Leviathan, at full length: 'None is so fierce that dare stir him up; Who then is able to stand before Me?' Doors of his face, scales sealed close, 'His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.' Iron is straw to him, 'brass as rotten wood'; the deep boils like a pot. 'Upon earth there is not his like who is made to be fearless... He is king over all the proud beasts.'
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
Behold, the hope of him is in vain; Shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?
verse value 1368
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. Verse gematria: 1368 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "shall·even" (הֲגַ֖ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "behold·his·hope" (הֵן־תֹּחַלְתּ֥וֹ, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "behold·his·hope" (הֵן־תֹּחַלְתּ֥וֹ), "is·disappointed" (נִכְזָ֑בָה), "shall·even" (הֲגַ֖ם). 5 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'is·disappointed', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: הֵן־תֹּחַלְתּ֥וֹ [behold·his·hope] (899) + נִכְזָ֑בָה [is·disappointed] (84) + הֲגַ֖ם [shall·even] (48) + אֶל־מַרְאָ֣יו [to·his·sight] (288) + יֻטָֽל [is·cast·down] (49) = 1368.
Rashi
Behold his hope is in vain Behold if his hope is in vain, for he will have no strength to wage war and to move from his place. shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him if even at the sight of his face a man will be cast down from standing before him to look at him, because of the fear of him.
Ibn Ezra
'Behold, the hope of him is in vain' — for by his appearance alone a man would collapse. 'Cast down' — from the same root as 'and they cast the wares into the sea' (Jonah 1:5).
Ralbag
‘Shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?’ — when a person sees the appearance of this creature, he is thrown down and prostrated from sheer terror.
Metzudat David
'Behold, the hope of him is in vain' — behold, the hope of anyone who fights against him proves false and deceives him, for his hope is lost. 'Shall not one be cast down' — there are rhetorical questions that are really statements of fact, as in 'shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?' (Genesis 17:17). The meaning here is: behold, even at the mere sight of him a man is cast down and cannot stand against him, so great is the dread of him — how then could one still fight against him?
Metzudat Zion
'Be cast down' [יוטל] — [means] be thrown down.
Malbim
(1-2) 'Behold, the hope of him is in vain' — the hope that the Leviathan had until now has ceased: for until now he was hopeful and confident in his heart that even at the mere sight of him, one would be cast down — 'shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him.' [None is so fierce] that he dares rouse him — meaning that whoever rouses him from his sleep, even one not reckless with his own life, would be cast down and fall to the ground from sheer terror at the mere sight of him: seeing him alone at the moment he is roused, he collapses from the great fear of death. Such was his hope until now — he was confident that no man would come near him even to look at him. But now this hope has failed him and ceased, for 'who then is he that can stand before Me' — since I have given you the power of God, how could he stand before you? So when you lay your hand upon him, he will be nullified before you just as before Me, before whom no creature can rise up.
None is so fierce that dare stir him up; Who then is able to stand before Me?
verse value 1381
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "that" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "not·cruel" (לֹֽא־אַ֭כְזָר, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "not·cruel" (לֹֽא־אַ֭כְזָר), "he·rouses·him" (יְעוּרֶ֑נּוּ), "he·stands" (יִתְיַצָּֽב). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root כי, 75x in Job); "before·Me" (root פנים, 68x in Job); "he" (root הוא, 48x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'he·rouses·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: לֹֽא־אַ֭כְזָר [not·cruel] (259) + כִּ֣י [that] (30) + יְעוּרֶ֑נּוּ [he·rouses·him] (342) + וּמִ֥י [and·who] (56) + ה֝֗וּא [he] (12) + לְפָנַ֥י [before·Me] (170) + יִתְיַצָּֽב [he·stands] (512) = 1381.
Rashi
There is no one so fierce that he can stir him up There is no one so fierce, mighty, and strong who can arouse him from his sleep and stir him up from his place to raise him up. and who is he who will stand up before Me, Who makes all these?
Ibn Ezra
'None is so fierce' — there is no one fierce enough to rouse himself against him.
Ralbag
‘None is so fierce that dare stir him up’ — no one can be found so fierce and strong as to be able to rouse him and move him from his place.
Metzudat David
'None is so fierce' — no one will be found so cruel to himself, willing to harm his own flesh, as to stir up war against him — for he would surely be knowingly destroying himself. 'Who then is able' — and if no one can stand against him, then who is there who could stand before Me to object to anything I do? This returns to what was said above: had you been truly righteous, as would be fitting, I would have repaid you your reward, for there is no one who can object to what I do.
Metzudat Zion
'Stir him up' [יעורנו] — from the language of arousal, provocation.
Who has given Me anything beforehand, that I should repay him? Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is Mine.
verse value 1951
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "who?" (מִ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "he·preceded·Me" (הִ֭קְדִּימַנִי, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "he·preceded·Me" (הִ֭קְדִּימַנִי), "and·I·repay" (וַאֲשַׁלֵּ֑ם), "to·Me·he" (לִי־הֽוּא). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Me·he" (root הוא, 48x in Job); "who?" (root מי, 32x in Job); "all·the·heaven" (root שמים, 23x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·I·repay', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: מִ֣י [who?] (50) + הִ֭קְדִּימַנִי [he·preceded·Me] (219) + וַאֲשַׁלֵּ֑ם [and·I·repay] (377) + תַּ֖חַת [under] (808) + כׇּל־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם [all·the·heaven] (445) + לִי־הֽוּא [to·Me·he] (52) = 1951.
Rashi
Who came to meet Me Who is it who came to meet Me by accepting to worship Me and keep My commandments, and I will pay him his reward. Everything under the heavens is Mine Everything that is under the heavens is Mine, and I have the power to pay him his reward, his recompense, and his remuneration.
Ibn Ezra
'Who has given Me anything beforehand, that I should repay him' — 'given Me anything beforehand' is in the sense of two people wagering against each other, saying: 'if you defeat me, I will give you such-and-such.' So too here: 'has given Me anything beforehand' means that I would repay if he defeated Me — but everything under the heavens is Mine.
Ralbag
‘Who has given Me anything beforehand, that I should repay him?’ — that I should finish doing whatever remains undone, which the one who came before Me left undone.
Metzudat David
'Who has given Me anything beforehand' — meaning: there is truly no one who did good beforehand, before I had already repaid him My kindness — for who made a mezuzah for his doorway before I had given him a house? And so with everything else. Since, then, no one has any claim on Me to repay him further good, nevertheless I do go on repaying reward out of My own kindness, and there is none to object to it, for everything under the heavens is Mine, and all are subject to Me. It is as if to say: behold, I would have repaid you too, had you been a perfectly, thoroughly righteous man.
Malbim
'Who has given Me anything beforehand' — after He has shown him that this is a thing contrary to the divine nature of the Former of all — that He should destroy all the great and mighty works of His own hands — for it is not fitting that the Maker should raise His sword to destroy what He made with great power and a strong hand — and He has shown him, as an example, the two mighty creatures that are a sign of the might of the Creator at the beginning — how could the Creator destroy the very creatures that testify to His greatness and power? He now turns to answer Job's complaint that He created great creatures, mighty in strength, giants and terrors, and that Job wishes Hashem to hand over into his power all His mighty creatures, to destroy them and remove them from the world (for this instruction — that he should go and destroy every mighty creature — was in fact a response to Job's own opinion and desire), as though Hashem owed him some debt, and on account of this debt He must hand over to him everything that is His, so that he may do with them as he wishes. Therefore He says, 'who has given Me anything beforehand' — done something for Me, such that I am obligated to repay him? 'Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is Mine' — that is, that I should hand over into his power all the great creatures I created under the whole heaven, all of which are Mine and My possession, and hand them over to him in payment of a debt — as if to say: how dare you have the effrontery to demand of Me the destruction of My great creatures, which belong to Me, merely to satisfy your own wish — as though I owed you something, or as though you had anticipated Me and helped Me in creating them? It is enough for you that I did you the kindness of bringing you into being out of pure grace, and that you did nothing for Me beforehand for which I repaid you with life and kindness — so how can you ask that I hand over to your desire everything that is Mine under the heavens?
