Job 40:23

Behold, he drinketh up a river, [and] hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.

Behold, he drinketh up {H6231} a river {H5104}, and hasteth {H2648} not: he trusteth {H982} that he can draw up {H1518} Jordan {H3383} into his mouth {H6310}.

If the river overflows, it doesn't worry him; he is confident even if the Yarden rushes by his mouth.

Though the river rages, Behemoth is unafraid; he remains secure, though the Jordan surges to his mouth.

Behold, if a river overflow, he trembleth not; He is confident, though a Jordan swell even to his mouth.

Commentary

Context

Job 40:23 is part of God's powerful discourse to Job, delivered from a whirlwind, beginning in Job 38:1. After Job's long period of suffering and questioning God's justice, the Lord responds not by explaining the reasons for Job's trials, but by challenging Job's limited understanding of the universe and God's immense power as Creator. Chapters 40 and 41 focus on two magnificent and terrifying creatures, Behemoth and Leviathan, as prime examples of God's unparalleled might and intricate design. This verse specifically describes Behemoth's incredible capacity for water, highlighting its formidable nature.

Key Themes

  • Divine Omnipotence and Wisdom: The primary theme is God's absolute power and sovereign control over His creation. By describing Behemoth's overwhelming strength and capacity, God demonstrates that if He can create and manage such a creature, His power far surpasses human comprehension or ability to challenge.
  • Behemoth's Unrivaled Strength and Appetite: The imagery of Behemoth "drinking up a river" and trusting it can "draw up Jordan into his mouth" emphasizes its immense size and insatiable thirst. This is a hyperbolic description meant to impress upon Job the creature's formidable nature, making it a vivid illustration of divine creative power.
  • Human Limitations and Humility: God uses Behemoth to humble Job, showing him that he cannot even contend with one of God's creatures, let alone God Himself. This underscores the vast chasm between human weakness and divine strength, calling Job to a posture of humility and trust.

Linguistic Insights

The term "Behemoth" (Hebrew: ื‘ึฐึผื”ึตืžื•ึนืช, behemot) is a plural of intensity from the word for "beast" or "animal," suggesting a "super-beast" or "colossal animal." While often associated with a hippopotamus or elephant due to its size and habitat, the description in Job 40 goes beyond any known creature, serving as a symbolic representation of God's creative power. The "Jordan" (Hebrew: ื™ึทืจึฐื“ึตึผืŸ, Yarden) refers to the well-known Jordan River, a significant body of water in the ancient Near East. Its mention here amplifies the hyperbole, suggesting an almost infinite capacity for water, further magnifying Behemoth's power and, by extension, its Creator's.

Cross-References & Connections

  • The depiction of Behemoth's power sets the stage for the even more fearsome description of Leviathan in Job 41:1, both serving to illustrate God's majesty.
  • God's power in creation is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, as seen in passages like Psalm 104:24, which praises God for the multitude of His works.
  • The emphasis on human inability to contend with God's power echoes themes found in Isaiah 40:13-14, where it asks who can instruct the Spirit of the Lord.

Practical Application

Job 40:23 serves as a powerful reminder of God's incomprehensible greatness and the vastness of His power. For us today, this verse invites:

  • Humility: It encourages us to humble ourselves before the Creator of such magnificent creatures, recognizing our own limitations and finite understanding.
  • Trust: If God can create and control Behemoth with such ease, then He is certainly capable of managing our lives and the most daunting challenges we face. We can trust in His sovereign plan and His ability to sustain us.
  • Awe and Worship: The description of Behemoth evokes a sense of wonder at God's creative genius. This should lead us to greater awe and worship of the God who is mighty to save and powerful to uphold all things by His word.
Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Genesis 13:10 (3 votes)

    ยถ And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it [was] well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, [even] as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

  • Psalms 55:8 (2 votes)

    I would hasten my escape from the windy storm [and] tempest.

  • Isaiah 37:25 (2 votes)

    I have digged, and drunk water; and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places.

  • Joshua 3:15 (2 votes)

    And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)

  • Isaiah 28:16 (2 votes)

    Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner [stone], a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.