Lay thine hand upon him,.... If thou canst or darest. It is dangerous so to do, either to the whale or crocodile;
remember the battle; or "look for war", as Mr. Broughton renders it; expect a fight will ensue, in which thou wilt have no share with this creature:
do no more; if thou canst by any means escape, take care never to do the like again; or thou wilt never do so any more, thou wilt certainly die for it.