Moreover Jehovah answered Job, and said,
Shall he that cavilleth contend with the Almighty? He that argueth with God, let him answer it.
Then Job answered Jehovah, and said,
Behold, I am of small account; What shall I answer thee? I lay my hand upon my mouth.
Once have I spoken, and I will not answer; Yea, twice, but I will proceed no further.
Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Wilt thou even annul my judgment? Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be justified?
Or hast thou an arm like God? And canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
Deck thyself now with excellency and dignity; And array thyself with honor and majesty.
Pour forth the overflowings of thine anger; And look upon every one that is proud, and abase him.
Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; And tread down the wicked where they stand.
Hide them in the dust together; Bind their faces in the hidden place .
Then will I also confess of thee That thine own right hand can save thee.
Behold now, behemoth, which I made as well as thee; He eateth grass as an ox.
Lo now, his strength is in his loins, And his force is in the muscles of his belly.
He moveth his tail like a cedar: The sinews of his thighs are knit together.
His bones are as tubes of brass; His limbs are like bars of iron.
He is the chief of the ways of God: He only that made him giveth him his sword.
Surely the mountains bring him forth food, Where all the beasts of the field do play.
He lieth under the lotus-trees, In the covert of the reed, and the fen.
The lotus-trees cover him with their shade; The willows of the brook compass him about.
Behold, if a river overflow, he trembleth not; He is confident, though a Jordan swell even to his mouth.
Shall any take him when he is on the watch, Or pierce through his nose with a snare?
Canonical academic citations for Job 40 (ASV) — copy in your preferred format.
Job 40 (ASV). Prime Bible, accessed July 27, 2026. https://primebible.com/asv/job/40.
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God challenges: "Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?" Job admits he's unworthy and puts hand over mouth in silence. God describes Behemoth's massive strength, likely referring to hippopotamus or mythical creature.
Extended poetic disputation on righteousness and suffering.
Job 40 is presented with the full Hebrew interlinear, Strong's numbers, and verse-by-verse cross-references on Prime Bible — a free, nonprofit Bible study platform.