His rows of scales are his pride, Shut up tightly as with a seal;
Parallel translations
- WEB Strong scales are his pride, shut up together with a close seal.
- KJV His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.
- BSB His rows of scales are his pride, tightly sealed together.
- 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 9:23Yahweh says, “Don’t let the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might. Don’t let the rich man glory in his riches.
- Rev 5:5One of the elders said to me, “Don’t weep. Behold, the Lion who is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome; he who opens the book and its seven seals.”
- Rev 5:2–3I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to break its seals?”
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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.