The Meaning of Job 40:17 Explained

Job 40:17

KJV: He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.

YLT: He doth bend his tail as a cedar, The sinews of his thighs are wrapped together,

Darby: He bendeth his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are woven together.

ASV: He moveth his tail like a cedar: The sinews of his thighs are knit together.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He moveth  his tail  like a cedar:  the sinews  of his stones  are wrapped together. 

What does Job 40:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 40:1-24 - "hast Thou An Arm Like God?"
God seemed to await Job's reply to His questions. Job had protested that he would fill his mouth with arguments, but none was forthcoming. That vision of God had robbed him of self-reliance. He could only humbly acknowledge that he had uttered words enough. He must be led to the further confession, which will come presently, that he had sinned. Compare Job 42:6.
It was as though the Omniscient Eye still saw in Job some trust in himself; God therefore summoned him to array himself in his utmost glory and majesty and to argue his case further. But how impotent man is at the best!
The truth is driven home by a magnificent description of the hippopotamus, to whom the strongest and biggest of man's creations are child's play. If you cannot prevail against His creatures, how can you stand against the Creator? But if that Creator is your Father, how safe you are! [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 40

1  Job humbles himself to God
6  God stirs him up to show his righteousness, power, and wisdom
16  Of the behemoth

What do the individual words in Job 40:17 mean?

He moves his tail like a cedar the sinews of his thighs are tightly knit
יַחְפֹּ֣ץ זְנָב֣וֹ כְמוֹ־ אָ֑רֶז גִּידֵ֖י [פחדו] (פַחֲדָ֣יו) יְשֹׂרָֽגוּ

יַחְפֹּ֣ץ  He  moves 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָפֵץ 
Sense: to delight in, take pleasure in, desire, be pleased with.
זְנָב֣וֹ  his  tail 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: זָנָב  
Sense: tail, end, stump.
כְמוֹ־  like 
Parse: Preposition
Root: כְּמֹו  
Sense: like, as, the like of which conj.
אָ֑רֶז  a  cedar 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶרֶז  
Sense: cedar.
גִּידֵ֖י  the  sinews 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: גִּיד  
Sense: sinew.
(פַחֲדָ֣יו)  his  thighs 
Parse: Noun, mdc, third person masculine singular
Root: פַּחַד  
Sense: thigh.
יְשֹׂרָֽגוּ  are  tightly  knit 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׂרַג  
Sense: to be intertwined.

What are the major concepts related to Job 40:17?

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