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Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Job 41:15

"His strong scales are his pride, Locked as with a tight seal.
New American Standard Bible

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:
Nave's Topical Bible - God;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Leviathan;  
Dictionaries:
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Leviathan;  
Encyclopedias:
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Channel;   Flake;   Leviathan;   Scales;   Tribulation;  

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Job 41:15. His scales are his pride — They are impenetrable, as we have already seen.

Bibliographical Information
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Job 41:15". "The Adam Clarke Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/​commentaries/​acc/​job-41.html. 1832.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary


Two beasts (40:15-41:34)

Before Job accepts the challenge to govern the moral order, God warns him that it is far more difficult than governing the natural and physical order. Therefore, Job must first consider what power he has over, for instance, the beasts. Two examples are sufficient to impress upon Job that he faces an impossibility. The first of these is the monster Behemoth, generally thought to be the hippopotamus. It is among the strongest creatures of God’s creation (15-18), all-powerful on the land, untroubled in the water and very difficult to capture (19-24).
The second beast described to Job is Leviathan, the mythical sea monster or, possibly, the crocodile. Can Job catch one with a hook as he catches a fish? Can he make it talk, or make it work for him, or make a pet of it? Can he sell it in the market (41:1-6)? Even if Job were able to catch one he would be sorry. He would never do it again (7-8)! If, then, no person in his right mind would dare stir up Leviathan, how unthinkable to try to stand up against God (9-11).
God then describes some fearsome features of this dragon-like beast: its armour of tough skin, its strong jaws, its terrible teeth (12-17). When it blows air and water out of its nostrils, it appears to be blowing out fire and smoke (18-21). The animal is so fearfully strong that just the sight of its movements fills even the strongest with terror (22-25). No weapon can pierce its iron-like skin (26-29). When it moves from the land into the water its movements dig up the mud like a threshing-sledge and whip up white foam on the water (30-32). This fearsome creature is the king of beasts, unconquerable by human power, yet it is part of the world God has created (33-34).


Bibliographical Information
Flemming, Donald C. "Commentary on Job 41:15". "Fleming's Bridgeway Bible Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/​commentaries/​bbc/​job-41.html. 2005.

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, Nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame. Who can strip off his outer garment? Who shall come within his jaws? Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror. His strong scales are his pride, Shut up together as with a close seal. One is so near to another, That no air can come between them. They are joined one to another; They stick together so that they cannot be sundered.”

“His mighty strength… etc.” Driver, and other scholars, have complained that the text here is corrupt;International Critical Commentary, Job, p.365. but one thing is clear, the mighty strength of the crocodile is stressed. Moreover, the crocodile of the Old Testament was a full 18 feet in length,Britannica World Language Dictionary (New York: Funk and Wagnalls Company, 1959), Vol. 1, p. 307. contrasting with the American crocodile some four feet shorter.

“Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror” “`The doors of his face,’ i.e., his lower and upper jaws. `Round his teeth is terror,’ in the upper jaw usually 36, in the lower jaw 20, long and terrible to look at.”International Critical Commentary, op. cit., p. 365. Rowley, however, wrote that, “The formidable teeth of the crocodile inspire terror; in the upper jaw, there are thirty-six, and in the lower thirty”!New Century Bible Commentary, p. 262. This writer must confess that he does not know which one of these scholars is correct regarding the number of crocodile teeth in that lower jaw!

“His strong scales are his pride” “These plates are of exceeding hardness, so hard, that they were employed as armour by ancient warriors, and one may see a coat of natural scale armour in the British Museum.”International Critical Commentary, op. cit., p. 366. “The skin (scales) of the crocodile is actually so hard that a musket ball will not penetrate it.”Barnes’ Notes on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, a 1987 reprint of the 1878 edition),Job, Vol. 2, p. 264.

Bibliographical Information
Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on Job 41:15". "Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible". https://www.studylight.org/​commentaries/​bcc/​job-41.html. Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

