Job 41:12
New International Version
“I will not fail to speak of Leviathan’s limbs, its strength and its graceful form.

New Living Translation
“I want to emphasize Leviathan’s limbs and its enormous strength and graceful form.

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

Berean Standard Bible
I cannot keep silent about his limbs, his power and graceful form.

King James Bible
I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.

New King James Version
“I will not conceal his limbs, His mighty power, or his graceful proportions.

New American Standard Bible
“I will not be silent about his limbs, Or his mighty strength, or his graceful frame.

NASB 1995
“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, Or his mighty strength, or his orderly frame.

NASB 1977
“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, Or his mighty strength, or his orderly frame.

Legacy Standard Bible
“I will not keep silence concerning its limbs, Or its mighty strength or its graceful frame.

Amplified Bible
“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, Nor his mighty strength, nor his orderly frame.

Christian Standard Bible
I cannot be silent about his limbs, his power, and his graceful proportions.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I cannot be silent about his limbs, his power, and his graceful proportions.

American Standard Version
I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, Nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.

Contemporary English Version
What powerful legs, what a stout body this monster possesses!

English Revised Version
I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, nor his mighty strength, nor his comely proportion.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"I will not be silent about Leviathan's limbs, its strength, or its graceful form.

Good News Translation
Let me tell you about Leviathan's legs and describe how great and strong he is.

International Standard Version
"I won't be silent concerning his limbs, his mighty strength, and orderly frame.

NET Bible
I will not keep silent about its limbs, and the extent of its might, and the grace of its arrangement.

New Heart English Bible
"I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.

Webster's Bible Translation
I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.
Majority Text Translations
Majority Standard Bible
I cannot keep silent about his limbs, his power and graceful form.

World English Bible
“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
I do not keep silent concerning his parts, "" And the matter of might, "" And the grace of his arrangement.

Young's Literal Translation
I do not keep silent concerning his parts, And the matter of might, And the grace of his arrangement.

Smith's Literal Translation
I will not be silent for him, and the word of powers and the beauty of his preparation.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
I will not spare him, nor his mighty words, and framed to make supplication.

Catholic Public Domain Version
I will not spare him, nor his powerful words and counterfeit attempts at supplication.

New American Bible
I need hardly mention his limbs, his strength, and the fitness of his equipment.

New Revised Standard Version
“I will not keep silence concerning its limbs, or its mighty strength, or its splendid frame.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And I shall not be silent at his strength and at the sinews of his power
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Would I keep silence concerning his boastings, Or his proud talk, or his fair array of words?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
I will not be silent because of him: though because of his power one shall pity his antagonist.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God's Power Shown in Leviathan
11Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Everything under heaven is Mine. 12I cannot keep silent about his limbs, his power and graceful form. 13Who can strip off his outer coat? Who can approach him with a bridle?…

Cross References
Psalm 104:24-26
How many are Your works, O LORD! In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures. / Here is the sea, vast and wide, teeming with creatures beyond number, living things both great and small. / There the ships pass, and Leviathan, which You formed to frolic there.

Isaiah 27:1
In that day the LORD will take His sharp, great, and mighty sword, and bring judgment on Leviathan the fleeing serpent—Leviathan the coiling serpent—and He will slay the dragon of the sea.

Ezekiel 29:3-5
Speak to him and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great monster who lies among his rivers, who says, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it myself.’ / But I will put hooks in your jaws and cause the fish of your streams to cling to your scales. I will haul you up out of your rivers, and all the fish of your streams will cling to your scales. / I will leave you in the desert, you and all the fish of your streams. You will fall on the open field and will not be taken away or gathered for burial. I have given you as food to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the air.

Psalm 74:13-14
You divided the sea by Your strength; You smashed the heads of the dragons of the sea; / You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You fed him to the creatures of the desert.

Isaiah 51:9-10
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD. Wake up as in days past, as in generations of old. Was it not You who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced through the dragon? / Was it not You who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea for the redeemed to cross over?

Genesis 1:21
So God created the great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters teemed according to their kinds, and every winged bird after its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Psalm 89:10
You crushed Rahab like a carcass; You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.

Psalm 148:7
Praise the LORD from the earth, all great sea creatures and ocean depths,

Isaiah 43:16-17
Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the surging waters, / who brings out the chariots and horses, the armies and warriors together, to lie down, never to rise again; to be extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:

Amos 9:3
Though they hide themselves atop Carmel, there I will track them and seize them; and though they hide from Me at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent to bite them.

