TRV
Translation
American Standard Version
Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons, Or his head with fish-spears?
World English Bible Messianic
Can you fill his skin with barbed irons, or his head with fish spears?
Young's Literal Translation
Dost thou fill with barbed irons his skin? And with fish-spears his head?
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In the KJVVerse 13,896 of 31,102
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Commentary on Job 41 verses 1–10
1 ¶ Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?
2 Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
3 Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee?
4 Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?
5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
6 Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?
7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?
8 Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.
9 Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?
10 None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?
Whether this leviathan be a whale or a crocodile is a great dispute among the learned, which I will not undertake to determine; some of the particulars agree more easily to the one, others to the other; both are very strong and fierce, and the power of the Creator appears in them. The ingenious Sir Richard Blackmore, though he admits the more received opinion concerning the behemoth, that it must be meant of the elephant, yet agrees with the learned Bochart's notion of the leviathan, that it is the crocodile, which was so well known in the river of Egypt. I confess that that which inclines me rather to understand it of the whale is not only because it is much larger and a nobler animal, but because, in the history of the Creation, there is such an express notice taken of it as is not of any other species of animals whatsoever (Gen 1:21, God created great whales), by which it appears, not only that whales were well known in those parts in the time of Moses, who lived a little after Job, but that the creation of whales was generally looked upon as a most illustrious proof of the eternal power and godhead of the Creator; and we may conjecture that this was the reason (for otherwise it seems unaccountable) why Moses there so particularly mentions the creation of the whales, because God had so lately insisted upon the bulk and strength of that creature than of any other, as the proof of his power; and the leviathan is here spoken of as an inhabitant of the sea (Job 41:31), which the crocodile is not; and Psa 104:25, Psa 104:26, there in the great and wide sea, is that leviathan. Here in these verses,
I. He shows how unable Job was to master the leviathan. 1. That he could not catch him, as a little fish, with angling, Job 41:1, Job 41:2. He had no bait wherewith to deceive him, no hook wherewith to catch him, no fish-line wherewith to draw him out of the water, nor a thorn to run through his gills, on which to carry him home. 2. That he could not make him his prisoner, nor force him to cry for quarter, or surrender himself at discretion, Job 41:3, Job 41:4. "He knows his own strength too well to make many supplications to thee, and to make a covenant with thee to be thy servant on condition thou wilt save his life." 3. That he could not entice him into a cage, and keep him there as a bird for the children to play with, Job 41:5. There are creatures so little, so weak, as to be easily restrained thus, and triumphed over; but the leviathan is not one of these: he is made to be the terror, not the sport and diversion, of mankind. 4. That he could not have him served up to his table; he and his companions could not make a banquet of him; his flesh is too strong to be fit for food, and, if it were not, he is not easily caught. 5. That they could not enrich themselves with the spoil of him: Shall they part him among the merchants, the bones to one, the oil to another? If they can catch him, they will; but it is probable that the art of fishing for whales was not brought to perfection then, as it has been since. 6. That they could not destroy him, could not fill his head with fish-spears, Job 41:7. He kept out of the reach of their instruments of slaughter, or, if they touched him, they could not touch him to the quick. 7. That it was to no purpose to attempt it: The hope of taking him is in vain, Job 41:9. If men go about to seize him, so formidable is he that the very sight of him will appal them, and make a stout man ready to faint away: Shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? and will not that deter the pursuers from their attempt? Job is told, at his peril, to lay his hand upon him, Job 41:8. "Touch him if thou dare; remember the battle, how unable thou art to encounter such a force, and what is therefore likely to be the issue of the battle, and do no more, but desist from the attempt." It is good to remember the battle before we engage in a war, and put off the harness in time if we foresee it will be to no purpose to gird it on. Job is hereby admonished not to proceed in his controversy with God, but to make his peace with him, remembering what the battle will certainly end in if he come to an engagement. See Isa 27:4, Isa 27:5.
II. Thence he infers how unable he was to contend with the Almighty. None is so fierce, none so fool-hardy, that he dares to stir up the leviathan (Job 41:10), it being known that he will certainly be too hard for them; and who then is able to stand before God, either to impeach and arraign his proceedings or to out-face the power of his wrath? If the inferior creatures that are put under the feet of man, and over whom he has dominion, keep us in awe thus, how terrible must the majesty of our great Lord be, who has a sovereign dominion over us and against whom man has been so long in rebellion! Who can stand before him when once he is angry?
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–10. Public domain.