His scales are his pride - Margin, “strong pieces of shields.” The literal translation of this would be, “Pride, the strong of shields;” that is, the strong shields. There can be no doubt that there is reference to the scales of the animal, as having a resemblance to strong shields laid close to each other. But there is considerable variety of opinion as to its meaning. Umbreit and Prof. Lee take the word here rendered “pride” (גאוה gê'voh) to be the same as (גוה gêvâh), “back,” and then the meaning would be that his back was armed as with a shield - referring, as Prof. Lee supposes, to the dorsal fin of the whale. But there is no necessity for this supposition, and it cannot be denied that it is somewhat forced. The “connection” requires that we should understand it, not of the dorsal fin, but of the scales; for a description immediately follows in continuation of this, which will by no means apply to the fin. The obvious and proper meaning is, that the pride or glory of the animal - that on which his safety depended, and which was the most remarkable thing about him - was his “scales,” which were laid together like firm and compact shields, so that nothing could penetrate them. This description accords better with the crocodile than with any other animal. It is covered with scales, “which are so hard as to resist a musket-ball.” “Ed. Ency.” The description cannot be applied to a whale, which has no scales; and accordingly Prof. Lee supposes that the reference in this verse and the two following is not to the “scales,” but to the “teeth,” and to “the setting in of the dorsal fin!”

Shut up together - Made close or compact.

As with a close seal - As if they had been sealed with wax, so that no air could come between them.

Bibliographical Information
Barnes, Albert. "Commentary on Job 41:15". "Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible". https://www.studylight.org/​commentaries/​bnb/​job-41.html. 1870.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 41

And then in the next chapter God speaks of the leviathan. Now just what the leviathan is, they're not quite sure. Some think that it is perhaps a crocodile, some think that it's perhaps even a dragon, while others think that it perhaps is a hippopotamus with a hefty hide. And so those are some of the opinions. And God said, "Can you catch him with a hook like you catch a fish?"

Can you put a hook in his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? Will he pray to you? and speak soft words to you? And make a covenant with you? that you might take him as a servant forever? Will you play with him like you would with a bird? or will you bind him for your maidens? Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants? Can you fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears? Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more. Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? None is so fierce that dare to stir him up: who then is able to stand before him? ( Job 41:2-10 )

And God goes on to speak of leviathan and of his strength and so forth and showing that Job really doesn't have much power over nature. God has created the things of nature and all, and man stands pretty helpless even before nature, how much more before God. "





Bibliographical Information
Smith, Charles Ward. "Commentary on Job 41:15". "Smith's Bible Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/​commentaries/​csc/​job-41.html. 2014.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

[His] scales [are his] pride, shut up together [as with] a close seal. This is notoriously true of the crocodile, whose back and tail are covered with scales, which are in a measure impenetrable and invincible: which all writers concerning it, and travellers that have seen it, agree in; :-; but the skin of the whale is smooth; the outward skin is thin, like parchment, and is easily pulled off with the hand; and its under skin, though an inch thick, is never stiff nor tough, but soft d: though, if Nearchus e is to be credited, he reports, that one was seen fifty cubits long, with a scaly skin all over it a cubit thick; and such, it is said, were by a storm brought into our river Trent some years ago, and cast ashore, which had scales upon their backs very hard, as large and thick as one of our shillings f. But Aben Ezra interprets this of the teeth of the leviathan, and in which he is followed by Hasaeus; which are strong like a shield, as the words used signify; so Mr. Broughton,

"the strong shields have pride:''

but then this is as applicable, or more so, to the scales of the crocodile; which are so close as if they were sealed together, and are like a shield, its defence, and in which it prides itself.

d Voyage to Spitzbergen, p. 146, 147, 152. e Apud Arrian. in Indicis. f Vid. Wesley's Dissertations on Job, dissert. 38. p. 290.

Bibliographical Information
Gill, John. "Commentary on Job 41:15". "Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible". https://www.studylight.org/​commentaries/​geb/​job-41.html. 1999.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      11 Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.   12 I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.   13 Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle?   14 Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.   15 His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.   16 One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.   17 They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.   18 By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.   19 Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.   20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.   21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.   22 In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.   23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.   24 His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.   25 When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.   26 The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.   27 He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.   28 The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble.   29 Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.   30 Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.   31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.   32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.   33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.   34 He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.

      God, having in the Job 42:1-6 shown Job how unable he was to deal with the leviathan, here sets forth his own power in that massy mighty creature. Here is,

      I. God's sovereign dominion and independency laid down, Job 41:11; Job 41:11. 1. That he is indebted to none of his creatures. If any pretend he is indebted to them, let them make their demand and prove their debt, and they shall receive it in full and not by composition: "Who has prevented me?" that is, "who has laid any obligations upon me by any services he has done me? Who can pretend to be before-hand with me? If any were, I would not long be behind-hand with them; I would soon repay them." The apostle quotes this for the silencing of all flesh in God's presence, Romans 11:35. Who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him again? As God does not inflict upon us the evils we have deserved, so he does bestow upon us the favours we have not deserved. 2. That he is the rightful Lord and owner of all the creatures: "Whatsoever is under the whole heaven, animate or inanimate, is mine (and particularly this leviathan), at my command and disposal, what I have an incontestable property in and dominion over." All is his; we are his, all we have and do; and therefore we cannot make God our debtor; but of thy own, Lord, have we given thee. All is his, and therefore, if he were indebted to any, he has wherewithal to repay them; the debt is in good hands. All is his, and therefore he needs not our services, nor can he be benefited by them. If I were hungry I would not tell thee, for the world is mind and the fulness thereof,Psalms 50:12.