Revelation 12:3-9
Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads. / His tail swept a third of the stars from the sky, hurling them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, ready to devour her child as soon as she gave birth. / And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was caught up to God and to His throne. ...

Revelation 13:1-4
Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. / The beast I saw was like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. / One of the heads of the beast appeared to have been mortally wounded. But the mortal wound was healed, and the whole world marveled and followed the beast. ...

Revelation 17:8
The beast that you saw—it was, and now is no more, but is about to come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. And those who dwell on the earth whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet will be.

Revelation 20:1-3
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the Abyss, holding in his hand a great chain. / He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. / And he threw him into the Abyss, shut it, and sealed it over him, so that he could not deceive the nations until the thousand years were complete. After that, he must be released for a brief period of time.

Matthew 12:40
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.


Treasury of Scripture

I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.

comely

Genesis 1:25
And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Jump to Previous
Arrangement Array Boastings Body Conceal Fail Fair Frame Goodly Grace Graceful Limbs Matter Mighty Orderly Parts Power Proportion Proud Quiet Silence Silent Speak Story Strength Talk Words
Jump to Next
Arrangement Array Boastings Body Conceal Fail Fair Frame Goodly Grace Graceful Limbs Matter Mighty Orderly Parts Power Proportion Proud Quiet Silence Silent Speak Story Strength Talk Words
Job 41
1. Of God's great power in the leviathan














I cannot keep silent about his limbs
This phrase suggests the speaker's awe and compulsion to describe the creature's physical attributes. In the context of Job 41, God is speaking to Job about the Leviathan, a powerful sea creature. The Leviathan is often interpreted as a symbol of chaos and untamable power, reflecting God's sovereignty over all creation. The mention of "limbs" emphasizes the creature's formidable physical presence, which no human can control. This can be connected to other biblical references to God's creation, such as Psalm 104:26, where Leviathan is mentioned as part of God's wondrous works.

his power
The power of the Leviathan is a central theme in this passage, illustrating the creature's might and the futility of human efforts to subdue it. This power serves as a metaphor for God's own unmatched strength and authority over the universe. The historical context of ancient Near Eastern mythology often depicted sea monsters as symbols of chaos, which God alone could conquer. This reflects the biblical theme of God's dominion over all forces, both natural and supernatural, as seen in passages like Isaiah 27:1, where God is described as punishing the Leviathan.

and graceful form
The description of the Leviathan's "graceful form" highlights the creature's beauty and elegance, despite its terrifying power. This juxtaposition of grace and strength can be seen as a reflection of God's own nature, combining majesty with might. In the cultural context of the time, beauty and form were often associated with divine craftsmanship, suggesting that even the most fearsome creatures are part of God's intentional design. This can be related to the broader biblical theme of God's creation being both fearsome and beautiful, as seen in Psalm 19:1, which speaks of the heavens declaring the glory of God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Job
A man of great faith and patience, who undergoes severe trials and suffering. The book of Job is a dialogue about his experiences and the nature of God's justice.

2. God
The speaker in this passage, who is responding to Job. God is emphasizing His power and the majesty of His creation, particularly through the description of the Leviathan.

3. Leviathan
A powerful and fearsome creature described in the book of Job. It symbolizes God's unmatched power in creation and serves as a reminder of human limitations.

4. The Book of Job
A poetic and philosophical book in the Old Testament that explores themes of suffering, divine justice, and the sovereignty of God.

5. Creation
The broader context of God's discourse in Job 38-41, where He speaks of His creation to demonstrate His wisdom and power.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty and Power
The description of Leviathan serves as a reminder of God's unmatched power and sovereignty over all creation. We are called to trust in His wisdom and authority, even when we do not understand His ways.

Human Limitations
The passage highlights human limitations in understanding and controlling the natural world. It encourages humility and reliance on God, who is the Creator and Sustainer of all things.

The Majesty of Creation
Reflecting on the beauty and complexity of creation, as exemplified by Leviathan, can lead us to worship and revere God more deeply.

Trust in God's Justice
Even when faced with suffering and unanswered questions, like Job, we can trust in God's ultimate justice and goodness.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Job 41:12?

