Job 40:22
New International Version
The lotuses conceal it in their shadow; the poplars by the stream surround it.

New Living Translation
The lotus plants give it shade among the willows beside the stream.

English Standard Version
For his shade the lotus trees cover him; the willows of the brook surround him.

Berean Standard Bible
The lotus plants conceal him in their shade; the willows of the brook surround him.

King James Bible
The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.

New King James Version
The lotus trees cover him with their shade; The willows by the brook surround him.

New American Standard Bible
“The lotus plants cover him with shade; The willows of the brook surround him.

NASB 1995
“The lotus plants cover him with shade; The willows of the brook surround him.

NASB 1977
“The lotus plants cover him with shade; The willows of the brook surround him.

Legacy Standard Bible
The lotus plants cover it with shade; The willows of the brook surround it.

Amplified Bible
“The lotus plants cover him with their shade; The willows of the brook surround him.

Christian Standard Bible
Lotus plants cover him with their shade; the willows by the brook surround him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Lotus plants cover him with their shade; the willows by the brook surround him.

American Standard Version
The lotus-trees cover him with their shade; The willows of the brook compass him about.

Contemporary English Version
or hides among reeds in the swamp.

English Revised Version
The lotus trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Lotus plants provide it with cover. Poplars by the stream surround it.

Good News Translation
The thorn bushes and the willows by the stream give him shelter in their shade.

International Standard Version
The lotus trees cover him with their shade, and willows that line the wadis surround him.

Majority Standard Bible
The lotus plants conceal him in their shade; the willows of the brook surround him.

NET Bible
The lotus trees conceal it in their shadow; the poplars by the stream conceal it.

New Heart English Bible
The lotuses cover him with their shade. The willows of the brook surround him.

Webster's Bible Translation
The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook encompass him.

World English Bible
The lotuses cover him with their shade. The willows of the brook surround him.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Shades cover him, [with] their shadow, "" Willows of the brook cover him.

Young's Literal Translation
Cover him do shades, with their shadow, Cover him do willows of the brook.

Smith's Literal Translation
The shades shall cover him with their shadow; the willows of the torrent shall surround him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The shades cover his shadow, the willows of the brook shall compass him about.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The shadows cover his shadow; the willows of the brook will encircle him.

New American Bible
The lotus trees cover him with their shade; all about him are the poplars in the wadi.

New Revised Standard Version
The lotus trees cover it for shade; the willows of the wadi surround it.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook encircle him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The shadows surround him, and the ravens of the valley surround him
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The lotus-trees cover him with their shadow; The willows of the brook compass him about.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the great trees make a shadow over him with their branches, and so do the bushes of the field.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Job Humbles Himself Before the LORD
21He lies under the lotus plants, hidden among the reeds of the marsh. 22The lotus plants conceal him in their shade; the willows of the brook surround him. 23Though the river rages, Behemoth is unafraid; he remains secure, though the Jordan surges to his mouth.…

Cross References
Psalm 104:10-13
He sends forth springs in the valleys; they flow between the mountains. / They give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. / The birds of the air nest beside the springs; they sing among the branches. ...

Ezekiel 31:3-9
Look at Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches that shaded the forest. It towered on high; its top was among the clouds. / The waters made it grow; the deep springs made it tall, directing their streams all around its base and sending their channels to all the trees of the field. / Therefore it towered higher than all the trees of the field. Its branches multiplied, and its boughs grew long as it spread them out because of the abundant waters. ...

Isaiah 44:23
Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O depths of the earth. Break forth in song, O mountains, you forests and all your trees. For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and revealed His glory in Israel.

Genesis 2:9-10
Out of the ground the LORD God gave growth to every tree that is pleasing to the eye and good for food. And in the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. / Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it branched into four headwaters:

Psalm 1:3
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.

Jeremiah 17:8
He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit.

Revelation 22:1-2
Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb / down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

Ezekiel 47:12
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of all kinds will grow. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for healing.”

Isaiah 55:12
You will indeed go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

Psalm 92:12-14
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. / Planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. / In old age they will still bear fruit; healthy and green they will remain,

Genesis 13:10
And Lot looked out and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan, all the way to Zoar, was well watered like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)

Isaiah 41:19
I will plant cedars in the wilderness, acacias, myrtles, and olive trees. I will set cypresses in the desert, elms and boxwood together,

Psalm 23:2
He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.

