Job 41 2

Job 41:2 kjv

Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?

Job 41:2 nkjv

Can you put a reed through his nose, Or pierce his jaw with a hook?

Job 41:2 niv

Can you put a cord through its nose or pierce its jaw with a hook?

Job 41:2 esv

Can you put a rope in his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook?

Job 41:2 nlt

Can you tie it with a rope through the nose
or pierce its jaw with a spike?

Job 41 verses

Job 41 2 Meaning

Job 41:2 rhetorically questions Job’s ability to control Leviathan, asking if he could subdue this mighty creature using common methods of taming animals, like a hook in its nose or boring its jaw with a cord and a piercing tool. The implied answer is a resounding "No." This verse is a powerful declaration of Leviathan's untamable nature and, by extension, God's unmatched power and sovereignty over all creation, including the most fearsome and indomitable beings. It serves to humble Job by highlighting his profound limitations compared to the boundless capabilities of the Almighty.

Job 41 2 Context

Job 41:2 is part of God's second discourse to Job, found in chapters 38-41, delivered from the whirlwind. Following Job's renewed complaints and questioning of divine justice, God challenges Job’s understanding and power by describing two unparalleled creatures: Behemoth (Job 40) and Leviathan (Job 41). Leviathan is presented as the epitome of unconquerable strength and defiance, a creature that no human can tame, master, or even approach without fear. This specific verse emphasizes humanity's utter inability to control Leviathan using methods that work on other animals, such as putting a hook in its nose or piercing its jaw. The immediate historical context relates to ancient Near Eastern ideas about sea monsters (like Ugaritic Yam or Babylonian Tiamat), which often represented chaotic forces subdued by patron deities. God’s detailed description of Leviathan underscores His absolute authority, showing that He, and He alone, is capable of controlling such creatures, thereby serving as a direct polemic against any pagan notion of human or lesser deity's ultimate control over the forces of chaos. The overarching point is to demonstrate God's unassailable wisdom, power, and sovereign reign over His creation, contrasting dramatically with Job's limited understanding and vulnerability.

Job 41 2 Word analysis

• Canst thou: The opening is a rhetorical question (הֲתִמְשֹׁךְ, hathimshokh – literally, "Can you draw out/pull?"). It highlights Job's and by extension, humanity's, profound impotence when faced with such an overwhelming creature. It implies a resounding "No."
• put a hook: The Hebrew word חַח (khakh) refers to a "hook," "ring," or "halter." This term is used for methods of animal control, like putting a ring in a bull's nose to lead it. The implication is the absurdity of attempting to use such a common, domestication method on a creature as fearsome as Leviathan.
• into his nose: בְּאַפּוֹ (bə’appō), "in his nose" or "nostril." This specifies the typical point of control for large, powerful domesticated animals (e.g., a bull with a nose ring). This detail intensifies the rhetorical contrast between the methods of human mastery over the domestic and their utter failure against Leviathan.
• or bore: The Hebrew verb תִּקֹּב (tiqqōḇ) means "to pierce," "bore through," or "puncture." It speaks of a violent act to inflict control. This again points to the forceful but ultimately futile human attempt to dominate Leviathan.
• his jaw through: לְחֶהוּ (leḥēhû) refers to "his jaw" or "cheek." The jaw is associated with power in many cultures and is the part of an animal often used for biting and consuming. To bore through it indicates an extreme effort to disable or control.
• with a thorn: בְּחָח (bəkhakh) appears to be related to חַח (hook) and can mean a hook or possibly בַחֶבֶל (baḥevel) as 'with a rope/cord', in combination with קָנֶה (qaneh), which refers to a "reed," "cane," "stalk," or a sharp, pointed "thorn" used for piercing. This term might describe a rudimentary sharp object tied to a rope to attempt to pierce and gain control. The image highlights the weakness of human tools against Leviathan's formidable nature, rendering human efforts as insignificant and laughable.

Job 41 2 Bonus section

The descriptions of Leviathan throughout Job 41, culminating in verses like 41:2, could be seen as God using hyperbolic language to describe an extraordinarily powerful, possibly real (like a large crocodile or whale, or even a dinosaur in ancient memory) yet exaggerated creature, or as a mythical, symbolic creature representing cosmic chaos. Regardless, the purpose is the same: to show Job that if he cannot even contend with a creature of God's making, how much less can he contend with God Himself? This question implies a vast, qualitative difference between human power and divine power. The ancient Near Eastern understanding of large, untamable sea creatures was often linked to deities and chaos, and God’s detailed, terrifying depiction of Leviathan asserts His supreme authority over all such forces, thereby dismantling any pagan ideas of rival divine powers.

Job 41 2 Commentary

Job 41:2 serves as a pivotal rhetorical question within God’s majestic address to Job. By vividly describing Leviathan and asking if Job could tame it with mundane methods of animal husbandry (a nose hook or a pierced jaw), God directly challenges Job's understanding of divine power and human limitations. This creature, Leviathan, is presented as an insurmountable obstacle for humanity, emphasizing that what is impossible for humans to control is effortlessly managed by God. The verse underscores God’s absolute sovereignty not only over creation but also over forces that symbolize chaos or evil in ancient thought, establishing Him as the ultimate, unchallengeable authority. The imagery of a hook and thorn applied to a creature of such power highlights the folly of human attempts to understand or question the Creator from a position of limited strength and wisdom. The central lesson is one of humility and reverent awe before the Almighty, reminding us that there are limits to human capacity, but none to God’s. For instance, in facing overwhelming life circumstances or personal challenges that seem unconquerable, Job 41:2 teaches that while we may feel powerless, God is entirely in control, able to "hook" and "bore through" what we cannot.