Job 40:20 kjv
Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.
Job 40:20 nkjv
Surely the mountains yield food for him, And all the beasts of the field play there.
Job 40:20 niv
The hills bring it their produce, and all the wild animals play nearby.
Job 40:20 esv
For the mountains yield food for him where all the wild beasts play.
Job 40:20 nlt
The mountains offer it their best food,
where all the wild animals play.
Job 40 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Job 40:19 | He is the first of the works of God; let him who made him bring near his sword! | Behemoth's prime position in creation |
| Job 41:1-34 | Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook...? | Parallel description of God's mighty creatures |
| Gen 1:25 | God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds... | God as creator of all wild beasts |
| Psa 50:10 | For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. | God's ownership of all animals |
| Psa 104:14 | He causes the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man's cultivation. | God's provision for animals and man |
| Psa 104:27 | These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. | Creatures depend on God for sustenance |
| Psa 145:15 | The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. | God's faithful provision for all living things |
| Matt 6:26 | Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. | God's provision extends even to birds |
| Luke 12:24 | Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. | Reiteration of God's effortless provision |
| Neh 9:21 | Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing... | God's unfailing provision for His people |
| Isa 40:21 | Do you not know? Do you not hear?... | God's unmatched wisdom and power |
| Isa 40:28 | Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God... | God's eternal nature and limitless strength |
| Col 1:16 | For by him all things were created... for him. | Christ as the sustainer of creation |
| Heb 1:3 | He upholds the universe by the word of his power. | Christ's sustaining power over all creation |
| Psa 23:1 | The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. | God as the ultimate provider |
| Jer 27:5 | It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth... | God's absolute sovereignty over creation |
| Job 38:41 | Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God...? | God's detailed care for individual creatures |
| Joel 2:22 | Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green... | God's restoration and provision for nature |
| Psa 96:12 | let all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord... | Creation rejoices in God's presence |
| Job 12:10 | In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. | God as the source of life and existence |
| 1 Pet 5:7 | casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. | God's providential care extends to His people |
| Phil 4:19 | And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. | God's provision for His saints |
Job 40 verses
Job 40 20 Meaning
Job 40:20 describes Behemoth's environment and the nature of God's provision for it. It conveys that even the majestic mountains serve to supply food for Behemoth, showcasing an abundant and effortless sustenance provided by God. The verse also paints a picture of its habitat as one where all other wild beasts coexist peacefully, even playing in its presence, indicating a divinely ordained order and control over all creatures. This highlights Behemoth as a pinnacle of God's creative power and ongoing providence, not a creature out of control.
Job 40 20 Context
Job 40:20 is part of God's second discourse to Job, where the Almighty continues to demonstrate His supreme power and wisdom by describing His greatest created beings: Behemoth and, subsequently, Leviathan. In the broader context of the Book of Job, God is challenging Job's self-righteousness and limited understanding of divine justice and cosmic order. Chapters 38 and 39 showcase God's power through various aspects of creation, often questioning Job's capacity to control or even comprehend these phenomena. Chapter 40 intensifies this challenge by presenting Behemoth, a creature so mighty that it surpasses human comprehension and control. This particular verse describes Behemoth's natural environment and sustenance, emphasizing not its fearsome aspect, but its integral and perfectly provisioned place within God's vast creation. It shows that Behemoth is not an unruly, chaotic monster, but a creature sustained by God's meticulous care, making a profound point about divine sovereignty over all. The reference to other wild beasts playing near Behemoth underscores a harmonious, God-ordered dominion, implicitly rebuking any human presumption of knowing better than the Creator how creation should function.
Job 40 20 Word analysis
- For (כִּֽי - ki): This causal conjunction explains why Behemoth can exist so majestically or what defines its grandeur. It connects this detail to previous descriptions of its immense strength, indicating God's abundant provision supports such power.
- the mountains (הָרִ֤ים - ha-rim): Refers to elevated, vast, wild, and often untamed areas. In biblical thought, mountains often symbolize permanence, strength, or places of divine encounter. Here, they are not barren but rich suppliers. This signifies Behemoth's domain as grand and remote, yet effortlessly yielding sustenance under God's hand.
- yield food (יִשְׂאּוּ־לֹו֙ בּוּל - yiśəʼû-lô būl): Literally, "lift up for him produce" or "bring for him food." The verb yiśəʼû (from נָשָׂא - nasa, to lift/carry) used with the plural "mountains" creates an anthropomorphic image. The mountains are personified, actively serving Behemoth by delivering its nourishment. This is not Behemoth searching for food, but nature providing it abundantly and effortlessly for this colossal creature. Būl denotes "produce" or "harvest," suggesting a bountiful supply. This speaks to the Creator's specific, overwhelming, and unceasing provision for even His largest creatures, demonstrating a level of care far beyond human capacity.
- for him (לֹו֙ - lô): A direct reference to Behemoth, specifying the recipient of this mountain-sourced provision.
- where all (וְכָל - wə-ḵōl): "And all." The conjunction widens the scope of the scene. "All" emphasizes inclusivity, that every kind of creature is present.
- the wild beasts (חַיְתוֹ֙ הַשָּׂדֶה - ḥayyaṯō haśśāḏeh): "Beast of the field." A general term for creatures living in uncultivated land. This distinguishes them from domesticated animals. Their presence near Behemoth indicates a vast and diverse ecosystem under Behemoth's—and ultimately God's—order.
- play (יְשַׂחֲקוּ - yəśaḥăqû): From the verb שָׂחַק (ṣāḥaq), meaning "to laugh, mock, sport, play." The active use here implies playful, uninhibited activity. The significance lies in the beasts' lack of fear in Behemoth's presence. Unlike human-perceived hierarchy of predation, in God's ordered domain as shown through Behemoth, these beasts are not terrified and fleeing but frolicking, suggesting an unexpected harmony. This portrayal emphasizes divine sovereignty and peace, even around a creature of immense power. It also subtly reinforces the idea that Behemoth is not chaotic or a threat to God's order, but rather an awe-inspiring part of it.
Job 40 20 Bonus section
- The description of Behemoth, and subsequently Leviathan, serves as a powerful rhetorical device by God. Their immense power and seamless integration into God's provision stand in stark contrast to ancient Near Eastern mythological chaos monsters who required battles to subdue them. Behemoth is Yahweh's creature, not a rebellious force, underscoring God's singular, unmatched sovereignty.
- The anthropomorphic rendering of mountains "yielding food" highlights the active and personal nature of divine providence. Nature is not an indifferent force but a willing servant in God's grand design.
- The peace among wild beasts around Behemoth might subtly harken back to ideal creation, where predator and prey did not exist as they do now, emphasizing a divine blueprint for harmony which only God can truly realize and maintain.
Job 40 20 Commentary
Job 40:20 provides a stunning image of God's complete mastery over His creation, even over a creature as formidable as Behemoth. This verse illustrates that God's providence is not merely sufficient but lavish. The mountains themselves are depicted as serving Behemoth, effortlessly providing its massive dietary needs. This underlines God's intricate design and sustenance of every part of creation, however grand. Furthermore, the scene of "all the wild beasts play" in Behemoth's presence is profound. It suggests a harmony within creation, not chaotic struggle. These creatures are not driven by fear but coexist peacefully, hinting at an Edenic order that remains, however subtly, within God's sovereignty. For Job, this imagery further accentuates his limited perspective; if God orchestrates such intricate provision and harmonious coexistence even for this seemingly wild giant, how can Job question God's dealings with humanity or the justice of His broader cosmic plan? It reveals a God whose power ensures not just existence but also the tranquil ordering of His creation.