Bible Strands
Job 40:22
The lotus plants conceal him in their shade; the willows of the brook surround him.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Yahweh speaks to Job during a rhetorical discourse about the untamable creature Behemoth, detailing the animal’s natural habitat to demonstrate creation’s complexity. The words — The Hebrew צֶאֱלִים (tze.'e.Lim) denotes thorny lotus plants, while עַרְבֵי נָחַל ('ar.vei Na.chal) refers to the poplars or willows of a wadi. The thread — This vegetation and water imagery parallels ritual plant gathering in Leviticus 23:40, commercial transport along Isaiah 15:7, and agricultural planting by Ezekiel 17:5. Why it lands — The text demands recognition that Behemoth’s complete concealment and security in a specific ecosystem operate outside human control or comprehension.
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The Hebrew words
King James Version
The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 23:40 On the first day you are to gather the fruit of majestic trees, the branches of palm trees, and the boughs of leafy trees and of willows of the brook. And you are to rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days.
- Isaiah 15:7 So they carry their wealth and belongings over the Brook of the Willows.
- Ezekiel 17:5 He took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil; he placed it by abundant waters and set it out like a willow.