Job 41 29

Job 41:29 kjv

Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.

Job 41:29 nkjv

Darts are regarded as straw; He laughs at the threat of javelins.

Job 41:29 niv

A club seems to it but a piece of straw; it laughs at the rattling of the lance.

Job 41:29 esv

Clubs are counted as stubble; he laughs at the rattle of javelins.

Job 41:29 nlt

Clubs are like a blade of grass,
and it laughs at the swish of javelins.

Job 41 verses

Job 41 29 Meaning

Job 41:29 powerfully asserts Leviathan's absolute dominance and invulnerability to conventional human weaponry. It states that heavy clubs or darts are considered as worthless straw, and the creature derisively scoffs at the brandishing, or rattling, of even a spear. The verse emphasizes Leviathan's overwhelming strength, rendering the mightiest human armaments utterly ineffectual and a source of amusement rather than a threat. This highlights God's magnificent creative power by showcasing a creature beyond human control.

Job 41 29 Context

Job 41:29 is part of God's extensive discourse to Job, challenging Job's understanding of creation and divine power. Following the description of Behemoth in chapter 40, God dedicates the entire 41st chapter to Leviathan, portraying it as a creature of immense power and untameable nature. This specific verse emphasizes that no human weapon, be it a heavy club or a sophisticated spear, can harm or even concern Leviathan. In its original context, this detailed depiction of Leviathan's might serves to humble Job, demonstrating that if Job cannot contend with one of God's created beings, he certainly cannot contend with the Creator Himself. The description underscores God's unfathomable wisdom and absolute sovereignty over all creation, far exceeding human comprehension or capability, directly challenging Job's perceived righteousness and questioning of God's ways. Culturally, Leviathan resonates with ancient Near Eastern myths of chaos monsters, yet here, God's unquestioned dominion over it implicitly refutes any idea of independent chaotic forces outside His control.

Job 41 29 Word analysis

• Clubs (דֻּמָה - dumah): Refers to a heavy weapon, possibly a dart, mace, or a cutting weapon. The root suggests 'silence' or 'something cut off', implying its intended destructive impact. Yet, for Leviathan, its very purpose of silencing an opponent is rendered meaningless.
• are counted as (נֶחְשָׁבוּ - neḥshavu): Means "are regarded," "are esteemed," or "are reckoned as." It signifies a definitive re-evaluation, declaring that the actual effect of these weapons on Leviathan is equivalent to mere worthlessness.
• stubble (קַשׁ - qash): Dry grass, straw, or the dried stalks remaining after harvest. In biblical literature, "stubble" consistently symbolizes extreme insignificance, fragility, and worthlessness, easily consumed or blown away (e.g., Isa 5:24).
• he laughs (יִשְׂחַק - yiśḥaq): Implies a deep, scornful, or derisive laughter, not one of amusement but of contempt and mockery. It highlights Leviathan's utter disregard and unconcern for human attempts to harm it. This mirrors God's laughter at human folly (Psa 2:4).
• at the shaking (לְרַעַשׁ - lĕraʿash): Refers to noise, tremor, quivering, or violent motion. Here, it denotes the vigorous brandishing or rattling of a weapon in preparation for an attack, signifying human exertion and martial display.
• of a spear (חֲנִית - ḥanit): A primary and potent long-range weapon of ancient warfare, signifying skill and precision. Its ineffectiveness against Leviathan emphasizes the futility of even the most sophisticated human armament.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "Clubs are counted as stubble": This phrase dramatically contrasts the intended lethality of human weaponry with its actual impact on Leviathan. What should be a destructive instrument is relegated to the lowest status of worthlessness. It underlines the sheer inadequacy of human power in confronting such a formidable creature.
• "he laughs at the shaking of a spear": This illustrates not only Leviathan's immunity but also its disdain. The sound and movement of a wielded spear, meant to instill fear, evoke only mockery from the creature. This vivid imagery amplifies Leviathan's invincibility and dismissive attitude towards all human threats, further magnifying the creature's formidable nature, which, by extension, reflects the unmatched power of its Creator.

Job 41 29 Bonus section

The poetic exaggeration found in Job 41, including verse 29, elevates Leviathan to a mythological-like status within a very real world. Scholars suggest that this description of an unconquerable creature also served an indirect polemical purpose against polytheistic beliefs prevalent in the ancient Near East, which often depicted gods struggling against or overcoming chaos monsters. By presenting a creature utterly beyond human control, yet entirely under God's control, the narrative implicitly asserts the singular, absolute supremacy of the LORD. God does not struggle with Leviathan; He created it and controls it entirely, using it even for His own purposes (Psa 104:26). This portrays the LORD as the unchallenged Master of all creation, including what appears most wild and unconquerable, thereby humbling humanity and its limited perspectives.

Job 41 29 Commentary

Job 41:29 powerfully encapsulates Leviathan's impenetrable nature, serving as a climactic demonstration of God's unparalleled creative power. The description moves from merely enduring attacks (v. 26-28) to outright contempt for them. The reduction of formidable weapons like clubs and spears to mere stubble reveals a chasm between human capability and the creature's might. Leviathan's scornful laughter signifies its complete imperviousness; human aggression is not merely ineffective but becomes a spectacle of futile effort, beneath the notice of its powerful opponent. This serves as a potent theological truth: if human strength and ingenuity are so laughably impotent against God's creation, how much more insignificant are they when pitted against God Himself? The verse underscores the vast qualitative difference between God's sovereign power, displayed through His creatures, and the limitations of human might. It directs Job, and all humanity, towards a posture of humility and reverence before the Creator.