Would I keep silence concerning his boastings, or his proud talk, or his fair array of words?
verse value 1807
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 31 letters. Verse gematria: 1807 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "his·boastings" (בַּדָּ֑יו, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·word·of·strength" (וּדְבַר־גְּ֝בוּר֗וֹת, 10 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "to·him·I·would·hold·my·peace" (לוֹ־אַחֲרִ֥ישׁ), "and·word·of·strength" (וּדְבַר־גְּ֝בוּר֗וֹת), "and·beauty" (וְחִ֣ין). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·word·of·strength" (root דבר, 58x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·boastings', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words.
Rashi
I will not be silent concerning his sons I will not be silent concerning the sons of a righteous man who went before Me sincerely, and his sons will be paid the good reward of their father, and they will find good in his merit. either for his acts of heroism and the arrangement of his supplication Either for his heroic deeds, that he strengthened himself to do what is good and upright, and the arrangement of the righteous man’s supplication [is that] I will pay his reward also to his sons after him. his sons Heb. בדיו, his branches, and they are his sons, like (Ezek. 17:6), “and brought forth branches (בדים) and sent out sprigs.”
Ibn Ezra
'Would I keep silence concerning his boastings' — I will not stay silent, but will tell of it. 'His boastings' — the word refers back to 'the one who came before Me' [in the preceding verse], as though it said 'your boastings'; [meaning:] if he defeats Me, I will not stay silent, but will tell of his might. 'Or his fair array' — from the root of 'found favor' (Genesis 6:8). And some say that 'his boastings' refers to Leviathan [that is, his limbs], from the root of 'holders for the poles' (Exodus 25:27); but the first view is closer to my own opinion.
Ralbag
‘Would I keep silence concerning his boastings’ — [meaning] his powers and his strengths; or the intent may be his limbs, for the limbs of a living creature are like the branches [badim] of a tree. ‘Or his fair array of words’ — [the word ‘ve-chin’] is like ‘ve-chen’ (the grace of); the sense is the beauty of his structure, as found in his limbs and his form.
Metzudat David
'Would I keep silence' — as if to say: behold, what I have told you already suffices to answer your arguments; nevertheless, I will not stay silent from telling you more of the deeds of the Leviathan, the character of his limbs, the mighty powers within him, and his splendor compared to the rest of creation — so that you may grasp all the more the greatness of My majesty.
Metzudat Zion
'His boastings' [בדיו] — [means] his limbs; so too 'it devours the limbs (badei) of his skin' (above, Job 18); the term is borrowed from the boughs (badei) of a tree. 'Or his proud talk' [ודבר גבורות] — [i.e.,] the matter of [his] mighty deeds; ['davar' functions here] as in 'concerning the matter (al devar) of Peor' (Numbers 25). 'Or his fair' [וחין] — [related to] 'chen' [grace, charm], as in 'that David My servant may have a lamp (nir)' (I Kings 11:36) — [where 'chen' functions] like 'ner,' a light. 'Array' [ערכו] — from the language of assessment, valuation.
Malbim
'Would I keep silence' — and lest you say that the creation of these mighty creatures came about through the natural order and by chance: I will show you how every last detail of him came about through My providence, until I tell you all his characteristics — for His providence extends to all his limbs and faculties, fashioning them with the utmost capability and wisdom. And behold, in describing the creation of the Leviathan, He mentions three things: • 1) 'his baddim' — that is, his limbs, • 2) 'devar gevurot' — his mighty strength and the power that he has, • 3) 'chein erko' — the beauty of his form: the arrangement of his limbs and their order relative to one another:
Who can uncover the face of his garment? Who shall come within his double bridle?
verse value 1089
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 27 letters. Verse gematria: 1089 = 33². The shortest word is "who?" (מִ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "who?·he·uncovers" (מִֽי־גִ֭לָּה, 5 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "who?·he·uncovers" (מִֽי־גִ֭לָּה), "his·garment" (לְבוּשׁ֑וֹ), "in·double" (בְּכֶ֥פֶל). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "face·of" (root פנים, 68x in Job); "he·comes" (root בוא, 51x in Job); "who?" (root מי, 32x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·garment', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: מִֽי־גִ֭לָּה [who?·he·uncovers] (88) + פְּנֵ֣י [face·of] (140) + לְבוּשׁ֑וֹ [his·garment] (344) + בְּכֶ֥פֶל [in·double] (132) + רִ֝סְנ֗וֹ [his·bridle] (316) + מִ֣י [who?] (50) + יָבֽוֹא [he·comes] (19) = 1089.
Rashi
Who exposed the face of his raiment He returns to the previous topic to speak of the leviathan: who can expose the scales, which are... within his double bridle Into the fold of his lips, when they are open, who is it who will enter there? [The expression] בְּכֶפֶל, double, denotes the lips, which are double, one above and one below, into which no creature may enter because of fear of him.
Ibn Ezra
'Who can uncover the face of his garment' — that is, who could know his place? For the sea is a garment to him. Who could put a double bridle on him, to lead him out of his place, as is done with [tame] animals?
Ralbag
‘Who shall come within his double bridle?’ — it is the bridle placed in an animal's mouth to guide it wherever one wishes.
Metzudat David
'Who can uncover' — who would dare approach him to uncover his outer garment, visible to the eye — his covering of scales, which lies over his skin? 'Within his double bridle' — meaning, his lips, doubled one over the other, the place where a bridle would be put on a horse. This is phrased as a rhetorical question, a figure of speech.
Metzudat Zion
'The face of his garment' — the outer covering that is visible to the eye is called its 'face'; so too, 'to the front of it' (Exodus 28:25). 'His bridle' — this is the thing placed in a horse's mouth to guide it along the way; so too, 'with bit and bridle' (Psalms 32).
Malbim
'Who can uncover the face of his garment' — the armor that his body is clothed in: who can uncover it, to see what is beneath it? And likewise, 'who shall come within his double bridle' — that is, the bridle-like shield around his neck, doubled with double bony plates: who can come in there?
Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror.
verse value 2030
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "who?" (מִ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "round·about" (סְבִיב֖וֹת, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "round·about" (סְבִיב֖וֹת). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "his·face" (root פנים, 68x in Job); "who?" (root מי, 32x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'he·opens', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: דַּלְתֵ֣י [doors·of] (444) + פָ֭נָיו [his·face] (146) + מִ֣י [who?] (50) + פִתֵּ֑חַ [he·opens] (488) + סְבִיב֖וֹת [round·about] (480) + שִׁנָּ֣יו [his·teeth] (366) + אֵימָֽה [terror] (56) = 2030.
Rashi
the doors of his face They are the lips when he closes his mouth; who can open them? Around his teeth is terror That because of his fright and his terror, no creature can approach his teeth.
Ibn Ezra
'The doors of his face' — his mouth.
Metzudat David
'Who can open the doors of his face' — his 'doors' are his lips, made to close and open like the doors of an entryway. It is phrased as a question: who can open his lips to put a bridle there, as one does on a horse? For all around his face there is terror — who then can come near him?
Malbim
'The doors' — who can open his lips and cheeks, which are the doors of his face, seeing that terror dwells all around his teeth?
His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.
verse value 1372
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "close" (צָֽר, 2 letters) and the longest is "channels·of" (אֲפִיקֵ֣י, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "pride" (גַּ֭אֲוָה), "shields" (מָגִנִּ֑ים). 6 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'shields', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: גַּ֭אֲוָה [pride] (15) + אֲפִיקֵ֣י [channels·of] (201) + מָגִנִּ֑ים [shields] (143) + סָ֝ג֗וּר [shut] (269) + חוֹתָ֥ם [seal] (454) + צָֽר [close] (290) = 1372.
Rashi
There is pride in his strong shields He takes great pride in the strength of his shields; they are the scales that are on him, which protect him like a shield. closed That is the seal of his coat of mail, which is narrow, closed, and strong, for each scale is attached to him and attached to the next one, so that no creature can strike him between the scales. This is what is stated: They are so close to each other, that all of them are brought together and are close to each other.
