English Standard Version

Berean Study Bible

1“Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord?

1“Can you pull in Leviathan with a hook or tie down his tongue with a rope?

2Can you put a rope in his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook?

2Can you put a cord through his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook?

3Will he make many pleas to you? Will he speak to you soft words?

3Will he beg you for mercy or speak to you softly?

4Will he make a covenant with you to take him for your servant forever?

4Will he make a covenant with you to take him as a slave for life?

5Will you play with him as with a bird, or will you put him on a leash for your girls?

5Can you pet him like a bird or put him on a leash for your maidens?

6Will traders bargain over him? Will they divide him up among the merchants?

6Will traders barter for him or divide him among the merchants?

7Can you fill his skin with harpoons or his head with fishing spears?

7Can you fill his hide with harpoons or his head with fishing spears?

8Lay your hands on him; remember the battle—you will not do it again!

8If you lay a hand on him, you will remember the battle and never repeat it!

9Behold, the hope of a man is false; he is laid low even at the sight of him.

9Surely hope of overcoming him is false. Is not the sight of him overwhelming?

10No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?

10No one is so fierce as to rouse Leviathan. Then who is able to stand against Me?

11Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.

11Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.

12“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, or his mighty strength, or his goodly frame.

12I cannot keep silent about his limbs, his power and graceful form.

13Who can strip off his outer garment? Who would come near him with a bridle?

13Who can strip off his outer coat? Who can approach him with a bridle?

14Who can open the doors of his face? Around his teeth is terror.

14Who can open his jaws, ringed by his fearsome teeth?

15His back is made of rows of shields, shut up closely as with a seal.

15His rows of scales are his pride, tightly sealed together.

16One is so near to another that no air can come between them.

16One scale is so near to another that no air can pass between them.

17They are joined one to another; they clasp each other and cannot be separated.

17They are joined to one another; they clasp and cannot be separated.

18His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn.

18His snorting flashes with light, and his eyes are like the rays of dawn.

19Out of his mouth go flaming torches; sparks of fire leap forth.

19Firebrands stream from his mouth; fiery sparks shoot forth!

20Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes.

20Smoke billows from his nostrils as from a boiling pot over burning reeds.

21His breath kindles coals, and a flame comes forth from his mouth.

21His breath sets coals ablaze, and flames pour from his mouth.

22In his neck abides strength, and terror dances before him.

22Strength resides in his neck, and dismay leaps before him.

23The folds of his flesh stick together, firmly cast on him and immovable.

23The folds of his flesh are tightly joined; they are firm and immovable.

24His heart is hard as a stone, hard as the lower millstone.

24His chest is as hard as a rock, as hard as a lower millstone!

25When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid; at the crashing they are beside themselves.

25When Leviathan rises up, the mighty are terrified; they withdraw before his thrashing.

26Though the sword reaches him, it does not avail, nor the spear, the dart, or the javelin.

26The sword that reaches him has no effect, nor does the spear or dart or arrow.

27He counts iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood.

27He regards iron as straw and bronze as rotten wood.

28The arrow cannot make him flee; for him, sling stones are turned to stubble.

28No arrow can make him flee; slingstones become like chaff to him.

29Clubs are counted as stubble; he laughs at the rattle of javelins.

29A club is regarded as straw, and he laughs at the sound of the lance.

30His underparts are like sharp potsherds; he spreads himself like a threshing sledge on the mire.

30His undersides are jagged potsherds, spreading out the mud like a threshing sledge.

31He makes the deep boil like a pot; he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.

31He makes the depths seethe like a cauldron; he makes the sea like a jar of ointment.

32Behind him he leaves a shining wake; one would think the deep to be white-haired.

32He leaves a glistening wake behind him; one would think the deep had white hair!

33On earth there is not his like, a creature without fear.

33Nothing on earth is his equal—a creature devoid of fear!

34He sees everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride.”

34He looks down on all the haughty; he is king over all the proud.”

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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