Job 41:1

“Can you pull in Leviathan with a hook or tie down his tongue with a rope?

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — God addresses Job in Job 41, at the point where the divine questions turn to creatures no human can subdue.

The words — tim.Shokh (H4900) means “will you draw out,” and tash.Ki.a' (H8257) means “will you hold down,” making the challenge about hauling Leviathan in and restraining his tongue.

The thread — Leviathan appears in Job 3:8, Psalms 74:14, and Psalms 104:26, where it is associated with curses, crushed by God, or formed to frolic.

Why it lands — It asks the reader to test their claim to power over wild creation against the limits of human control.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

תִּמְשֹׁ֣ךְtim.Shokhwill you draw out?לִוְיָתָ֣ןliv.ya.TanLeviathan בְּחַכָּ֑הbe./cha.Kahwith/ a fish hook וּ֝בְחֶ֗בֶלu./ve./Che.veland/ with/ a cord תַּשְׁקִ֥יעַtash.Ki.a'will you hold down?לְשֹׁנֽוֹ׃le.sho.N/otongue/ its

King James Version

Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?

Cross-references

Job 3:8 May it be cursed by those who curse the day—those prepared to rouse Leviathan.
Psalms 74:14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You fed him to the creatures of the desert.
Psalms 104:26 There the ships pass, and Leviathan, which You formed to frolic there.
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.