Ibn Ezra
'His scales are his pride' [lit. 'the strong ones,' אפיקי] — his teeth are strong, like shields. And some say it refers to his scales. 'Shut up together as with a close seal' — they are shut tight, like a close seal, so that there is no gap between them.
Ralbag
‘His scales are his pride’ — he compares the scales to shields because of their size, and uses the word ‘afikei’ [channels/mighty ones] to indicate their strength — the sense of ‘afikei’ being ‘the mighty ones’ — and the word ‘ga’avah’ [pride/loftiness] to indicate their height and thickness. ‘Shut up together as with a close seal’ — he means that the scales are joined tightly together, sealing this creature's flesh with so tight a seal that no air can pass between them.
Metzudat David
'His scales are his pride' — meaning, he can take pride in the strength of the shields upon him — his scales — which serve him as a shield. 'Shut up together' — each scale is sealed and fastened tightly to his skin, a tight seal that cannot be dislodged from its place.
Metzudat Zion
'His scales' [אפיקי] — an expression of strength, as in 'tubes of bronze' (above, 40). 'A seal' [חותם] — an expression of sealing shut, as in 'for it is sealed' (Isaiah 29). 'Close' — tight, pressed together.
Malbim
'His scales are his pride' — the mighty scale-shields surrounding him, made of hard bone, were fashioned for pride; and each one is shut tight as with the seal of a rock — that is, the seal of a hard stone.
One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
verse value 728
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. Notable word values: "one" (אֶחָ֣ד) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). Verse gematria: 728 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "one" (אֶחָ֣ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "between·them" (בֵינֵיהֶֽם, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "they·draw·near" (יִגַּ֑שׁוּ), "not·it·comes" (לֹא־יָבֹ֥א), "between·them" (בֵינֵיהֶֽם). The root אחד appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not·it·comes" (root בוא, 51x in Job); "between·them" (root בין, 33x in Job); "and·air" (root רוח, 29x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·draw·near', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֶחָ֣ד [one] (13) + בְּאֶחָ֣ד [in·one] (15) + יִגַּ֑שׁוּ [they·draw·near] (319) + וְ֝ר֗וּחַ [and·air] (220) + לֹא־יָבֹ֥א [not·it·comes] (44) + בֵינֵיהֶֽם [between·them] (117) = 728.
Metzudat David
'One is so near to another' — each scale presses against and clings to its neighbor, so that no air can come between them.
Metzudat Zion
'Air' [רוח] — this is also the name for wind; so too, 'in her craving she snuffs the wind' (Jeremiah 2).
Malbim
(8-9) 'One' — along their width they are joined one to another, so close together that no air can come between them; and along their length, each one is joined to its brother, so that it is impossible to separate them from one another; and they are fused together so tightly that it is impossible to part them by any device whatsoever.
They are joined one to another; They stick together, that they cannot be sundered.
verse value 1672
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֣א, 3 letters) and the longest is "man·in·his·brother" (אִישׁ־בְּאָחִ֥יהוּ, 9 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "man·in·his·brother" (אִישׁ־בְּאָחִ֥יהוּ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 142x in Job); "man·in·his·brother" (root איש, 39x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·are·joined', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: אִישׁ־בְּאָחִ֥יהוּ [man·in·his·brother] (343) + יְדֻבָּ֑קוּ [they·are·joined] (122) + יִ֝תְלַכְּד֗וּ [they·stick·together] (470) + וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ [they·are·sundered] (700) = 1672.
Rashi
they stick together and cannot be separated He is still repeating his language, that they [the scales] are stuck together and each one is joined to the next one so that they should not separate from each other.
Metzudat David
'They are joined one to another' — each one clings to its fellow; they are locked and interlocked with one another, so that they cannot be pulled apart. And the matter is repeated two and three times, both to convey how tight the bond is and for the sake of rhetorical emphasis.
Metzudat Zion
'One to another' [איש באחיהו] — this expression is used of things that match each other; so too, 'the loops corresponding one to another' (Exodus 26:5). 'Sundered' [יתפרדו] — an expression of separation and division.
His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
verse value 2437
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "it·flashes·forth" (תָּ֣הֶל, 3 letters) and the longest is "like·eyelids·of·morning" (כְּעַפְעַפֵּי־שָֽׁחַר, 9 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "his·sneezings" (עֲֽ֭טִישֹׁתָיו), "it·flashes·forth" (תָּ֣הֶל), "and·his·eyes" (וְ֝עֵינָ֗יו). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·his·eyes" (root עין, 46x in Job); "light" (root אור, 30x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'light', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: עֲֽ֭טִישֹׁתָיו [his·sneezings] (805) + תָּ֣הֶל [it·flashes·forth] (435) + א֑וֹר [light] (207) + וְ֝עֵינָ֗יו [and·his·eyes] (152) + כְּעַפְעַפֵּי־שָֽׁחַר [like·eyelids·of·morning] (838) = 2437.
Rashi
His sneezes flash forth light With every sneeze that he sneezes, light flashes forth and shines. flash forth as in (above 29:3), “when He lit (בהלו) His candle.” and his eyes are like the rays of dawn His eyes shine and illuminate like the redness of the sun, like the time of morning when the sun becomes red.
Ibn Ezra
'His sneezings' — known from the words of our Sages, of blessed memory.
Ralbag
‘His sneezings flash forth light’ — [the word ‘atishotav’] is of the same sense as ‘itush’ (a sneeze). ‘His eyes are like the eyelids of the morning’ — that is, the point on the horizon from which the sun rises, which gives off light before the sun itself rises, for about an hour and a fifth of an hour [roughly seventy-two minutes].
Metzudat David
'His sneezings' — the breath that comes out of him when he sneezes flashes with light; meaning, his natural heat is so overpowering that it is as though he were filled with fire, so that he seems to flash and shine when he breathes out that breath — even though the nature of fish is to be cold. 'And his eyes' — the openings of his eyes are wide and radiant, like the break of dawn.
Metzudat Zion
'His sneezings' — the term 'sneezing' (ittush) is familiar from the words of our Sages, of blessed memory; so too, they said, 'one who sneezes during his prayer...' (Berakhot 24). 'Flash forth' [תהל] — [means] shine, as in 'when His lamp shone' (above, 29). 'Like the eyelids of' — this properly means the pupil of the eye, and it is borrowed to describe the breaking forth of the light of dawn; so too, 'in the eyelids of the morning' (above, 3).
Malbim
'His sneezings' — He begins to enumerate the forces within him: that the force of fire and electricity is very powerful in him, so that through his sneezing, light flashes forth, and his eyes shine like the eyelids of dawn, from the abundance of electric force and fire found within him.
Out of his mouth go burning torches, and sparks of fire leap forth.
verse value 1231
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "fire" (אֵ֝֗שׁ, 2 letters) and the longest is "torches" (לַפִּידִ֣ים, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "torches" (לַפִּידִ֣ים), "they·go" (יַהֲלֹ֑כוּ), "sparks·of" (כִּיד֥וֹדֵי). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·his·mouth" (root פה, 31x in Job); "they·go" (root הלך, 29x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·go', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: מִ֭פִּיו [from·his·mouth] (136) + לַפִּידִ֣ים [torches] (174) + יַהֲלֹ֑כוּ [they·go] (71) + כִּיד֥וֹדֵי [sparks·of] (54) + אֵ֝֗שׁ [fire] (301) + יִתְמַלָּֽטוּ [they·leap·forth] (495) = 1231.
Rashi
From his mouth From the flame that goes forth from his mouth. From his mouth go firebrands Firebrands come forth from his mouth. sparks of fire Like firebrands. go forth like foam Heb. יתמלטו . Its interpretation is according to the context, escumicer in Old French [going forth like foam].
Ibn Ezra
'Burning torches' — this word has no parallel elsewhere. The sense: sparks shoot out in every direction.
