Will he make many pleas to you? Will he speak to you soft words?
God is questioning Job, and He turns to one more creature: leviathan. The question in this verse is absurd on purpose — would such a monster ever beg Job for mercy or speak softly to him? — and its point is not the animal, but the God who made it.
The Wording of the Question
The verse sits inside a long run of questions. God asks Job whether he can catch this creature, tame it, or sell it. Here is one writer's own rendering of those lines:
William KellyDo you put a rush rope in his nose, or pierce his jaw with a thorn? Will he beg you again and again? Will he speak tender words to you? Will he make a covenant with you? Will you take him as a slave forever? Will you play with him like a pet bird, or tie him up for your girls?
The Language of Surrender
"Many pleas" and "soft words" are the language of a beaten enemy asking for terms. God asks Job to picture it, and the picture falls apart at once.
Leslie M. GrantJob could use a hook to catch fish, but how useless the thought of a hook for a crocodile! (v.1). No attack can get through his jaws or his nose (v.2). Could Job persuade him to answer softly and so submit to him? (v.4). The very look of the crocodile is hostile and frightening.
The questions keep coming, and each one runs into the same wall.
Samuel RidoutIs he timid and cringing, or loyal and obedient? If he cannot be caught as a fish, can he be attacked with darts or weapons? Anyone who has tried it will remember the terrible battle, and never try again. Everyone who opposes him gives up in despair; no one dares stir him up or stand before him.
From the Creature to the Creator
The argument does not stop at the animal. If one creature is this far beyond Job, what must its Maker be?
Arno Clemens GaebeleinLike the behemoth, the leviathan is a strong beast that cannot be tamed… Then He declares that he is fierce, and that the very sight of him overwhelms a man. And if a creature is so mighty and strong, what must the One be who called this creature into existence? Verses 10 and 11 should be read: "Who then is able to stand before Me (the Creator)?… all beneath the heavens is Mine."
Why God Points at His Works
Some read these chapters as nature writing. One writer says that this misses the reason God brought them up.
William KellyMen talk as if God's object was only to occupy us with His works. God, on the contrary, brings forward His works to turn us away from our own thoughts and bow us to Himself. If the works of God are so wonderful, who is He that did the work? And what is man, if he dares to judge such a God?… He would turn us away from ourselves to trust in Himself. Do you think that after this Job was occupied with behemoth or with leviathan? Not at all, but with God; and this was the design of it all.
What Leviathan Stands For
Commentators differ on the identity of the animal and on how far it pictures something beyond itself. Some keep it plain and literal:
William KellyWell now, in Job 41, comes a still longer description of "leviathan," and I understand that to be the crocodile. The crocodile is a very formidable beast. It is not so shy of the human kind; on the contrary, it preys upon men, women, and children, if it can get hold of them.
Others read the portrait as a picture of an enemy no human can negotiate with:
Charles StanleyGod now shows to Job, under the figure of leviathan, that the power of Satan is too great for him. What a terrible one he is — this king over all the children of pride… But what could be God's purpose in describing the power of the enemy like this? Surely it was to lead Job into complete dependence on Himself.
The Comfort Hidden in the Terror
The picture is frightening. But notice who is painting it, and the fear turns to relief.
Charles StanleyNow what a relief this is. Looked at in himself, the believer has no power to overcome Satan… Independence from God is what opened the door to Satan at the start. Simple dependence on God alone is what can shut it… It is very gracious of God to tell us how great the power of the enemy is. He does it so that we may know that our only resource is a firm trust in Himself.
Summary
- Question — God asks if leviathan will beg Job for mercy or speak softly to him. The answer is no, and it is meant to be obvious.
- Refusal — soft words would mean surrender. This creature surrenders to no one: not to hook, thorn, weapon or cage.
- Creator — if one made thing is beyond taming, the One who made it is beyond arguing with.
- Redirection — God describes the animal so that we will stop studying ourselves and look at Him.
- Dependence — God tells us how strong the enemy is, and that is a kindness. It drives the helpless to trust Him, and that trust is their only strength.