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Origen of AlexandriaAD 253
FRAGMENTS ON JOB 28.85
[“And all the ships come together would not be able to bear the mere skin of his tail.”] All the ships come together are not capable to mortify the extreme and main parts of the dragon. People using bodies or ships cannot by themselves lift a single piece of the skin of his tail. But with the favor of divine virtue, they can bear not only a piece of the skin of his tail but also his entire body, and [they can] mortify it. Each of us mortifies what is in him, that is, the devil, according to the words of the apostle, “Then God will soon crush Satan under your feet.”
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
34. What is designated by ‘nets,’ or a ‘cabin of fishes,’ except the churches of the faithful which make one Catholic Church? Whence it is written in the Gospel, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net cast into the sea, and gathering of every kind of fishes. [Matt. 13, 47] The Church is in truth called the kingdom of heaven, for while the Lord exalts her conduct to things above, she already reigns herself in the Lord by heavenly conversation. And it is also rightly compared to a net cast into the sea, gathering of every kind of fishes; because when cast into this gentile world, it rejected no one, but caught the wicked with the good, the proud with the humble, the angry with the gentle, and the foolish with the wise. But by the ‘skin’ of this Leviathan we understand the foolish, and by his ‘head,’ the wise ones of his body. Or certainly by the ‘skin,’ which is outermost, are designated those who serve him as inferiors in these meanest offices, but by the ‘head’ those placed over them. And the Lord observing the proper order rightly declares that He will fill these ‘nets,’ or ‘cabin of fishes,’ that is, His Church, and the wishes of the faithful with his ‘skin’ first, and afterwards with his ‘head.’ Because, as we said before, He first chose the weak, that He might confound the strong afterwards. [l Cor. l, 27] He chose in truth the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise. For He gathered together the unlearned first, and philosophers afterwards; and He taught not fishermen by means of orators, but with wondrous power He subdued orators by means of fishermen. He says therefore, Wilt thou fill nets with his skin, or the cabin of fishes with his head? Thou understandest, As I, Who first gather within the Church of the faithful the most distant, and the lowest, as the ‘skin’ of the devil, and afterwards subdue to Myself his ‘head,’ that is, wise adversaries. It follows; Wilt thou lay thine hand upon him? That is, As I, Who restraining him by My mighty power, permit him not to rage more than is expedient, and Who, as far as I shall have permitted his cruelty, turn it to the benefit of My Elect. For certainly to lay a hand upon him, is to subdue him by the might of virtue.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
MORALS ON THE BOOK OF JOB 33.34
“Will you fill nets with its skin and the cabin of fish with its head?” What is designated by “nets” or a “cabin of fish” except the churches of the faithful that make one universal church? Hence it is written in the Gospel, “The kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea and gathering of every kind of fish.” “Will you fill nets with its skin and the cabin of fish with its head?” What is designated by “nets” or a “cabin of fish” except the churches of the faithful that make one universal church? Hence it is written in the Gospel, “The kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea and gathering of every kind of fish.” The church is in truth called the kingdom of heaven, for while the Lord exalts its conduct to things above, it already reigns herself in toward the Lord by heavenly conversation. And the church is also rightly compared with a net cast into the sea, gathering every kind of fish, because when cast into this Gentile world, it rejected no one but caught the wicked with the good, the proud with the humble, the angry with the gentle and the foolish with the wise. By the “skin” of this Leviathan, we understand the foolish, and by “its head,” the wise ones of its body. Or certainly by the “skin,” which is outermost, are designated those who serve it as inferiors in these lowest offices, but by the “head” those placed over them. And the Lord observing the proper order rightly declares that he will fill these “nets” or “cabin of fish,” that is, his church, and the wishes of the faithful with its “skin” first and then with its “head.”