Ralbag
‘Out of his mouth go burning torches’ — torches of fire. ‘Sparks of fire’ — sparks of fire. ‘Leap forth’ — they go out and are brought forth from him, from the same root as ‘she was delivered [va-tamlet] of a male child’ (Isaiah 66:7).
Metzudat David
'Out of his mouth go burning torches' — from the abundance of his natural heat, the breath of his mouth grows so hot that it is as if burning torches go forth from his mouth, and as if sparks are cast off from him; and the matter is stated twice, to emphasize the point.
Metzudat Zion
'Burning torches' — this refers to the wood that is carried about to move fire from place to place, which itself catches fire as well; so too, 'like a torch ablaze' (Isaiah 62). 'Sparks' [כידודי] — its meaning is sparks; the word has no parallel elsewhere. 'Leap forth' [יתמלטו] — [means] are cast off, as in 'he is prostrated at the very sight of him.'
Malbim
(11–12) 'Out of his mouth go burning torches' — Even more than this, sparks of fire escape from him, and from his nostrils comes smoke, from the abundance of heat within him.
Out of his nostrils goes smoke, as out of a seething pot and burning rushes.
verse value 1123
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "it·goes·out" (יֵצֵ֣א, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·his·nostrils" (מִ֭נְּחִירָיו, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "from·his·nostrils" (מִ֭נְּחִירָיו), "smoke" (עָשָׁ֑ן), "like·a·pot" (כְּד֖וּד). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "it·goes·out" (root יצא, 28x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'smoke', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: מִ֭נְּחִירָיו [from·his·nostrils] (324) + יֵצֵ֣א [it·goes·out] (101) + עָשָׁ֑ן [smoke] (420) + כְּד֖וּד [like·a·pot] (34) + נָפ֣וּחַ [blown] (144) + וְאַגְמֹֽן [and·rush] (100) = 1123.
Rashi
From his nostrils smoke goes forth like a bubbling pot on the fire, which raises smoke. and an earthenware vessel ואגמן. Its interpretation is according to its context: an expression of an earthenware vessel, like a bubbling pot; according to the matter that is stated (Jer. 1:13): “I see a bubbling pot.”
Ibn Ezra
'As out of a seething pot' — that is, a pot; and likewise, 'or in the cauldron' (1 Samuel 2:14). 'And burning rushes' — related to a reed-marsh: [this describes] the vapor that rises when the air grows hot.
Ralbag
‘As out of a seething pot’ — like a boiling pot. ‘And burning rushes’ — that is, a great cauldron.
Metzudat David
'Out of his nostrils goes smoke' — the breath that comes out of his nostrils is abundant, and it looks like smoke because of the great heat; it resembles the vapor that comes out of a pot, and out of rushes, when they are blown upon and made to boil, which then gives off abundant vapor.
Metzudat Zion
'Out of his nostrils' — these are the openings of the nose, as in 'the majesty of his snorting is terrible' (above, 39). 'Like a pot' [כדוד] — like a cooking-pot; so too, 'in pots and in cauldrons' (II Chronicles 35). 'Seething' [נפוח] — gives off a boil; so too, 'I see a boiling pot' (Jeremiah 1); and it is called this because it gives off blisters and bubbles [as it boils]. 'And rushes' [ואגמון] — these are among the vessels used for cooking.
His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
verse value 1251
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "it·goes·out" (יֵצֵֽא, 3 letters) and the longest is "coals" (גֶּחָלִ֣ים, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "coals" (גֶּחָלִ֣ים), "it·kindles" (תְּלַהֵ֑ט), "and·flame" (וְ֝לַ֗הַב). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "his·breath" (root נפש, 35x in Job); "from·his·mouth" (root פה, 31x in Job); "it·goes·out" (root יצא, 28x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'it·kindles', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: נַ֭פְשׁוֹ [his·breath] (436) + גֶּחָלִ֣ים [coals] (91) + תְּלַהֵ֑ט [it·kindles] (444) + וְ֝לַ֗הַב [and·flame] (43) + מִפִּ֥יו [from·his·mouth] (136) + יֵצֵֽא [it·goes·out] (101) = 1251.
Rashi
His breath kindles coals Burning and blazing coals. and flame And burning flames emerge from his mouth.
Ibn Ezra
'His breath' — the wind that comes out of his nostrils.
Ralbag
‘His breath kindles coals’ — his breathing. ‘Kindles’ — it ignites and inflames, from the same root as ‘and set them ablaze [ve-lihet otam]’ (Malachi 3:19).
Metzudat David
'His breath kindles coals' — his breathing burns like fiery coals, and it is as if a flame goes out of his mouth.
Metzudat Zion
'His breath' — this term is used, by a borrowed figure, for breathing. 'Coals' — [to be understood] as though it read 'like coals,' the comparative kaf having been omitted; many such instances are found. 'Kindles' [תלהט] — [means] burns and consumes, as in 'sets the mountains ablaze' (Psalms 83). 'And a flame' — a blaze.
Malbim
'His breath' — At a time of anger, the burning within him increases, and the smoldering coals within him blaze up, until a flame goes out from his mouth.
In his neck abides strength, and dismay dances before him.
verse value 1176
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "strength" (עֹ֑ז, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·his·neck" (בְּֽ֭צַוָּארוֹ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "in·his·neck" (בְּֽ֭צַוָּארוֹ), "it·dances" (תָּד֥וּץ), "dismay" (דְּאָבָֽה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·before·him" (root פנים, 68x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'strength', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: בְּֽ֭צַוָּארוֹ [in·his·neck] (305) + יָלִ֣ין [it·abides] (100) + עֹ֑ז [strength] (77) + וּ֝לְפָנָ֗יו [and·before·him] (182) + תָּד֥וּץ [it·dances] (500) + דְּאָבָֽה [dismay] (12) = 1176.
Rashi
Strength lodges in his neck Mightiness. and sadness rejoices before him For there is no sadness or grief before him, since he does not fear any creature. [The word] תָּדוּץ is an expression of joy and happiness.
Ibn Ezra
'Dances' — this word has no parallel elsewhere. The sense: there is no dismay in him — only strength and pride.
Ralbag
‘And dismay dances before him’ — [the word ‘tadutz’] is of the sense of rejoicing. ‘Dismay’ — like ‘de'agah’ (anxiety).
Metzudat David
'In his neck abides strength' — although the neck is the weakest place in every living creature, nevertheless in his neck strength and might abide continually. 'and dismay dances before him' — the chest, which lies in front of the neck, "makes dismay dance" — meaning, it is so strong and so well guarded that it is never distressed by anything painful, for nothing can harm it.
Metzudat Zion
'Abides' [ילין] — an expression of constancy. 'Dances' [תדוץ] — [means] rejoices and exults, as in 'rejoice for joy with her' (Isaiah 66), which the Targum renders 'dutzu.' 'Dismay' [דאבה] — anguish, as in 'and sorrow of soul' (Deuteronomy 28).
Malbim
'In his neck' — there strength and might continually abide, and no sign of grief ever appears there over anything he lacks — for that would lower the height of his neck — since 'dismay dances before him.'
The flakes of his flesh are joined together; they are firm upon him; they cannot be moved.
verse value 1199
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "the·flakes·of" (מַפְּלֵ֣י, 4 letters) and the longest is "not·it·totters" (בַּל־יִמּֽוֹט, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "the·flakes·of" (מַפְּלֵ֣י), "they·are·joined·together" (דָבֵ֑קוּ), "not·it·totters" (בַּל־יִמּֽוֹט). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·him" (root על, 90x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·are·joined·together', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: מַפְּלֵ֣י [the·flakes·of] (160) + בְשָׂר֣וֹ [his·flesh] (508) + דָבֵ֑קוּ [they·are·joined·together] (112) + יָצ֥וּק [firm] (206) + עָ֝לָ֗יו [upon·him] (116) + בַּל־יִמּֽוֹט [not·it·totters] (97) = 1199.
