His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.
Parallel translations
- WEB Strong scales are his pride, shut up together with a close seal.
- BSB His rows of scales are his pride, tightly sealed together.
- NKJV His rows of scales are his pride, Shut up tightly as with a seal;
- NASB “His strong scales are his pride, Locked as with a tight seal.
- NLT The scales on its back are like rows of shields tightly sealed together.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Leviathan's strong scales are his pride, sealed tightly together. His armored hide displays the Creator's intricate design.
Overview
God describes Leviathan's overlapping scales, fitted together as with a tight seal, forming impenetrable armor. The creature's pride in this defense reflects how thoroughly God has equipped him. The detailed craftsmanship of the scales testifies to the wisdom of the Maker. Job is invited to wonder at a design no human could conceive, and so to revere the God of all wisdom.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Jer 9:23Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
- Rev 5:5And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
- Rev 5:2–3And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 41:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.