VerR. 15 - 24. - Jdlouak to Job: tke second amwer: 2. Oot1cerning behemoth. I. Tm. RELATION OF BEHEMOTH TO OTRER ANnl:AtB. "Hi! is the chief of the ways of God" (ver. 19). This huge monster, this giant &mong beasts, as perhaps the above- cited phrase indicates, is commonly supposed to have been the hippopotamus, or .Nile-horse. It is bere described 1,y a variety of particulars. 1. Its terrific stt·ength. Concen:iing this are noted: (1) its seat or source, the cre&ture's inward parts-•• Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel [literally, • the cords,' i.e. tbe sinewi; or muscles] or his belly ; " " the sinews of his et.ones," or legs, 11 are wrapped together," or firmly interwoven; •• hie bones are as strons pieces," tubeil, "of bl'&Ss; his bones are like bare of iron" (vers. 16-18); and (2) its ell:ercise or manifestation-" he moveth his tAil like a cedar," with as much ease u as the mighty tempest is able to drive hither and thither the loftiest trees" (Umbreit). 2. Its lierbit1orous appetite. 11 He eateth grass as an ox" (ver. 16); "Surely the mountains bring him forth food" (ver. 20). Though an animal of such gigantic proportions, the hippopotamus is not carnivorous as might ha.e been anticipated. The quantity of food, however, which he does devour is enormous. "He makes sad ha.vo,c amon! the rice-fields and cultivated grounds, when he issues forth from the, reedy fens ' ('I'ristram). 3. Its peaa.fvl, disposif:ion. Wberea.s one might naturally have ell:pected to find him ferocious, "all the bea.sts of the field play around• (ver, 20):wbile he grazes. If unmolested, he is harmless. How much of the ferocity of even wild ani.ma.ls is the natural response to the cruelty of man I The ereatnres would seldom rise against man if he did not first tyrannize over them. 4. :Its amphibious nature. While capable of living on the la.nd, its peculiar habitation is under the lotus-bushes, and a.mong the reeds and fens of the river. "The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about" (ver. 22). 5. Its absolute fearlesmess. So much at home among the water is the brute tba.t it matters nothing whether the river is in flood or not. " Behold, if the stream be strong, he doth not quake : he remaineth cheerful, though a Jordan burst upon his mouth" (ver. 23). II. THE BELATION OF BEHEl[OTH TO lllA.N. 1. Oreated· along with man. "Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee" (ver. 15). The language might certainly mean that behemoth was one of those primeval animals which were called into exist- ence with man on the sixth of the creative days (Carey), but probably it implies nothing -more than that behemoth had been created to be with man (Boche.rt, D~litzsch), or as well as man (Umbreit). Though the fi.rstling...of the ways of God, a very master- piece of the Divine Artificer's hand, he WBS still a creature like Job. 2. Subordinated at first to man. Though not stated in the passage, it is worthy of being here recalled, that man was by an original appointment of the Creator constituted lord of the creatures (Gen. i. 28). What is suggested by the passage is the loss of this divinely given supremacy over the animals. 3. Unta11Ulbl,e by man. "He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares" (ver. 24). This may signify that the animaJ. when swimming receiveth the wat.er up to his eyes, and is able to drive right ·through any snares or nets that may be spread to catch him (Carey); but the rendering of the margin is commonly preferred, "Will any take him in his sight?" i.e. can one ca.tch him while he is watching? "or bore his nose with a gin? " " Neither the open face, nor the stratagem, which one employs with effect with other animals, is sufficient to overpower this monster" (Delitzsch). ill 'IRE RELATION OF BEHEJllOTH TO Gov. L Behemoth was God's creature. Job at the best WIIB nothing more. Jehovah had made Job; Jehovah had also made behemoth. This v.as fitted to remind Job (1) of his dependence upon God; (2) of the humility he should cherish when reflecting on his origin ; (3) of the relation he sustained to tbe animals; and (4) of the kindness he owed to the creatures. 2. Behernoth was God', 'ITUUterpiece. " The chief of the ways of God " (ver. 19), as above hinted, poinu to superiority vi nature rather than t.o priority of time. The behemoth was, in -its ephere or world, one of the noblest productions of God. Y, as man alao, in his sphere or world, a muterpiece of God? Here was food for reflection to the Cllt, xr,. 1---24,] THE BOOK OF JOB.
palriarob, for solf-examination, end dollbtless also for self-bumilio.Uon. 3. Behemoth wae God's subject. "He tho.t me.de him can make hie Rword approach unto him" (ver. 10). Though this verse, when properly tranRlated, points rather to the pecnliar sword which God has bestowed on behemoth, viz. "the gigantic incisors ranged opposite one another, with whioh it grazes upon the mee.dow as with a sickle" (Delitzscb), yet the eetitirnent, oe it sto.nds, is correct, o.nd was probo.bly one Jebovah intended to suggest, viz. that though Job eonld not master behemoth, yet be, Jehovah, could. Learn: 1. That he who mrule the world of creatures is best able to describe them. 2. That God rejoices in the strength and beauty of the lower creatures. 3. That in every sphere of creation there are gradations of excellence am,.,ng the works of God. 4. That from the study of zoology we may learn much concern,ng the power, wisdom, and goodness of the Creator. 5. That when man can put a saddle on behemoth he may begin to cherish the hope of being able to rule the world.