Rashi
The flakes of his flesh are joined together Heb. דבקו. They adhere to each other closely, for the fish are composed of many pieces in its flesh, and they adhere to one another. In a large fish, which is cooked, the pieces are noticeable when they are lying one upon the other and one beside the other, and so is the sequence of the world: First he speaks of the scales of the leviathan and then of the flakes of his flesh and the strength of his heart. flakes Heb. מפלי, an expression of folds of pieces. It is also possible to explain it as פְלָאֵי פלוּיֵי, [if it is split] in the language of the Talmud, an expression of the splits of his flakes. are joined together the “beth” is vowelized by a small “kamatz” (tzeireh), like (Job 29:1O), “and their tongues stuck (דבקה) to their palates,” and many other cantillated by “ethrahta” or “sof pasuk.” [These are the pause accents.] poured out upon it Heb. יצוק. Every flake poured out one upon the other, so that it should not move or separate one from the other. [The word] יָצוּק is an expression of being poured, and it is the passive participle, like יָרוּד, descended, from ירד ; יָצוּק, poured, from יצק ; יָדוּעַ, known, from ידע.
Ibn Ezra
'The flakes of his flesh' — the fatty places that hang down over his flesh; the word is close in root to 'and we will sell the refuse of the wheat' (Amos 8:6).
Ralbag
‘The flakes of his flesh are joined together’ — these are the portions of flesh that, in other fish, fall off and separate from one another; but of this creature Scripture says that they are joined firmly to him. ‘They are firm upon him’ — [the word ‘yatzuk’ is] from the same root as the form ‘you were cast [mutzak]’ (Job 11:15) [i.e., solid, as in cast metal], and its meaning is ‘strong.’
Metzudat David
'The flakes of his flesh are joined together' — the pieces of his flesh are joined to one another, as though he had been cast in a single casting, and they cannot be dislodged from one another as pieces are dislodged in other fish; for the way of fish-flesh is to lie in layers, one piece upon another, so that they easily come apart.
Metzudat Zion
'The flakes of' [מפלי] — an expression of a cleft or a division; and in the words of our Sages, of blessed memory, 'it has segments (pilei) in it' (Pesachim 44); and it is close to the language of 'that Hashem shall make a distinction' (Exodus 11), which is an expression of separation and division. 'Moved' [ימוט] — an expression of shifting.
Malbim
'The flakes of' — even the portions of flesh which, in other living creatures, fall away and separate, are in him joined together — as if cast like solid metal, firm and unmoved.
His heart is as firm as a stone; indeed, firm as the nether millstone.
verse value 1931
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "his·heart" (לִ֭בּוֹ, 3 letters) and the longest is "as·a·stone" (כְּמוֹ־אָ֑בֶן, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "as·a·stone" (כְּמוֹ־אָ֑בֶן), "and·firm" (וְ֝יָצ֗וּק), "like·a·slice" (כְּפֶ֣לַח). The root יצק appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'as·a·stone', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: לִ֭בּוֹ [his·heart] (38) + יָצ֣וּק [firm] (206) + כְּמוֹ־אָ֑בֶן [as·a·stone] (119) + וְ֝יָצ֗וּק [and·firm] (212) + כְּפֶ֣לַח [like·a·slice] (138) + תַּחְתִּֽית [the·nether] (1218) = 1931.
Rashi
His heart is as strong as stone His heart within him is as strong and basic as a permanent stone that is placed securely in the foundation of a building. and as strong as a lower millstone This clause is repetitious, meaning that his heart is as basic and permanent as the millstone that is placed under the upper millstone, for the upper millstone revolves and rotates and grinds, whereas the lower one does not move from its place because it is fastened to its place, so that it should not move. That is called פֶּלַח [רֶכֶב] as it is stated (Jud. 9:53): “And a certain woman cast an upper millstone: פֶּלַח רֶכֶב, upon Abimelech’s head.” The lower one is called פֶלַח תַּחתִּית the lower piece.
Ibn Ezra
'His heart is as firm' — 'is cast' (יצוק), like 'and you shall cast for it' (Exodus 25:12); that is, like a stone: hard, firm. 'Firm as the nether millstone' — like the lower millstone, which is the firm one.
Ralbag
‘Firm as the nether millstone’ — it is the lower of the two millstones; or ‘pelach tachtit’ may refer to the portion of the stone nearest its center [axis], for that ought to be the strongest part of the stone.
Metzudat David
'His heart is as firm as a stone' — his heart is [formed] in a single casting, like a stone, without any hollow — unlike the hearts of other living creatures. 'firm as the nether millstone' — it, too, is in a single casting, like the lower millstone, which has no hollow in it at all — unlike the upper one, which has a certain hollow at the place of the hole through which the grain goes down.
Metzudat Zion
'As...the millstone' [פלח] — this is what a millstone is called; so too, 'an upper millstone' (Judges 9:53), for pelach is an expression of splitting, as in 'he splits open my kidneys' (above, 16). The upper and lower millstones look as though they had been split from a single stone.
Malbim
'His heart is as firm as a stone' — although the heart is in constant motion and pulses in all living creatures, his heart is cast firm like 'the nether millstone' — like the lower millstone of the mill, which never moves from its place, unlike the upper stone, which is always turning during the grinding.
When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid; by reason of despair they are beside themselves.
verse value 2078
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "from·his·rising" (מִ֭שֵּׂתוֹ, 4 letters) and the longest is "from·despair" (מִ֝שְּׁבָרִ֗ים, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "from·his·rising" (מִ֭שֵּׂתוֹ), "they·are·afraid" (יָג֣וּרוּ), "the·mighty" (אֵלִ֑ים). 5 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·mighty', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: מִ֭שֵּׂתוֹ [from·his·rising] (746) + יָג֣וּרוּ [they·are·afraid] (225) + אֵלִ֑ים [the·mighty] (81) + מִ֝שְּׁבָרִ֗ים [from·despair] (592) + יִתְחַטָּֽאוּ [they·are·beside·themselves] (434) = 2078.
Rashi
From his fear the mighty are frightened From his fear, the mighty and strong, both fishes and other creatures, are frightened. the breakers fail The waves of the sea, which are called breakers, fail before him, because he breaks them with his swimming, as he swims and floats in the waves of the sea. [The word] יִתְחַטָּאוּ is an expression of a lack, like (I Kings 1:21), “and I and my son Solomon will be lacking (חַטָּאִים).”
Ibn Ezra
'When he raises himself up' — the word (משתו) is missing an aleph [short for משאתו, 'his rising']. When he raises himself up in the sea and is seen, the mighty are afraid of him; and because of the waves he stirs up in the sea, those present lose their composure in dread. And should a man reach him with a sword, it would not prevail against him — the sense of 'it will not hold' is that it will not withstand him.
Ralbag
'When he raises himself up' [miseto] — meaning: from his loftiness and his might. 'The mighty are afraid' [yaguru eilim] — meaning: the strong become afraid. 'By reason of despair they are beside themselves' [mishbarim yitchate'u] — meaning: on account of the heart's breaking pangs that overtake them out of fear, they void themselves through their orifices — that is, they defecate and urinate.
Metzudat David
'When he raises himself up' — even the mighty are afraid of his rising up. 'by reason of despair they are beside themselves' — when he swims through the sea, the waves diminish, for he stirs up the waves and disturbs them.
Metzudat Zion
'When he raises himself up' [משתו] — [equivalent to] mas'ato, with an aleph; it is an expression of lifting up and rising. 'Are afraid' [יגורו] — [means] are frightened, as in 'and Moab was in dread' (Numbers 22). 'The mighty' [אילים] — the strong, as in 'the mighty one of the nations' (Ezekiel 31). 'By reason of despair' [משברים] — this is what the waves of the sea are called; so too, 'Your breakers and Your billows' (Jonah 2:4); [the sea's waves are] so called because they appear to break the sea apart, though they themselves break up of their own accord. 'Beside themselves' [יתחטאו] — an expression of missing/failing, as in 'slinging a stone at a hair's breadth and not missing' (Judges 20:16).
