Job 41:17
New International Version
They are joined fast to one another; they cling together and cannot be parted.

New Living Translation
Each scale sticks tight to the next. They interlock and cannot be penetrated.

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

Berean Standard Bible
They are joined to one another; they clasp and cannot be separated.

King James Bible
They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.

New King James Version
They are joined one to another, They stick together and cannot be parted.

New American Standard Bible
“They are joined one to another; They clasp each other and cannot be separated.

NASB 1995
“They are joined one to another; They clasp each other and cannot be separated.

NASB 1977
“They are joined one to another; They clasp each other and cannot be separated.

Legacy Standard Bible
They cling one to another; They are interlocked and cannot be separated.

Amplified Bible
“They are joined one to another; They stick together and cannot be separated.

Christian Standard Bible
They are joined to one another, so closely connected they cannot be separated.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They are joined to one another, so closely connected they cannot be separated.

American Standard Version
They are joined one to another; They stick together, so that they cannot be sundered.

Contemporary English Version
than breath to breath.

English Revised Version
They are joined one to another; they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Each is joined to the other. They are locked together and inseparable.

Good News Translation
They all are fastened so firmly together that nothing can ever pull them apart.

International Standard Version
Each is attached to the other, grasping each other so they cannot be separated.

Majority Standard Bible
They are joined to one another; they clasp and cannot be separated.

NET Bible
They lock tightly together, one to the next; they cling together and cannot be separated.

New Heart English Bible
They are joined one to another. They stick together, so that they can't be pulled apart.

Webster's Bible Translation
They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.

World English Bible
They are joined to one another. They stick together, so that they can’t be pulled apart.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
They adhere to one another, "" They stick together and are not separated.

Young's Literal Translation
One unto another they adhere, They stick together and are not separated.

Smith's Literal Translation
They will adhere each in his brotherhood, they will hold together, and they will not be separated.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
They stick one to another and they hold one another fast, and shall not be separated.

Catholic Public Domain Version
They adhere to one another, and they hold themselves in place and will not be separated.

New American Bible
So joined to one another that they hold fast and cannot be parted.

New Revised Standard Version
They are joined one to another; they clasp each other and cannot be separated.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
His teeth are so close together that no air can come between them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
They are joined one to another and shut and are not separated
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
They are joined one to another; They stick together, that they cannot be sundered.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
They will remain united each to the other: they are closely joined, and cannot be separated.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God's Power Shown in Leviathan
16One scale is so near to another that no air can pass between them. 17They are joined to one another; they clasp and cannot be separated. 18His snorting flashes with light, and his eyes are like the rays of dawn.…

Cross References
Psalm 18:29-30
For in You I can charge an army, and with my God I can scale a wall. / As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

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 29:3-4
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.

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?

Psalm 104:25-26
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 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:

Ezekiel 32:2
“Son of man, take up a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: ‘You are like a lion among the nations; you are like a monster in the seas. You thrash about in your rivers, churning up the waters with your feet and muddying the streams.’

Psalm 89:9-10
You rule the raging sea; when its waves mount up, You still them. / You crushed Rahab like a carcass; You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.

Isaiah 14:29
Do not rejoice, all you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken. For a viper will spring from the root of the snake, and a flying serpent from its egg.

Revelation 12:9
And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Revelation 20:2
He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

Matthew 12:29
Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

Mark 3:27
Indeed, no one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.

Luke 11:21-22
When a strong man, fully armed, guards his house, his possessions are secure. / But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted, and then he divides up his plunder.


Treasury of Scripture

They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.

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Job 41
1. Of God's great power in the leviathan














They are joined fast to one another
In this phrase, the Hebrew root word for "joined fast" is "דָּבַק" (dabaq), which conveys the idea of sticking or cleaving together. This imagery is often used in the Bible to describe a strong bond or attachment, such as in Genesis 2:24, where a man is to "cleave" to his wife. In the context of Job 41, this phrase describes the scales of the Leviathan, emphasizing their impenetrable and unified nature. Historically, this reflects the ancient Near Eastern understanding of mythical creatures as symbols of chaos and power, with Leviathan representing a formidable force that cannot be easily overcome. Spiritually, this can inspire believers to consider the strength and unity found in the body of Christ, where members are called to be joined together in love and purpose.

they cling together
The word "cling" here is again rooted in the Hebrew "דָּבַק" (dabaq), reinforcing the idea of a strong, inseparable bond. This repetition underscores the impenetrability and resilience of the Leviathan's scales. In a broader scriptural context, this can be seen as a metaphor for the steadfastness and unwavering nature of God's creation. For believers, it serves as a reminder of the importance of clinging to faith and the teachings of Christ, especially in times of trial and adversity. The historical context of Job, a book that deals with suffering and divine sovereignty, further highlights the need for a steadfast faith that clings to God amidst life's challenges.

and cannot be separated
The phrase "cannot be separated" emphasizes the invincibility and unity of the Leviathan's scales. The Hebrew word used here is "בַּד" (bad), which means apart or alone, but in this context, it is used in the negative form to indicate that separation is impossible. This reflects the ancient belief in the indomitable nature of certain creatures, symbolizing chaos and strength. For the conservative Christian, this can be seen as a parallel to the inseparable love of God, as described in Romans 8:38-39, where nothing can separate believers from the love of Christ. It serves as an encouragement to trust in the unbreakable bond between God and His people, a bond that remains steadfast regardless of external circumstances.

Verse 17. - They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered; literally, they are soldered one to another (comp. Isaiah 41:7).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They are joined
יְדֻבָּ֑קוּ (yə·ḏub·bā·qū)
Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1692: To impinge, cling, adhere, to catch by pursuit

to one
אִישׁ־ (’îš-)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

another;
בְּאָחִ֥יהוּ (bə·’ā·ḥî·hū)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )

they clasp
יִ֝תְלַכְּד֗וּ (yiṯ·lak·kə·ḏū)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3920: To catch, to capture, occupy, to choose, to cohere

and cannot
וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

be separated.
יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ׃ (yiṯ·pā·rā·ḏū)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6504: To break through, spread, separate


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OT Poetry: Job 41:17 They are joined one to another (Jb)
Job 41:16
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