Job 41 5

Job 41:5 kjv

Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?

Job 41:5 nkjv

Will you play with him as with a bird, Or will you leash him for your maidens?

Job 41:5 niv

Can you make a pet of it like a bird or put it on a leash for the young women in your house?

Job 41:5 esv

Will you play with him as with a bird, or will you put him on a leash for your girls?

Job 41:5 nlt

Can you make it a pet like a bird,
or give it to your little girls to play with?

Job 41 verses

Job 41 5 Meaning

Job 41:5 presents two powerful rhetorical questions posed by God to Job, aiming to illustrate the vast chasm between human ability and divine omnipotence. Through the untameable figure of Leviathan, God highlights the absurdity of any human attempting to control such a formidable creature as a mere pet or domestic animal. The verse emphasizes humanity's inherent limitations and utter lack of dominion over certain aspects of creation, thereby leading Job to grasp the profound sovereignty and incomprehensible power of God Himself.

Job 41 5 Context

Job 41:5 is found within the climax of the book of Job, as God speaks directly to Job from the whirlwind (Job chapters 38-41). This section serves as God's response to Job's prolonged questioning of divine justice and governance amidst his suffering.

The verse is an integral part of God's extensive, vivid description of Leviathan, which occupies the entirety of Job chapter 41, following a similar description of Behemoth in Job 40. The purpose of these magnificent portrayals is not simply zoological identification, but to demonstrate that even the most formidable and untameable creatures in creation are completely beyond human control.

Historically and culturally, ancient Near Eastern mythologies often featured divine beings battling and subjugating chaotic sea monsters (like Tiamat in Babylonian myths). The depiction of Leviathan in Job, particularly through the rhetorical questions in 41:5, subtly but powerfully dismantles these pagan narratives. Unlike human heroes or even lesser deities who must strive against chaos, the God of Israel has absolute, inherent sovereignty. He is not locked in combat; instead, He effortlessly demonstrates His ultimate control over even the most terrifying forces. Thus, the questions posed to Job are designed to humble him, forcing him to recognize his profound limitations and God's incomparable and unchallenged dominion over all of creation, including forces beyond human comprehension. If Job cannot manage Leviathan, he cannot grasp or critique the Creator who formed and rules it.

Job 41 5 Word analysis

• Will you play with him: (Hebrew: הֲתִשַׂחֲקִוּ־בֹּו֙ - Ha-tisaḥakū-bōw).

  • הֲ (Ha-): An interrogative particle indicating a direct question. Its placement at the beginning of the sentence marks it as a rhetorical question, powerfully conveying the impossibility and absurdity of the suggestion.
  • תִשַׂחֲקִוּ (tisaḥakū): This verb, from the root שׂחק (śāḥaq), means "to play," "to amuse oneself," "to sport," or "to laugh/mock." The choice of "play" emphasizes a lighthearted, leisurely, and safe interaction. This creates an extreme juxtaposition with Leviathan's described terror and power, making the query strikingly ridiculous and exposing the utter disconnect between human desires and creaturely reality. It highlights human feebleness in comparison to such a beast.

• as with a bird?: (Hebrew: כַּצִּפּ֔וֹר - katsippor).

  • כַּ (ka-): A preposition meaning "like" or "as," initiating a comparison.
  • צִּפּוֹר (tsippor): Refers to a "bird" or a "small fowl." Birds were common household pets or easily captured creatures, signifying something tame, manageable, or even an object of simple amusement, like for a child. This specific comparison powerfully underscores the sheer absurdity of attempting to tame or playfully interact with the fearsome Leviathan in the same manner one might with a harmless bird. It exemplifies a stark contrast between human capability over the mundane and impotence over the majestic and wild.

• Or will you bind him: (Hebrew: וְתִקְשְׁרֶ֖נּוּ - wətiqšərēnnū).