Malbim
'When he raises himself up' — At the time he raises himself up, all the mighty are seized with terror and fear — even the strong beasts who count themselves immune to injury, who are free of all harm, so that no mishap or calamity comes near them on account of their great strength — nevertheless they are terrified by his rising.
If one lay at him with the sword, it will not hold; nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
verse value 2321
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "sword" (חֶ֭רֶב, 3 letters) and the longest is "overtakes·him" (מַשִּׂיגֵ֣הוּ, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "overtakes·him" (מַשִּׂיגֵ֣הוּ), "it·rises" (תָק֑וּם), "dart" (מַסָּ֣ע). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "without" (root בלי, 22x in Job); "it·rises" (root קום, 22x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'it·rises', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: מַשִּׂיגֵ֣הוּ [overtakes·him] (364) + חֶ֭רֶב [sword] (210) + בְּלִ֣י [without] (42) + תָק֑וּם [it·rises] (546) + חֲנִ֖ית [spear] (468) + מַסָּ֣ע [dart] (170) + וְשִׁרְיָֽה [and·pointed·shaft] (521) = 2321.
Rashi
He who overtakes him with a sword—it will not remain A mighty man, who overtakes him to wage battle with a sword—his sword will not remain, because he will break it. [neither will] a spear, a slingshot, or a coat of mail Likewise, none of these weapons that are in the hands of the overtaker will either remain or stand up before the leviathan. The word מַסָע may be said to be one type of weapon, like the sword, spear, and coat of mail(?). מַסָע may also be interpreted after the sample of (I Kings 6:7), “whole stones as they were transported (מַסָע) etc.,” and this is its interpretation: a transported spear, which is large and not so easily moved, because it is large and very strong; as the matter is stated concerning Goliath the Philistine (I Sam. 17:7), “And the shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the spear’s head was six hundred shekels, etc.” a coat of mail Heb. ושריה, a coat of mail (שריון).
Ibn Ezra
'The spear' [lit. 'a spear for the journey'] — it is a person's custom to carry a spear along with him, as Saul did [cf. 1 Samuel 22:6]. 'The pointed shaft' — a type of weapon. Many hold that it is related to 'a coat of mail,' but this seems unlikely to me; the reason being that a coat of mail would not be said to 'stand' or 'rise up' against him, [as a weapon wielded against him would].
Ralbag
'If one lay at him' [masigehu] — meaning: the one who overtakes him. 'It will not hold' [beli takum] — meaning: it will not stand or hold together, for owing to his sheer strength the sword will shatter when they attempt to strike him with it. 'Nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft' [chanit masa vesirya] — these are weapons; he means that whichever of these strikes him, the blade will not hold together and will not harm him.
Metzudat David
'If one lay at him with the sword' — those who do battle with him, seeking to reach him with the sword, cannot win that battle, for they cannot defeat him with the sword; and so too those who fight with the spear, or the dart, or the pointed shaft cannot defeat him with those either.
Metzudat Zion
'The spear, the dart, and the pointed shaft' — these are names of weapons.
Malbim
(18–19) 'If one lay at him with the sword' — whoever seeks to strike him with a sword, the sword will not prevail against him; and likewise neither spear, nor dart, nor pointed shaft — all of them kinds of destructive weapons — for 'he accounts iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.'
He esteems iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.
verse value 1958
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "as·wood·of" (לְעֵ֖ץ, 3 letters) and the longest is "rottenness" (רִקָּב֣וֹן, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "as·straw" (לְתֶ֣בֶן), "rottenness" (רִקָּב֣וֹן). 6 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'iron', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יַחְשֹׁ֣ב [he·accounts] (320) + לְתֶ֣בֶן [as·straw] (482) + בַּרְזֶ֑ל [iron] (239) + לְעֵ֖ץ [as·wood·of] (190) + רִקָּב֣וֹן [rottenness] (358) + נְחוּשָֽׁה [brass] (369) = 1958.
Rashi
He regards iron as straw Iron weapons are regarded by him as straw, and copper weapons are to him as rotten wood.
Ibn Ezra
'Rotten wood' — like 'decay.'
Ralbag
'And brass' [nechushah] — this is hardened iron; called 'acier' [steel] in the vernacular.
Metzudat David
'He esteems' — for iron implements are, in his eyes, accounted as straw, and bronze implements as rotten wood, since they cannot harm him.
The arrow cannot make him flee; slingstones are turned with him into stubble.
verse value 2059
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "to·stubble" (לְ֝קַ֗שׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "not·he·puts·to·flight·him" (לֹא־יַבְרִיחֶ֥נּוּ, 9 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "not·he·puts·to·flight·him" (לֹא־יַבְרִיחֶ֥נּוּ), "son·of·bow" (בֶן־קָ֑שֶׁת), "to·stubble" (לְ֝קַ֗שׁ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "son·of·bow" (root בן, 26x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'son·of·bow', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: לֹא־יַבְרִיחֶ֥נּוּ [not·he·puts·to·flight·him] (317) + בֶן־קָ֑שֶׁת [son·of·bow] (852) + לְ֝קַ֗שׁ [to·stubble] (430) + נֶהְפְּכוּ־ל֥וֹ [they·are·turned·to·him] (197) + אַבְנֵי־קָֽלַע [stones·of·sling] (263) = 2059.
Rashi
No arrow can put him to flight He will not flee before an archer, and arrows and slingstones are as stubble to him.
Ibn Ezra
'The arrow' [lit. 'son of the bow'] — that is, the arrow.
Ralbag
'The arrow' [ben-kashet, lit. "son of the bow"] — this is the arrow. 'Sling' [kela, as in "slingstones"] — this is an implement like a belt or strap, used to hurl stones; called 'fronde' [sling] in the vernacular.
Metzudat David
'The arrow cannot make him flee' — the arrow does not put him to flight, for he has no fear of it. 'are turned with him' — before him, slingstones turn into stubble — meaning, they do him no harm, just as stubble does no harm to whatever it is slung at.
Metzudat Zion
'The arrow' [lit. 'son of the bow'] — this is said by way of a borrowed figure, of the arrow that comes forth from the bow, as a child comes forth from its mother. 'Sling' [קלע] — this is the name of the implement with which stones are thrown; so too, 'the pocket of the sling' (I Samuel 25).
Malbim
(20–21) 'The arrow cannot' — the arrow, which is 'the son of the bow,' will not put him to flight so that he flees from it, for even heavy slingstones are, as far as he is concerned, turned into stubble; and even the 'cannon' — meaning the very large cannonballs with which fortresses are destroyed — are counted by him as straw, and 'he laughs at the rattling of the javelin.'
Clubs are accounted as stubble; He laughs at the rattling of the javelin.
verse value 2714
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "as·stubble" (כְּ֭קַשׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "they·are·accounted" (נֶחְשְׁב֣וּ, 5 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "as·stubble" (כְּ֭קַשׁ), "they·are·accounted" (נֶחְשְׁב֣וּ), "club" (תוֹתָ֑ח). 6 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'club', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כְּ֭קַשׁ [as·stubble] (420) + נֶחְשְׁב֣וּ [they·are·accounted] (366) + תוֹתָ֑ח [club] (814) + וְ֝יִשְׂחַ֗ק [and·he·laughs] (424) + לְרַ֣עַשׁ [at·rattling·of] (600) + כִּידֽוֹן [javelin] (90) = 2714.
Rashi
Catapult [stones] a weapon, to be interpreted according to the context. and he plays at the noise of the harpoon At the noise of the tumult of warriors who carry harpoons, he plays and strolls, for he does not fear them.
Ibn Ezra
'Clubs' — this word has no parallel elsewhere; the sense: like a weapon. 'At the rattling of the javelin' — for it is the practice of the one who wields it to make it rattle.
Ralbag
'Clubs' [totach] — some say this refers to an implement fitted with sharp barbs, used to spear fish; and since the implement is single at one end but has many points at the other, the verse uses the plural, 'are accounted.' But the correct view is that 'totach' is the large engine used to hurl huge stones, to bring down walls and mighty buildings; and the sense here is that the stones of the siege-engine are accounted to him as straw. 'The rattling of the javelin' [lera'ash kidon] — this is the sound made by the shaking of the spear when it is brandished to strike with it.
