite power of its Creator. The **Parallelism** between the two clauses ("iron as straw" and "brass as rotten wood") also enhances the impact, reinforcing the central message of invincibility through repetition and varied but equivalent imagery.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 41:27 serves as a profound theological statement on the absolute and unchallengeable sovereignty of God. By presenting a creature so mighty that humanity's strongest materials are rendered useless, the verse redirects attention from Leviathan's power to the even greater power of its Creator. It humbles humanity, reminding us that our greatest strengths, technological advancements, and perceived control are utterly insignificant in the face of divine might. This truth calls for a posture of awe, reverence, and submission rather than questioning or attempting to contend with God. It underscores that true security and wisdom lie not in human ingenuity or strength, but in acknowledging and trusting the One who commands all things, even the most fearsome elements of creation.

* [Psalm 24:8](/psalms/24-8 "Psalm 24:8 - The King of Glory, Strong and Mighty")
* [Isaiah 40:15](/isaiah/40-15 "Isaiah 40:15 - Nations as a Drop in a Bucket")
* [Romans 9:20-21](/romans/9-20 "Romans 9:20-21 - God's Sovereignty Over Creation")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 41:27, through its vivid depiction of Leviathan's invincibility, offers a powerful lens through which to examine our own lives and priorities. In a world that often prizes human achievement, technological prowess, and self-reliance, this verse serves as a stark reminder of our inherent limitations. It challenges us to consider what "iron" and "brass" we might be trusting in—be it financial security, social status, intellectual capacity, or even our own physical strength—and whether these are truly capable of protecting us from the ultimate challenges of life or the divine will. The passage calls us to cultivate a profound humility, recognizing that true power and security reside solely in God. It encourages us to shift our reliance from fleeting human constructs to the unchanging, omnipotent Creator, fostering a deeper trust and surrender to His wisdom and control in all circumstances.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "iron" or "brass" in your life do you tend to rely on more than God?**
* **How does the concept of God's unchallengeable power, as seen in His creation, impact your perspective on your own struggles or perceived control?**
* **In what areas of your life do you need to cultivate greater humility and trust in God's sovereignty?**

### FAQ
**Is Leviathan a literal creature, or is it symbolic?**

Answer: The interpretation of Leviathan (and Behemoth) varies among scholars. Some believe it refers to a literal, though perhaps now extinct, creature (like a massive crocodile or dinosaur), emphasizing the reality of God's creation. Others view Leviathan as primarily a symbolic representation of chaotic forces, untamed nature, or even evil, which only God can control. Given the highly poetic and hyperbolic language used in [Job 41](/job/41 "Job 41 - The Description of Leviathan"), it's likely that the description blends literal characteristics with symbolic exaggeration to convey a creature of immense, terrifying power that serves as a theological illustration of God's absolute sovereignty over all creation, whether literal or metaphorical. The primary point is not the creature's exact zoological identity, but its function in demonstrating God's unchallengeable power.

**What is the main theological message God intends to convey to Job through the description of Leviathan?**

Answer: The main message is a profound demonstration of God's infinite wisdom, power, and sovereignty, contrasting sharply with Job's limited human understanding and capacity. By describing a creature so utterly beyond human control or comprehension, God humbles Job, showing him that if he cannot contend with one of God's creations, he certainly cannot contend with the Creator Himself. This serves to correct Job's presumption in questioning divine justice and governance, leading him to a place of repentance and deeper trust in God's inscrutable yet perfect ways, as seen in [Job 42:1-6](/job/42-1 "Job 42:1-6 - Job's Repentance and Confession"). The description of Leviathan underscores that God's ways are higher than human ways, and His power is absolute.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Job 41:27 primarily showcases God's raw, untamed power over creation, its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment lies in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who embodies the very power and wisdom of God in a redemptive way. Just as Leviathan demonstrates God's sovereignty over the chaotic and unconquerable elements of the natural world, Christ demonstrates God's ultimate victory over the spiritual forces of chaos, sin, and death that truly enslave humanity. The metals that were useless against Leviathan find their true impotence against the spiritual strongholds that Christ alone can dismantle. The One who created all things, including Leviathan, is the Son, through whom "all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him" ([Colossians 1:16](/colossians/1-16 "Colossians 1:16 - Christ as Creator and Sustainer")). Jesus, the [Lamb of God](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), did not merely "esteem" sin and death as straw; He utterly conquered them through His crucifixion and resurrection, disarming the powers and authorities ([Colossians 2:15](/colossians/2-15 "Colossians 2:15 - Christ's Triumph Over Powers")). He is the ultimate demonstration of God's power that humbles humanity to acknowledge its need for a Savior, yet simultaneously offers the very strength and salvation that no human "iron" or "brass" could ever provide. In Christ, we see the Creator's power not just to subdue a monster, but to redeem a fallen world, holding "the keys of Death and Hades" ([Revelation 1:18](/revelation/1-18 "Revelation 1:18 - Christ's Authority Over Death")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.