Job 40

God continued to speak to Job. He said, 2 “Do you still think I am wrong and want to keep arguing with me? If you want to keep criticizing me, then answer the questions I have asked you!” \*

But Job replied to God, 4 “Now I realize how insignificant I am. I am not able to answer your questions. I will not say anything in response to them. 5 I have already said more than I should have said. So now I will say nothing more.” \*

Then God again spoke to Job from inside the storm. He said, 7 “I am going to ask you some more questions, so get ready to answer them directly. \* 8 Do you still want to govern the universe instead of me? Do you still want to insist that I am doing things wrong and that you would do them right? 9 Do you have the same amount of power as I do? Does your voice sound as loud as thunder, as mine does? \* 10 If you want to govern the universe, you must show that you are dignified and noble. You must show that your character is glorious and beautiful. 11 You must express holy wrath against the people who deserve it. You must recognize which people are being sinfully arrogant and take them out of important positions. \* 12 Yes, you must not allow arrogant people to remain in important positions. Destroy wicked people quickly! 13 Punish all of them by killing them. Then send them to the place where dead people go. 14 If you did that, I would congratulate you and admit that you could save yourself by your own ability. \* 15 {But to show you how insignificant you really are,} I want you to think about a great animal that I created, Behemoth. I made you, and I also made it. Even though this great beast has the size and strength to hunt and kill other animals, it eats plants as oxen do. 16 Think about how strong the legs of Behemoth are! And the muscles in its belly are very powerful. \* 17 Behemoth can make its tail as stiff as the branch of a cedar tree and hold it up in the air. It has very strong legs. 18 Its thigh bones are so strong that they are like tubes made of bronze. Its legs are so strong that they are like bars made of iron. \* 19 Behemoth is one of the strongest animals that I made. I gave it sharp tusks so that it could cut down plants and eat them. 20 It needs those tusks because it comes out of the river where it lives in order to eat the plants that grow nearby. But other animals do not have to be afraid of it, so those animals do not run away or hide. 21 Behemoth lies under the trees that grow near the river where it lives. It sometimes shelters in the tall reeds that grow in the swamps of the river. \* 22 Behemoth stays in the shade of trees that grow near the river. It stays in the midst of the trees that grow near the water. 23 Even when the river in which it lives become strong and turbulent, this does not disturb Behemoth. It does not mind even if the level of the water in the river rises very high. 24 No one could capture Behemoth even if he could get close enough to stand right in front of it. No one can make Behemoth a tame animal. \*