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
MORALS ON THE BOOK OF JOB 33.37
He will fall down before everybody’s eyes, because, when the Judge appears in his awesome aspect, before the eyes of the angelic legions, before the eyes of the entire court of the heavenly powers and before the eyes of all the elect summoned to this spectacle, this cruel and strong beast will be brought among them in chains, and together with its body, that is, all the wicked, will be condemned to the eternal fire of Gehenna.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Job 41:7 presents a profound rhetorical question from God to Job, challenging the very notion of human capacity to subdue the formidable creature Leviathan. This verse, strategically placed within God's second and most extensive discourse, serves to underscore Leviathan's immense, untamable power, thereby magnifying God's own unparalleled sovereignty, omnipotence, and wisdom over all creation. It starkly highlights the vast chasm between human limitation and divine might, compelling Job, and by extension all humanity, to acknowledge God's ultimate and unchallengeable control over even the most chaotic and powerful elements of the world.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 41:7 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound message. The most prominent is the Rhetorical Question, which God uses extensively throughout His speeches in Job 38-41. By asking "Canst thou...?" God does not seek information from Job but rather compels him to confront and acknowledge his own limitations and God's boundless, unchallengeable power. This device forces deep self-reflection and a humble admission of human inadequacy. Furthermore, the verse utilizes Hyperbole by suggesting the "filling" of Leviathan's skin with weapons, an exaggerated image that vividly underscores the absolute futility of such an endeavor. It implies that even an infinite number of strikes would be utterly ineffective against the creature's defenses. Finally, Leviathan itself functions as a potent Symbolism. While possibly referring to a real, formidable creature, it primarily symbolizes the untamable, chaotic forces of creation that are utterly beyond human control, yet perfectly subject to God's sovereign will, serving as a powerful testament to His unmatched power and wisdom.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 41:7 serves as a profound theological statement on the nature of God's omnipotence and humanity's inherent limitations. By describing a creature so formidable that no human weapon or ingenuity can subdue it, God implicitly reveals His own immeasurable power as its Creator and Master. This passage underscores that true wisdom, ultimate control, and absolute power reside solely with God, challenging any human presumption of dominion over the natural world or, by extension, over the circumstances of life. It calls humanity to a posture of humility, awe, and worship before the Creator, recognizing that His ways are inscrutable, His might absolute, and His dominion over all things, even the most chaotic, is unquestionable.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The challenge posed in Job 41:7 extends far beyond the literal inability to capture a formidable beast; it speaks directly to the spiritual reality of human limitations in the face of divine power and the untamable aspects of existence. In a world that often champions human ingenuity, technological advancement, and the illusion of control, this verse stands as a potent reminder that there are forces, both natural and spiritual, that remain utterly beyond our grasp and manipulation. It invites us to relinquish our illusion of self-sufficiency and humble ourselves before the God who alone controls the "Leviathans" of our lives—the overwhelming circumstances, the intractable problems, the chaotic elements that threaten to consume us. True peace, wisdom, and spiritual security come not from attempting to subdue these forces ourselves, but from trusting in the Creator who holds them firmly in His hand. This passage encourages a deeper sense of awe, reverence, and worship, shifting our focus from our own finite capabilities to God's infinite might, sovereign care, and perfect wisdom.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is Leviathan a real animal or a mythical creature?
Answer: The precise identity of Leviathan in Job 41 has been a subject of ongoing scholarly debate. Some interpretations suggest it is a literal, though highly exaggerated, description of a powerful aquatic creature known to the ancient world, such as a massive crocodile (given the detailed physical descriptions) or a large whale. Other scholars view Leviathan primarily as a mythical or symbolic creature, representing the primordial forces of chaos and evil that only God can ultimately subdue, a common motif in ancient Near Eastern mythology. Regardless of its literal identity, its primary function within the book of Job is theological: to serve as an unparalleled example of God's creative power and dominion over even the most fearsome and untamable elements of His creation, thereby humbling Job and demonstrating God's supreme sovereignty. The descriptions in Job 41 consistently emphasize its invincibility to human efforts, reinforcing the central point that humanity cannot contend with God's works, let alone God Himself.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Job 41:7 powerfully articulates God's untamable power over creation, its ultimate and most profound fulfillment is found in Jesus Christ, who embodies the very power, wisdom, and sovereign authority of God. The untamable Leviathan, symbolizing chaos, rebellion, and forces utterly beyond human control, finds its ultimate subduer in the person and work of Jesus. Just as God demonstrates His dominion over the sea monster, so Jesus demonstrates His absolute authority over all creation, calming the raging storm with a mere word in Mark 4:39 and walking effortlessly upon the tumultuous waters in Matthew 14:25. More profoundly, Christ's victory on the cross and His glorious resurrection represent His triumph over the ultimate "Leviathans" of humanity: sin, death, and the spiritual powers that held humanity captive and were utterly beyond human power to overcome. He is the one who "disarmed the powers and authorities" and "made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross" in Colossians 2:15. The Creator's untamable power, so dramatically revealed in Job 41, is fully manifested in the person and redemptive work of the Son, who "upholds the universe by the word of his power," as affirmed in Hebrews 1:3. Through Him, humanity finds not only a revelation of God's untamable power but also redemption, reconciliation, and peace with the sovereign Creator.