      II. The proof and illustration of it, from the wonderful structure of the leviathan, Job 41:12; Job 41:12.

      1. The parts of his body, the power he exerts, especially when he is set upon, and the comely proportion of the whole of him, are what God will not conceal, and therefore what we must observe and acknowledge the power of God in. Though he is a creature of monstrous bulk, yet there is in him a comely proportion. In our eye beauty lies in that which is small (inest sua gratia parvis--little things have a gracefulness all their own) because we ourselves are so; but in God's eye even the leviathan is comely; and, if he pronounce even the whale, event he crocodile, so, it is not for us to say of any of the works of his hands that they are ugly of ill-favoured; it is enough to say so, as we have cause, of our own works. God here goes about to give us an anatomical view (as it were) of the leviathan; for his works appear most beautiful and excellent, and his wisdom and power appear most in them, when they are taken in pieces and viewed in their several parts and proportions. (1.) The leviathan, even prima facie--at first sight, appears formidable and inaccessible, Job 41:13; Job 41:14. Who dares come so near him while he is alive as to discover or take a distinct view of the face of the garment, the skin with which he is clothed as with a garment, so near him as to bridle him like a horse and so lead him away, so near him as to be within reach of his jaws, which are like a double bridle? Who will venture to look into his mouth, as we do into a horse's mouth? He that opens the doors of his face will see his teeth terrible round about, strong and sharp, and fitted to devour; it would make a man tremble to think of having a leg or an arm between them. (2.) His scales are his beauty and strength, and therefore his pride,Job 41:15-17; Job 41:15-17. The crocodile is indeed remarkable for his scales; if we understand it of the whale, we must understand by these shields (for so the word is) the several coats of his skin; or there might be whales in that country with scales. That which is remarkable concerning the scales is that they stick so close together, by which he is not only kept warm, for no air can pierce him, but kept safe, for no sword can pierce him through those scales. Fishes, that live in the water, are fortified accordingly by the wisdom of Providence, which gives clothes as it gives cold. (3.) He scatters terror with his very breath and looks; if he sneeze or spout up water, it is like a light shining, either with the froth or the light of the sun shining through it, Job 41:18; Job 41:18. The eyes of the whale are reported to shine in the night-time like a flame, or, as here, like the eye-lids of the morning; the same they say of the crocodile. The breath of this creature is so hot and fiery, from the great natural heat within, that burning lamps and sparks of fire, smoke and a flame, are said to go out of his mouth, even such as one would think sufficient to set coals on fire, Job 41:19-21; Job 41:19-21. Probably these hyperbolical expressions are used concerning the leviathan to intimate the terror of the wrath of God, for that is it which all this is designed to convince us of. Fire out of his mouth devours,Psalms 18:7; Psalms 18:8. The breath of the Almighty, like a stream of brimstone, kindles Tophet, and will for ever keep it burning, Isaiah 30:33. The wicked one shall be consumed with the breath of his mouth,2 Thessalonians 2:8. (4.) He is of invincible strength and most terrible fierceness, so that he frightens all that come in his way, but is not himself frightened by any. Take a view of his neck, and there remains strength, Job 41:22; Job 41:22. His head and his body are well set together. Sorrow rejoices (or rides in triumph) before him, for he makes terrible work wherever he comes. Or, Those storms which are the sorrow of others are his joys; what is tossing to others is dancing to him. His flesh is well knit, Job 41:23; Job 41:23. The flakes of it are joined so closely together, and are so firm, that it is hard to pierce it; he is as if he were all bone. His flesh is of brass, which Job had complained his was not, Job 6:12; Job 6:12. His heart is as firm as a stone,Job 41:24; Job 41:24. He has spirit equal to his bodily strength, and, though he is bulky, he is sprightly, and not unwieldy. As his flesh and skin cannot be pierced, so his courage cannot be daunted; but, on the contrary, he daunts all he meets and puts them into a consternation (Job 41:25; Job 41:25): When he raises up himself like a moving mountain in the great waters even the mighty are afraid lest he should overturn their ships or do them some other mischief. By reason of the breakings he makes in the water, which threaten death, they purify themselves, confess their sins, betake themselves to their prayers, and get ready for death. We read (Job 3:8; Job 3:8) of those who, when they raise up a leviathan, are in such a fright that they curse the day. It was a fear which, it seems, used to drive some to their curses and others to their prayers; for, as now, so then there were seafaring men of different characters and on whom the terrors of the sea have contrary effects; but all agree there is a great fright among them when the leviathan raises up himself. (5.) All the instruments of slaughter that are used against him do him no hurt and therefore are not error to him, Job 41:26-29; Job 41:26-29. The sword and the spear, which wound nigh at hand, are nothing to him; the darts, arrows, and sling-stones, which wound at a distance, do him no damage; nature has so well armed him cap-a-pie--at all points, against them all. The defensive weapons which men use when they engage with the leviathan, as the habergeon, or breast-plate, often serve men no more than their offensive weapons; iron and brass are to him as straw and rotten wood, and he laughs at them. It is the picture of a hard-hearted sinner, that despises the terrors of the Almighty and laughs at all the threatenings of his word. The leviathan so little dreads the weapons that are used against him that, to show how hardy he is, he chooses to lie on the sharp stones, the sharp-pointed things (Job 41:30; Job 41:30), and lies as easy there as if he lay on the soft mire. Those that would endure hardness must inure themselves to it. (6.) His very motion in the water troubles it and puts it into a ferment, Job 41:31; Job 41:32. When he rolls, and tosses, and makes a stir in the water, or is in pursuit of his prey, he makes the deep to boil like a pot, he raises a great froth and foam upon the water, such as is upon a boiling pot, especially a pot of boiling ointment; and he makes a path to shine after him, which even a ship in the midst of the sea does not, Proverbs 30:19. One may trace the leviathan under water by the bubbles on the surface; and yet who can take that advantage against him in pursuing him? Men track hares in the snow and kill them, but he that tracks the leviathan dares not come near him.