Revelation 7:17
For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. ‘He will lead them to springs of living water,’ and ‘God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”

Isaiah 35:6-7
Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. / The parched ground will become a pool, the thirsty land springs of water. In the haunt where jackals once lay, there will be grass and reeds and papyrus.


Treasury of Scripture

The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.

the willows

Leviticus 23:40
And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.

Isaiah 15:7
Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows.

Ezekiel 17:5
He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree.

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Branches Brook Compass Conceal Cover Covered Encompass Grasses Plants Poplars Round Shade Shades Shadow Shady Stream Surround Trees Willows
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Branches Brook Compass Conceal Cover Covered Encompass Grasses Plants Poplars Round Shade Shades Shadow Shady Stream Surround Trees Willows
Job 40
1. Job humbles himself to God
6. God stirs him up to show his righteousness, power, and wisdom
16. Of the behemoth














The lotus plants
The Hebrew word for "lotus" here is "צֶאֱלִים" (tze'elim), which is often translated as "shady trees" or "lotus trees." In the context of the ancient Near East, these plants are associated with lush, fertile environments, often found near water sources. The imagery of the lotus plants suggests a place of refuge and protection, symbolizing God's provision and care for His creation. In the broader narrative of Job, this can be seen as a reminder of God's sovereignty over nature and His ability to provide shelter and sustenance even in the midst of chaos.

conceal him
The act of concealment here implies protection and safety. In the Hebrew text, the word "יְכַסֻּהוּ" (yekhasuhu) is used, which means to cover or hide. This suggests that the creature, often interpreted as the behemoth, is hidden by the natural world, emphasizing its integration into God's creation. Theologically, this can be seen as a metaphor for how God covers and protects His people, offering them refuge and security amidst life's trials.

in their shade
Shade in the ancient world was a precious commodity, often symbolizing rest and relief from the harshness of the sun. The Hebrew word "בְּצִלָּם" (b'tzillam) conveys a sense of comfort and respite. In the spiritual sense, shade can be seen as the peace and rest found in God's presence. For Job, who is enduring immense suffering, this imagery serves as a reminder of the peace and protection that God offers to those who trust in Him.

the willows of the brook
Willows, or "עַרְבֵי־נָחַל" (arvei-nachal) in Hebrew, are trees that thrive near water, symbolizing life and vitality. The mention of a brook indicates a flowing source of water, which in biblical symbolism often represents the life-giving and sustaining power of God. This imagery reinforces the idea of God's provision and the abundance found in His creation. For believers, it serves as a reminder of the spiritual nourishment and growth that comes from staying connected to the divine source.

surround him
The Hebrew word "יְסֻבֻּהוּ" (yesubuhu) means to encircle or encompass. This suggests a sense of being completely enveloped or protected. In the context of Job, it highlights the idea that God's creation is all-encompassing and that His presence is inescapable. For the faithful, this is a comforting assurance that God is always present, surrounding them with His love and protection, even when they cannot perceive it.

Verse 22. - The shady trees (or, the lotus trees) cover him with their shadow (see the comment on ver. 21); the willows of the brook compass him round about. The "willow of the brook" (Leviticus 23:40) is probably the Saliz Aegyptiaca or safsaf which grows plentifully in the Nile valley, fringing the course both of the Nile itself and of the many streams derived from it. The Saliz Babylonica or "weeping willow," is less likely.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The lotus plants
צֶאֱלִ֣ים (ṣe·’ĕ·lîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6628: (a kind of) lotus

conceal him
יְסֻכֻּ֣הוּ (yə·suk·ku·hū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5526: To entwine as a, screen, to fence in, cover over, protect

in their shade;
צִֽלֲל֑וֹ (ṣi·lă·lōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6752: Shadow

the willows
עַרְבֵי־ (‘ar·ḇê-)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 6155: (a kind of tree) perhaps poplar, also a wadi in Moab

of the brook
נָֽחַל׃ (nā·ḥal)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5158: A stream, a winter torrent, a, valley, a shaft

surround him.
יְ֝סֻבּ֗וּהוּ (yə·sub·bū·hū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5437: To turn about, go around, surround


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OT Poetry: Job 40:22 The lotuses cover him with their shade (Jb)
Job 40:21
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