  • וְ (wə-): A conjunction acting here as "or," introducing the second rhetorical query.
  • תִקְשְׁרֶנּוּ (tiqšərēnnū): From the verb קָשַׁר (qāšar), meaning "to bind," "to tie," or "to harness." To bind a creature implies capture, domestication, subjection to human will, and often training for labor or subservience. This verb further accentuates the notion of control and utility. God's question challenges the very idea that Job could assert any such mastery over Leviathan.

• for your maidens?: (Hebrew: לְנַעֲרֹותֶֽיךָ - ləna'ărōṯeyḵā).

  • לְ (lə-): A preposition meaning "for" or "to."
  • נַעֲרֹותֶיךָ (na'ărōṯeyḵā): Refers to "your young women" or "your maidens." Maidens, in ancient contexts, are associated with the domestic sphere, innocent activities, and a need for protection and amusement, sometimes by caring for gentle pets. Presenting the idea of binding Leviathan for them further magnifies the rhetorical impact. It moves the imagery beyond mere taming to making the beast utterly innocuous and available for frivolous domestic entertainment, an unthinkable proposition given Leviathan's terrifying power.

• Word-Groups Analysis:

  • "Will you play with him as with a bird?" This first rhetorical question powerfully establishes the theme of impossible human dominion. By contrasting the Leviathan with a common bird, it exposes the vast discrepancy between human capabilities and the true extent of divine power evident in creation. It aims to shock Job into recognizing his presumptions.
  • "Or will you bind him for your maidens?" The second question elaborates on the same theme, intensifying the absurdity by suggesting Leviathan's complete domestication for trivial, innocent purposes. This vivid image functions as a sharp contrast, illustrating the profound limitations of human strength and influence against a creature that exists solely by God's will and power. Together, these two rhetorical challenges serve to dismantle Job's anthropocentric viewpoint and reinforce God's unchallengeable sovereignty.

Job 41 5 Bonus section

• Divine Perspective vs. Human: This verse highlights a recurring theme in the book of Job: the radical difference between God's boundless perspective and human limited understanding. God reveals truths about creation (and indirectly, about suffering) that are simply unknowable from Job's earthbound, human-centered viewpoint. The absurdity of playing with Leviathan mirrors the absurdity of Job trying to hold God to account based on human notions of justice.
• Symbolism of Chaos: Leviathan, throughout biblical literature, often symbolizes primordial chaos or forces hostile to divine order. God's effortless command, even to the point of hypothetically challenging Job to tame it for frivolous purposes, signifies God's complete, uncontested mastery over all disorder and all that might resist Him. This is not a God who struggles against evil, but one who easily manages it.
• Application to Modern Understanding: In a world that often seeks to conquer and control all of nature, Job 41:5 offers a powerful theological check. It reminds humanity of its place—not as ultimate master of creation, but as a steward within a divinely ordered cosmos where true sovereignty belongs to God alone. There are elements of creation, and indeed of life's complexities and sufferings, that are beyond our control or comprehension, requiring faith and humility rather than attempted mastery or bitter complaint.

Job 41 5 Commentary

Job 41:5 is a profound moment in God's monologue, delivering a definitive rhetorical blow to Job's questioning and presumed understanding of divine ways. By posing the utterly preposterous scenarios of taming Leviathan like a pet bird or a domestic animal for one's maidens, God effectively underscores the futility of human attempts to control or even comprehend forces far beyond their realm. The true point is not about literal zoological capabilities but about divine prerogative. If Job, or any human, cannot subdue a powerful creature like Leviathan—a symbol of wild, untameable power, perhaps even primordial chaos—how could Job possibly claim to understand, critique, or challenge the ways of the almighty Creator of such a creature? The verse serves as a crucial moment of humbling, forcing Job to acknowledge his profound creaturely limitations in the face of God's limitless wisdom and absolute sovereignty. It demonstrates that some aspects of the universe and divine action are simply beyond human comprehension, demanding instead a posture of trusting reverence and submission to the One who rules all. The very idea of reducing Leviathan to a plaything for maidens powerfully illustrates the magnitude of human self-deception if they think they can manage cosmic forces or divine judgment.