      2. Having given this particular account of his parts, and his power, and his comely proportion, he concludes with four things in general concerning this animal:-- (1.) That he is a non-such among the inferior creatures: Upon earth there is not his like,Job 41:33; Job 41:33. No creature in this world is comparable to him for strength and terror. Or the earth is here distinguished from the sea: His dominion is not upon the earth (so some), but in the waters. None of all the savage creatures upon earth come near him for bulk and strength, and it is well for man that he is confined to the waters and there has a watch set upon him (Job 7:12; Job 7:12) by the divine Providence, for, if such a terrible creature were allowed to roam and ravage upon this earth, it would be an unsafe and uncomfortable habitation for the children of men, for whom it is intended. (2.) That he is more bold and daring than any other creature whatsoever: He is made without fear. The creatures are as they are made; the leviathan has courage in his constitution, nothing can frighten him; other creatures, quite contrary, seem as much designed for flying as this for fighting. So, among men, some are in their natural temper bold, others are timorous. (3.) That he is himself very proud; though lodged in the deep, yet he beholds all high things,Job 41:34; Job 41:34. The rolling waves, the impending rocks, the hovering clouds, and the ships under sail with top and top-gallant, this mighty animal beholds with contempt, for he does not think they either lessen him or threaten him. Those that are great are apt to be scornful. (4.) That he is a king over all the children of pride, that is, he is the proudest of all proud ones. He has more to be proud of (so Mr. Caryl expounds it) than the proudest people in the world have; and so it is a mortification to the haughtiness and lofty looks of men. Whatever bodily accomplishments men are proud of, and puffed up with, the leviathan excels them and is a king over them. Some read it so as to understand it of God: He that beholds all high things, even he, is King over all the children of pride; he can tame the behemoth (Job 40:19; Job 40:19) and the leviathan, big as they are, and stout-hearted as they are. This discourse concerning those two animals was brought in to prove that it is God only who can look upon proud men and abase them, bring them low and tread them down, and hide them in the dust (Job 40:11-13; Job 40:11-13), and so it concludes with a quod erat demonstrandum--which was to be demonstrated; there is one that beholds all high things, and, wherein men deal proudly, is above them; he is King over all the children of pride, whether brutal or rational, and can make them all either bend or break before him, Isaiah 2:11. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and thus the Lord alone shall be exalted.

Bibliographical Information
Henry, Matthew. "Complete Commentary on Job 41:15". "Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible". https://www.studylight.org/​commentaries/​mhm/​job-41.html. 1706.
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