2. How does Job 41:12 reveal God's power and majesty over creation?

3. What can we learn about God's sovereignty from Job 41:12?

4. How does Job 41:12 connect with Psalm 104:24 on God's creation?

5. How should Job 41:12 influence our understanding of God's authority in our lives?

6. In what ways can Job 41:12 inspire trust in God's ultimate control?

7. What creature is described in Job 41:12, and does it have a historical basis?

8. How does Job 41:12 challenge our understanding of God's power and creation?

9. What is the significance of the detailed description in Job 41:12?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Job 41?

11. What is the Bible's perspective on dinosaurs?

12. Why do biblical texts include myths like the Leviathan and Behemoth?

13. In Job 7:12, why does Job reference the sea or a monstrous creature (possibly Leviathan)--and does this suggest any mythological element at odds with a strictly historical reading of Scripture?

14. If Leviathan is a metaphorical creature, why does Job 41 depict it with such realistic physical traits and capabilities?
What Does Job 41:12 Mean
I cannot keep silent

• In Job 41, the LORD Himself speaks, and His opening words here carry urgency. Just as Jeremiah confessed, “His word is in my heart like a fire... I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot” (Jeremiah 20:9), God declares that describing Leviathan must not be suppressed.

• The speech underscores that divine revelation is not optional; what God chooses to reveal must be heard. Elihu felt similar compulsion: “For I am full of words, and the spirit within me compels me” (Job 32:18-20).

• Silence would leave Job without the full picture of God’s greatness. By breaking the silence, the LORD calls Job—and us—to listen, just as the psalmist learned: “I said, ‘I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin’… but my anguish increased” (Psalm 39:1-3). Revelation relieves that inner pressure.


About his limbs

• “Limbs” points to the tangible, physical structure of Leviathan. The creature is not myth but a real, formidable being fashioned by the Creator who “formed the great sea creatures” on the fifth day (Genesis 1:21).

• God invites Job to consider size, proportions, and durability—echoing His earlier challenge about Behemoth whose “bones are tubes of bronze” (Job 40:18).

• Every detail displays intentional design, prompting worship like that of David: “You knit me together in my mother’s womb… I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:13-14). If human limbs evoke awe, how much more those of Leviathan!


His power

• Strength dominates the description that follows: no spear, harpoon, or sword prevails (Job 41:26-29). Even mighty men “draw back in fear” (v 25).

• The power of the creature magnifies the greater power of the Creator. Psalm 89:9-10 praises God who “rules the raging sea; when its waves rise, You still them,” and who crushed Rahab like a carcass.

• For Job, overwhelmed by loss and suffering, this section reminds him that Omnipotence is not threatened by chaos. Just as the LORD’s voice “breaks the cedars” (Psalm 29:4-5), His sovereignty towers over Leviathan’s legendary might.


And graceful form

• The LORD delights not only in raw strength but in beauty. Leviathan’s silhouette glides through the deep with effortless elegance, mirroring the creatures that “sport” in the sea (Psalm 104:24-26).

Proverbs 30:29-31 marvels at beings that “move with stately stride”; Leviathan belongs in that company. Its scales, symmetry, and motion exhibit a grandeur that points heavenward.

Isaiah 40:26 invites us: “Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these?” Graceful design reflects a wise Architect whose artistry is evident even in the most fearsome creature.


summary

Job 41:12 signals the LORD’s intent to reveal, in vivid detail, a creature whose limbs, power, and beauty surpass human control. Each phrase paints Leviathan as a real, awe-inspiring testament to God’s creative genius and supreme authority. By listening, Job—and we—are led from self-focus to reverent wonder, trusting the God whose might and artistry know no rival.

Verse 12. - I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion. The further description is introduced by this formal announcement, which is perhaps best rendered, I will not keep silence concerning his limbs nor concerning the matter of his might or the comeliness of his proportion (see the Revised Version); i.e. I will enter upon these points seriatim and set them forth severally.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I cannot
לֽוֹ־ (lōw-)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3808: Not, no

keep silent
אַחֲרִ֥ישׁ (’a·ḥă·rîš)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 2790: To cut in, engrave, plow, devise

about his limbs,
בַּדָּ֑יו (bad·dāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 905: Separation, a part of the body, branch of a, tree, bar for, carrying, chief of

his power
גְּ֝בוּר֗וֹת (gə·ḇū·rō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 1369: Force, valor, victory

and his graceful
וְחִ֣ין (wə·ḥîn)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2433: Perhaps beauty

form.
עֶרְכּֽוֹ׃ (‘er·kōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6187: A pile, equipment, estimate


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OT Poetry: Job 41:12 I will not keep silence concerning his (Jb)
Job 41:11
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