Metzudat David
'Clubs' — the stones of a club. 'at the rattling of the javelin' — meaning, at killing all who wield a javelin against him.
Metzudat Zion
'Clubs' [תותח] — the name of a certain implement made for hurling large stones to bring down a wall. 'Javelin' [כידון] — a kind of spear or lance.
Sharpest potsherds are under him; He spreads a threshing-sledge upon the mire.
verse value 2100
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. Verse gematria: 2100 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "potsherd" (חָ֑רֶשׂ, 3 letters) and the longest is "upon·mire" (עֲלֵי־טִֽיט, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "under·him" (תַּ֭חְתָּיו), "sharp·points·of" (חַדּ֣וּדֵי), "he·spreads" (יִרְפַּ֖ד). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "under·him" (root תחת, 20x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'potsherd', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: תַּ֭חְתָּיו [under·him] (824) + חַדּ֣וּדֵי [sharp·points·of] (32) + חָ֑רֶשׂ [potsherd] (508) + יִרְפַּ֖ד [he·spreads] (294) + חָר֣וּץ [threshing·sledge] (304) + עֲלֵי־טִֽיט [upon·mire] (138) = 2100.
Rashi
Under him are rays of the sun in the place he rests, there are rays of the sun, because his fins, which are under him on his belly, illuminate and shine like the sun. rays Heb. חדודי, like a sharp sword, which is sharpened, bright, and whitened. Because of this, he calls rays חַדוּדֵי. sun Heb. חרשׂ, the sun, like (above 9:7), “He who spoke to the sun (לחרס) and it did not shine”; (Jud. 14:18); “before the sun (החרסה) set. “ where he lies is gold upon the mire This is a repeated clause. “Where he lies is gold,” refers to “rays of the sun”; “upon the mire” refers to “under him,” in the place where he is on the sand; this is the mire where he lies. It shines like precious gold, as it is stated (Song 3:10): “its couch of gold.” חָרוּץ is a type of gold, as it is stated (Prov. 8:19): “My fruit is better than gold (מחרוץ), yea than fine gold.” Where he lies—an expression of a couch for lying down, like (Song 3:10), “its couch (רפידתו) of gold.”
Ibn Ezra
'Sharpest potsherds are under him' — the sense: beneath him are sharp potsherds, yet he does not feel them. 'He spreads' — means he spreads out, like 'its interior was inlaid with gold' (Song of Songs 3:10); the sense is that he lays out [a covering]. 'A threshing-sledge' — something sharp, cut, like 'if his days are determined' (Job 14:5); and the point is stated twice [repeating the image of sharpness]. 'Upon the mire' — that which lies beneath the deep.
Ralbag
'Sharpest potsherds' [chadudei charas] — sharp rocks, resembling the sharp potsherds used to scrape things dry; and behold, he lies upon them and feels nothing. 'He spreads' [yarpid] — meaning: he lays out [a bed] and lies upon it. 'A threshing-sledge' [charutz] — this is something sharp, that cuts.
Metzudat David
'Sharpest potsherds are under him' — sharp rocks, resembling sharp shards of pottery, lie beneath him, and he lies upon them without feeling them. 'He spreads a threshing-sledge' — he lays out for himself something sharp, full of grooves, and lies upon it as though upon mire; and this repeats, in other words, what was just said.
Metzudat Zion
'Sharpest' [חדודי] — an expression of sharp and keen. 'Potsherds' [חרש] — the same as cheres, with a samech [in place of a sin]. 'Spreads' [ירפד] — an expression of laying out a bed, as in 'I have spread my couch' (above, 17). 'Threshing-sledge' [חרוץ] — an expression of grooves and sharp teeth, as in 'a new threshing-sledge with sharp teeth' (Isaiah 41). 'Upon' [עלי] — [equivalent to] as upon, with the comparative kaf omitted.
Malbim
'Under him' — On his belly are scales as hard as the sharp edges of potsherds, so that Scripture therefore says 'he spreads a threshing-sledge' — for even when the bedding beneath him, on which he lies, consists of sharp, pointed things like the iron teeth of a threshing-sledge, it seems to him as though he were lying on soft, wet mud, and he does not feel them at all.
He makes the deep to boil like a pot; He makes the sea like a seething mixture.
verse value 1872
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. Verse gematria: 1872 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "sea" (יָ֝֗ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "like·the·seething·mixture" (כַּמֶּרְקָחָֽה, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "he·makes·boil" (יַרְתִּ֣יחַ), "like·the·pot" (כַּסִּ֣יר), "depth" (מְצוּלָ֑ה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "he·makes" (root שים, 38x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'depth', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יַרְתִּ֣יחַ [he·makes·boil] (628) + כַּסִּ֣יר [like·the·pot] (290) + מְצוּלָ֑ה [depth] (171) + יָ֝֗ם [sea] (50) + יָשִׂ֥ים [he·makes] (360) + כַּמֶּרְקָחָֽה [like·the·seething·mixture] (373) = 1872.
Rashi
He makes the deep seethe like a pot Like a small bubbling pot, that quickly raises bubbles one after another, so does he cause the deep, which is large and deep, to seethe. he makes the sea like a seething mixture Like a mixture of a concoction of spices, which is compounded and mixed, so does he make and mix the sea when he moves from his place.
Ibn Ezra
'He makes the sea like a seething mixture' — that it boils vigorously.
Ralbag
'The deep' [metzolah] — related to 'yardu bimtzolot' [they sank into the depths] (Exodus 15:5). 'A seething mixture' [kamerkachah] — like a pot in which an ointment is prepared, which is boiling hot.
Metzudat David
'He makes the deep to boil like a pot' — with the heat that comes from the breath of his mouth, he makes the depths of the sea boil like a pot standing beside the fire. 'like a seething mixture' — just as perfumers blend together various kinds of spices to make a compound, so he churns up everything in the sea in the boiling; for it is the way of a boiling dish to become mixed and stirred up from the force of its boiling.
Metzudat Zion
'Like a pot' [כסיר] — like a cooking-pot, as in 'the flesh-pot' (Exodus 16). 'The deep' [מצולה] — the depth of the sea, as in 'You cast me into the deep' (Jonah 2). 'Like a seething mixture' [כמרקחה] — an expression of blending together, as in 'a blender of ointments' (Exodus 30).
Malbim
'He makes the deep to boil' — Even if one imagines that elemental fire were to rise up from the deep and boil the depths where Leviathan lies, like a pot brought to a boil by fire, until it turns the whole sea into a seething compound — so that, through the boiling of the waters, everything in the sea would seem like the product of an apothecary's brew, and would perish and die — nevertheless —
He makes a path to shine after him; One would think the deep to be hoary.
verse value 2026
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "he·makes·shine" (יָאִ֣יר, 4 letters) and the longest is "after·him" (אַ֭חֲרָיו, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "he·makes·shine" (יָאִ֣יר), "to·old·age" (לְשֵׂיבָֽה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "he·makes·shine" (root אור, 30x in Job); "after·him" (root אחר, 20x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'path', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אַ֭חֲרָיו [after·him] (225) + יָאִ֣יר [he·makes·shine] (221) + נָתִ֑יב [path] (462) + יַחְשֹׁ֖ב [he·accounts] (320) + תְּה֣וֹם [deep] (451) + לְשֵׂיבָֽה [to·old·age] (347) = 2026.
Rashi
He makes a path shine after him When he swims and floats in the sea, he makes the path of the deep shine, for at the time he swims, there is no water because of the speed of his swimming. he considers the deep to be hoary To him, the deep is considered to be weak and feeble. to be hoary The weakness of old age and hoariness.
Ibn Ezra
'He makes a path to shine after him' — he makes a path in the sea behind him, and it shines; the sense is that it becomes visible: 'one would think the deep to be hoary,' since hair [in old age] turns white — the point being stated twice, in parallel.
