Upon earth there is not his like— Houbigant renders this, His dwelling is not upon the dust; He who made him, made him to be without law. This he supposes to express the amphibious nature of the crocodile; which, though living under the waters, yet is observed almost every day at morning and evening to come from thence, and continue awhile on the land. This learned critic also gives a turn to the next verse very different from that in which it is generally understood. Heath renders the verse, and with great seeming propriety, as referring to, and closing the description of, the crocodile: He will look upon any thing with contempt, be it ever so high: he is king over all the sons of rapine; i.e. the most ravenous beasts, according to the Syriac and Arabic. "But," says Houbigant, "I am persuaded that these words do not refer to the crocodile; but close the parable here taken from the beasts: God openly declaring who he is of whom he spoke in the 10th verse (who then is able to stand before me?) and that he meant that Leviathan, or old serpent, who raised his proud look even to the highest, and who possesses great power, though received from God, and so moderated, that whomever he shall oppress, as he had oppressed Job, God, when he pleased, could wholly deliver from his power and tyranny." Dr. Young very well paraphrases these last verses, agreeably to the common interpretation, as follows:
His like earth bears not on her spacious face, Alone in nature stands his dauntless race, For utter ignorance of fear renown'd: In wrath he rolls his baleful eye around, Makes every swol'n disdainful heart subside, And holds dominion o'er the sons of pride.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, The learned are divided in opinion about Leviathan, whether the whale or crocodile be meant; some parts of the description seeming most adapted to the one, and some more peculiar to the other. Whatever animal be designed, the intention is evidently to shew Job's weakness and God's power. He is represented here as not to be caught with a hook or bait: not to be terrified or tamed: his flesh unfit for food: not to be taken with barbed irons and spears. It was at his peril who approached him; he would rouse himself for battle; therefore it were wise not to meddle with him. To hope to take him as a fish in a net, were vain; the very sight of him was terrible. The boldest dared not provoke him; and if a creature thus intimidate us from approaching him, and so surpass our strength, who then is able too stand before God, to contend with the Almighty, and to impeach his proceedings, or awaken his wrath?
2nd, 1. God challenges the universal property of all things; none ever made him their debtor, whilst every creature receives from him life and breath, and every thing conducive to the comfort or preservation of it. Note; (1.) The best services that we can render God, lay no obligation on him; the favour is done to us, that he enables us to serve him, or accepts our humble duty. (2.) If God giveth not an account to us of his matters, have we the shadow of right to question him? may he not do what he will with his own?
2. He describes the several parts of this terrible animal Leviathan. None dare approach him, to flay his skin, or open those devouring jaws, to look on which only, were enough to make the beholder tremble. His scales, which are his strength and pride, like a coat of mail, shut close over each other, to defend him; and are so near each other that even the air cannot come between. When he sneezes, a light shines, and his eyes are bright and sparkling as the eyelids of the morning. His breath is like the smoke of the furnace; and hot, like the steam of the boiling caldron; coals are ready to kindle from his nostrils. Strong and fierce, he fears no sorrow. His flesh, firm as a rock, defies all the instruments of death. When he lifts up himself in terrors, the mighty purify themselves, as dying men fly to their prayers. He makes his bed on the hard sharp-pointed stones. Before him the boiling deep smokes; behind him, the white foam marks his shining path, as if the deep was hoary-headed grown. Upon earth there is not his equal, fearless of danger. With contempt he beholds the vessels sailing by; and is a king over the children of pride, greater than the greatest of them, in magnitude and bodily strength. Or this is spoken of God, who beholdeth all these stupendous creatures: and all the children of pride, whether devils, men, or the most lawless animals, must submit to his government. Highly then it becomes Job to bow, to humble himself under God's mighty hand, and own the transcendent glory, greatness, and unsearchableness of all his works and ways.