Job 41 12

Job 41:12 kjv

I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.

Job 41:12 nkjv

"I will not conceal his limbs, His mighty power, or his graceful proportions.

Job 41:12 niv

"I will not fail to speak of Leviathan's limbs, its strength and its graceful form.

Job 41:12 esv

"I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, or his mighty strength, or his goodly frame.

Job 41:12 nlt

"I want to emphasize Leviathan's limbs
and its enormous strength and graceful form.

Job 41 verses

Job 41 12 Meaning

This verse expresses God's firm resolve to fully reveal and describe every aspect of Leviathan—its physical components, immense strength, and intricately designed form. It serves as a declarative statement by the Almighty, challenging Job's limited understanding by demonstrating God's comprehensive knowledge and mastery over even the most terrifying and untamable creatures, thereby subtly yet profoundly reasserting divine sovereignty and wisdom.

Job 41 12 Context

Job chapter 41 is the culmination of God's second major speech to Job (chapters 38-41), specifically focusing on the formidable creature Leviathan. This follows the description of Behemoth in chapter 40. God is responding to Job's challenges regarding divine justice and His management of the world. By vividly describing Leviathan—a creature utterly beyond human control or comprehension—God impresses upon Job the vastness of His own power, wisdom, and sovereign oversight of the entire created order, from the seemingly chaotic to the grandest designs. The detailed description serves to humble Job, making him realize the inadequacy of his human perspective to question God's ways, implicitly saying, "If you cannot control this creature, how can you control or even comprehend Me?" Historically and culturally, creatures like Leviathan (or chaos monsters like Tiamat in Mesopotamian mythology or Yam in Ugaritic texts) represented forces of chaos and primordial power. God's detailed exposition of Leviathan as His creature, fully known and orchestrated, polemically asserts His absolute supremacy over all perceived chaotic or malevolent forces, portraying them as mere elements of His magnificent design.

Job 41 12 Word analysis

• "I will not conceal": Hebrew: אֶחְסֶה ('ekh-ḥasî). From the root ḥāsāh (חָסָה), which primarily means "to seek refuge," but in a causative sense, as here, implies "to hide, to conceal, to be silent about." This negates any idea that God might keep back details or refrain from describing the creature out of ignorance or fear. It highlights God's resolve to provide a comprehensive, unapologetic, and direct revelation. This stands in contrast to Job's human attempts to grasp divine ways; God freely discloses.

• "his parts": Hebrew: בַּדָּיו (bad·dāw). This noun, in its plural form, refers to "limbs," "bars," "branches," or "portions." Here, it signifies the individual anatomical components or distinct segments of Leviathan's formidable body. It suggests an exhaustive examination, as if God is listing every minute detail, down to each powerful limb and feature. It speaks to God's precise and thorough knowledge of even the most intricate and robust aspects of His creation.

• "nor his power": Hebrew: גְּבוּרָתוֹ (gĕvū·rā·ṯōw). Derived from gĕvūrāh (גְּבוּרָה), meaning "strength," "might," "prowess," or "valor." It refers to the intrinsic, overwhelming force that Leviathan possesses, its inherent capacity for action and resistance. This emphasizes that Leviathan’s strength is not accidental or external but an integral part of its divine design, manifesting God's own power. It underscores the creature's formidable nature, which no human could withstand.

• "nor his comely proportion": Hebrew: וְכֵן טָחֳרוּ (wĕ-kēn ṭāḥōrānūw).

  • wĕ-kēn (וְכֵן): "and accordingly," "and thus," or "and indeed." This adverb links the third point directly to the preceding ones, signifying that Leviathan's structure is aligned with its parts and power.
  • ṭāḥōrānūw (טָחֳרוּ): This term is less common and its precise nuance debated, but is typically understood from the root ṭaḥar, meaning "to order, arrange, lay out." Often translated as "proportion," "structure," or "gracious array." It points to the ordered beauty, magnificent arrangement, and perfect symmetry or formidable balance of Leviathan's entire form, even if that form inspires terror. It suggests a design that is "comely" in its fittingness and impressiveness, not merely aesthetically pleasing to human eyes, but perfectly suited to its divine purpose. This aspect particularly highlights divine artistry and wisdom, indicating that even in chaos-defying might, there is ordered design.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion": This structure forms a striking tripartite parallelism. It is a rhetorical device that conveys comprehensiveness and emphasis. God lists three distinct, yet related, aspects of Leviathan – its specific anatomy (parts), its dynamic capability (power), and its overall aesthetic design (comely proportion). By covering all three, God assures Job that He has full knowledge and is providing an exhaustive description of this creature. This also serves as a polemic against any notion that such an untamable force is beyond divine understanding or control; on the contrary, every detail of its fearsome existence is an intentional manifestation of God's wisdom and power. The implication is profound: if God knows every fiber, every surge of strength, and every elegant or terrifying line of this unconquerable creature, then He surely knows the intricacies of His moral order and the path of justice, even if it is inscrutable to Job.

Job 41 12 Bonus section

The specific choice of Leviathan for this description (along with Behemoth) is significant within the ancient Near Eastern cultural context. Cultures surrounding Israel often featured myths of creation wherein divine beings battled and subdued chaos monsters (like Ugaritic Baal fighting Yam, or Babylonian Marduk fighting Tiamat) to bring order. In Job, Leviathan is explicitly presented not as a chaotic cosmic foe of God, but as a creature made by God ("which you formed," Ps 104:26), designed even "to play" in the sea. This dramatically subordinates these mythic representations of chaos, stripping them of any independent divine or adversarial power. Instead, Leviathan serves as an active, living testament to God's unrivaled power and dominion. This serves as a powerful monotheistic polemic against any polytheistic notion of battling gods or independent cosmic forces, asserting that even the most formidable symbol of wildness and untamable strength is utterly beholden to and entirely comprehensible by the one true God. This bolsters the argument for God's unquestionable authority and the inscrutability of His ways to human intellect.

Job 41 12 Commentary

Job 41:12 marks God's declaration that He will fully reveal the astonishing characteristics of Leviathan, an utterly unassailable and powerful creature. This is not merely an anatomical description but a theological statement. By stating He "will not conceal" anything about Leviathan's individual "parts," its immense "power," or its "comely proportion," God affirms His complete knowledge, control, and authorship of this fearsome being.

This detailed exposé of Leviathan functions primarily to humble Job. If Job, a pinnacle of human wisdom and experience, cannot even begin to comprehend, much less control, a creature so meticulously crafted by God, how can he possibly presume to grasp or critique the justice and sovereignty of God over the entire cosmos? The Leviathan represents the epitome of God's untamed creation, a symbol of primal chaos that, in pagan myths, might oppose deities. Yet, in the biblical context, Leviathan is simply another creature, albeit one demonstrating an awe-inspiring manifestation of God's creative design and limitless power. Even in Leviathan's terrifying aspect, God sees "comely proportion," hinting at the inherent divine order and purpose even within what seems most chaotic or monstrous to human perception. This verse ultimately serves to demonstrate divine omniscience and omnipotence, compelling Job, and by extension all humanity, to acknowledge God's absolute wisdom and yield to His unquestionable authority.