Ralbag
'One would think the deep to be hoary' [yachshov tehom le-seivah] — that is, the one who sees it would think the deep to belong to a man...
Metzudat David
'after him' — when he swims through the sea he pushes the water out of his way as he goes; and once he has swum onward, "he makes a path to shine" — meaning, the path he traveled appears clear of water, for since it is so wide, the water does not quickly return to cover its width. 'One would think the deep to be hoary' — for in the path of his going the water is pushed away from its place, and only a little water remains beneath him, so that he makes the deep appear, in the eyes of the beholder, like a gray-haired man — for that spot turns white; since when water is deep it looks dark and black, but when it is not deep it looks white. So as he travels he lessens the depth of the water there, and makes the deep appear, in the beholder's eyes, like a gray-haired man, by its white appearance.
Metzudat Zion
'A path' [נתיב] — a trail or a way. 'The deep' [תהום] — the depth of the sea.
Malbim
'After him' — the sense of the verse is: the deep, [personified,] thinks to itself, 'after him a path shall shine unto hoariness.' Scripture speaks by way of figure, as though the deep thinks in its heart that even if it boils the depths with its great fire, Leviathan will not die from this upheaval; rather, out of this very darkness that will engulf the sea, a path of light will shine behind Leviathan, so that he will walk along this path of light toward hoary old age — that is, that he will live to a great age, unto old age and gray hair. This is a wondrous figure: that even if there were total destruction throughout the sea, with the deep vomiting up the fire within it and boiling the entire sea, none of it would harm him in the least, for he would escape unharmed and go on to old age and gray hair.
Upon earth there is not his like who is made to be fearless.
verse value 1748
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 22 letters. The shortest word is "his·like" (מׇשְׁל֑וֹ, 4 letters) and the longest is "nothing·upon·earth" (אֵֽין־עַל־עָפָ֥ר, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "nothing·upon·earth" (אֵֽין־עַל־עָפָ֥ר), "to·without·terror" (לִבְלִי־חָֽת). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "nothing·upon·earth" (root אין, 39x in Job); "who·is·made" (root עשה, 36x in Job); "to·without·terror" (root בלי, 22x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·like', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 2 words. Full calculation: אֵֽין־עַל־עָפָ֥ר [nothing·upon·earth] (511) + מׇשְׁל֑וֹ [his·like] (376) + הֶ֝עָשׂ֗וּ [who·is·made] (381) + לִבְלִי־חָֽת [to·without·terror] (480) = 1748.
Rashi
On the dust there is none that rules over him The “mem” [is vowelized] with a “hataf kamatz,” and it means his rule, that no creature rules over him, and it is a noun denoting a ruler. Therefore, the “mem” is vowelized with a “hataf kamatz.” which is made Heb. העשו, like העשוי [the passive participle]. However, I know of no similar case [in Scripture]. It means one that was made without fear or dismay, that is not afraid of the creatures, as it is stated concerning the horse (above 39:22): “He scorns fear and is not dismayed.”
Ibn Ezra
'Upon earth there is not his like' — the sense: he has dominion in the sea, but not on dry land. 'Who is made [to be fearless]' — there are no mighty ones in the world like him, who is not dismayed. And some say the verse is elliptical: that Hashem made him so that he would not be dismayed.
Metzudat David
'Upon earth there is not his like' — there is no one upon the dust of the earth to be compared and likened to him, made so as never to fear or be dismayed by anything in the world, just as he himself is never dismayed.
Metzudat Zion
'Who is made' [העשו] — [equivalent to] he'asuy, with a yod, meaning 'who is made'; and its parallel is 'who came [ha-ba'ah] to Jacob' (Genesis 46:26), whose grammatical sense is 'who came.' 'Fearless' [חת] — an expression of fear, as in 'neither be dismayed [techat]' (Joshua 1).
Malbim
'There is not' — Now He brings His argument to a close, saying to Job: if the creature were 'made to be fearless' — that is, if every being that is made and formed were created in such a way that no fear was ever found in it (dread and terror, for there are great creatures that cast their terror over all other creatures) — if there were no fear at all in anything that is made, and all creatures alike were feeble, then 'there is not upon earth his dominion' — no dominion of the Maker and Creator would be found upon the earth, for over whom would He rule, once all creatures were feeble and drained of strength? But because what is made and formed does contain dread and fear — so that the small fears the great and the weak fears the mighty — the supreme dominion is revealed. For in what —
He looks at all high things; He is king over all the proud beasts.
verse value 1389
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "he" (ה֝֗וּא, 3 letters) and the longest is "over·all·sons·of·pride" (עַל־כׇּל־בְּנֵי־שָֽׁחַץ, 10 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "all·high" (אֵֽת־כׇּל־גָּבֹ֥הַּ), "king" (מֶ֣לֶךְ), "over·all·sons·of·pride" (עַל־כׇּל־בְּנֵי־שָֽׁחַץ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "he·sees" (root ראה, 52x in Job); "he" (root הוא, 48x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'he·sees', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֵֽת־כׇּל־גָּבֹ֥הַּ [all·high] (461) + יִרְאֶ֑ה [he·sees] (216) + ה֝֗וּא [he] (12) + מֶ֣לֶךְ [king] (90) + עַל־כׇּל־בְּנֵי־שָֽׁחַץ [over·all·sons·of·pride] (610) = 1389.
Rashi
He looks at all high things All the high things in the world he sees beneath himself, for so is the custom of the world, that whoever stands above sees the one below more than the one below sees [him]. Also, the one below has no power or victory against the one above. Now this leviathan sees all mighty men; that is to say, they have no power against him. he is king over all proud beasts This is a repeated expression. He looks over all proud beasts and he is king over all the proud beasts, over all haughty creatures that I created in My world, who have no rule or dominion against him. Now how did you dare to lift your head before Me, since I perform all these wonders?
Ibn Ezra
'He looks at all high things' — because of his great length, when he raises his head above the water. 'He is king over all the proud beasts' — this expression (בני שחץ) is a divided term [lit. 'a separated word,' i.e. written as two words functioning as one]; and its meaning is: every creature born in the water.
Metzudat David
'He looks at all high things' — even though he is in the water beneath the earth, nevertheless he sees all that is high and mighty upon the earth; and though he is aware of all the wondrous creatures, he is still not dismayed by any of them, and he is king and chief over all the proud, for he exalts himself over all — as if to say: behold, I have made you hear of the wonders of My handiwork, and from it you may grasp the greatness of My majesty. (What emerges from this entire response, given in answer to his complaint as to why his affliction is so severe when he had done good, is that He replies, as it were: behold, a truly righteous man has power of arm just like God's, to rule over the low and the high. Now test whether you can punish sinners by the words of your mouth — then I too will acknowledge that you are perfectly righteous. But what does it matter that you praise yourself? Yet if that is not merely so — that is, if you truly were a righteous man — behold, My hand is not too short to pay reward, nor is there anyone who can stay My hand. And He goes on to tell of the wonders of the wild ox and the wonders of leviathan, so that from them one may recognize the greatness of the Omnipresent, whom no one can restrain from paying reward. And even though He is under no obligation to pay reward, since He has already bestowed the good before the commandment was performed, nevertheless He still pays reward in His kindness; and so, too, He would have rewarded Job with good, had he been a truly and abundantly perfect, righteous man.)
Metzudat Zion
'The proud beasts' [lit. 'sons of pride'] — haughty creatures; so too, 'the proud beasts have not trodden it' (above, 28).
Malbim
'He looks at all high things' — In this: that there are creatures great and elevated above their fellows, and He looks upon and watches over every lofty creature, casting His dread upon it, and taking care that it not destroy all the weaker species — for all this comes about through supreme providence, since He is high above the high and mighty over the mighty. Through this, He is 'king over all the proud beasts.' For it is part of the honor of kingship to reign over the mighty and the powerful, so that all stand in dread of Him, in awe of His majesty and His providence.
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Ralbag
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim