Job 40:16–18

"Behemoth" means what is called the hippopotamus. It ought not to be called a river-horse at all, which is what "hippopotamus" means. It is a river-ox. It is like an ox rather than a horse... Many claim that "behemoth" means an elephant. But read the account and you will see it is very unlike an elephant. The one likeness is that it is a big creature with enormous strength, and beyond that, nothing.

Some have thought this refers to a hippopotamus. But that animal has a small tail, while behemoth "moves his tail like a cedar" (v.17). Perhaps this animal has now become extinct, for its tail seems to resemble that of a dinosaur.

"Gird up now your loins like a man", God said to Job, twice, and to others also. Elijah girded up his loins and ran before Ahab (1 Kings 18:46). There are many other references, Behemoth for example... "his strength in his loins" (Job 40:16). But exactly the same word is used of the woman of worth (Proverbs 31:17)... Taken together they certainly confirm what we have always heard, that the loins are the seat of strength.

Every part of his body speaks of strength — loins and body, legs and bones, even tail, are alive with this power... His Creator gave him sharp sword-like teeth, and with them he mows down the grass like an ox. He is harmless too when not stirred up, for the other beasts play in the same pasture.

Behemoth then is a powerful, uncontrollable beast which lives for itself. How weak then is man compared with this beast and its marvellous strength. Yet it is only a beast and Job is a man. How detestable then must Job's pride and boasting appear in the sight of the Lord.

He is an untameable, uncontrollable beast. He is of no use for man's service. The whole description gives one impression — absolute power used for utterly selfish ends. It lives for itself, refusing to yield its strength to the service of others.

And yet he is only a creature, given superhuman strength by God for His all-wise purposes. Let Job consider this creature, self-sufficient and unstoppable. Let all who are tempted to trust in their own strength consider him too, whether strength of body, as here, or of heart and mind. How puny their own arm will appear.

The character of behemoth is like that of many strong, capable men. They know how to subdue others, but have no heart to help them... So behemoth seems to be specially symbolic of Antichrist. He is a land animal, and Antichrist will rise out of the land (of Israel), as Revelation 13:11 shows us... It is God who has made him, though he refuses to recognise God.

Behemoth is the enemy within us; leviathan is the enemy without us.

"Behold now behemoth, which I made with you" — when I made you I made him. "He eats grass as an ox." I have, therefore, good reason for saying that it is a river-ox, and not at all a river-horse.

Some have thought this refers to a hippopotamus, but that animal has a small tail, while behemoth "makes his tail stiff like a cedar" (v.17). Perhaps this animal has now become extinct, for its tail seems to resemble that of a dinosaur.

Every portion of his anatomy speaks of strength — loins and body, legs and bones, and even tail, are alive with this power. So he is a chief of God's creatures, excelling in strength. His Creator gave him sharp, sword-like teeth, and with them he mows down the grass like an ox. He is harmless too when nothing stirs him up, since the other animals play beside him in the same pasture.

In other words, he is an untamable, uncontrollable beast. He is of no use for man's service. The entire description gives the impression of absolute power used for utterly selfish ends. It lives for itself, refusing to yield its strength to the service of others.

How weak man is compared with this beast and its marvellous strength! Yet it is only a beast and Job is a man. How abominable then must Job's pride and boasting appear in the sight of the Lord.

And yet he is only a creature. God gave him superhuman strength for His own all-wise purposes. Let Job, and everyone tempted to trust his own strength, look at this creature, self-sufficient and unstoppable. That strength may be strength of body, as here, or of heart and mind. How puny their own arm will look.

Note the striking words, "he is the first of the ways of God" (v.19). God created him as an object lesson for us of unstoppable strength. Only the God who made him can bring him down to nothing — a picture of putting him under the judgment of the sword.

Both beasts stand for power and pride. So it does not seem entirely far-fetched to agree with another commentator, Wordsworth: "It seems probable that behemoth represents the Evil One at work in the animal and fleshly parts of man's own make-up, and that leviathan pictures the Evil One at work as the enemy outside him. Behemoth is the enemy inside us; leviathan is the enemy outside us."

To Job, behemoth would stand for that creature of pride which thrives among people who profess to belong to God. In the pride of his own self-righteousness, "proclaiming himself to be God," he would catch glimpses of this evil thing. One day it would grow into a full and hideous falling away from God. What more dreadful exposure of the evil of pride could he, or we, have? Self-righteousness, self-seeking, pride of conduct or of character, denies its need of Christ and of God. Such is sin in the flesh — incorrigible and hideous. Who can subdue it or change its nature?

And yet behemoth is controlled, though not by man. God is over all... The Spirit will control the flesh, and while He lives in the Church He does not allow evil to develop fully. In a smaller way too, the Spirit controls and holds back the activity of the flesh. "Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."

"Behemoth" means what is called the hippopotamus. We ought not to call it a river-horse at all, which is what "hippopotamus" means. It is a river-ox. It looks more like an ox than a horse, with its own odd features, and they are very odd... Many insist that "behemoth" means an elephant. But read the account and you will see it is very unlike an elephant, apart from being a big creature with enormous strength. Beyond that, nothing.

Some have thought this refers to a hippopotamus, but that animal has a small tail, while behemoth "moves his tail like a cedar" (v.17). Perhaps this animal has now become extinct, for its tail seems to resemble that of a dinosaur.

These verses, and others we could add, make the symbolic meaning of the copper clear. It stands for durability, strength, and refusal to bend, whether in protection, in chains, or in war. Applied to the nature of God, it would declare His unchanging character, His strength, and the impossibility of escaping His judgment. On the other side, it would declare the safety of those He protects.

Huge as behemoth is, he eats plants like the ox. The elephant is vulnerable underneath, but here the sinews are of surpassing strength. He bends his tail like a cedar. The sinews of his thighs are knit tightly together, and his bones are like copper and iron. Yet, masterpiece as he is of God's ways, he has only a scythe-like tooth to graze the mountains, where all the beasts of the field play.

In behemoth every part of his body added to his exceptional strength (vv.16-18): his loins, his body, legs and bones and even his tail. Strikingly, the text says, "he is the first of the ways of God" (v.19). God has created him as an object lesson for us of resistless strength. Only the God who made him can bring him down to nothing.

In other words, he is an untamable, uncontrollable beast. He is of no use for man's service. The entire description gives the impression of absolute power used for utterly selfish ends. It lives for itself, refusing to yield its strength to the service of others.

And yet he is only a creature. God gave him superhuman strength for His own all-wise purposes. Let Job look at this creature, self-sufficient and unstoppable. Let everyone tempted to trust his own strength look too — strength of body, as here, or of heart and mind. How small their own arm will seem.

Some have thought this creature must picture Satan, chief among God's creatures (Ezek. 28), outstanding in strength and pride... "It seems likely that behemoth stands for the Evil One at work in the animal and fleshly parts of man's own make-up, and that leviathan pictures the Evil One at work as man's enemy outside him. Behemoth is the enemy within us; leviathan is the enemy without us."