Job 41:20

Job 41:20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as [out] of a seething pot or caldron.

Ver. 20. Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, &c.] While his meat heateth in his stomach for concoction; as if fire were put under some great reeking pot or caldron boiling; Heb. blown ( sufflati); for from blowing comes boiling.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

seething--boiling: literally, "blown under," under which a fire is blown.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(20) Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.—The last word is uncertain: it is the same as was rendered in the Authorised Version “hook” at Job_41:2; and taking the same sense here, we may render, as of a seething pot and rushes: i.e., a pot made hot with rushes.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20. as out of a seething pot or caldron] Rather perhaps, like a seething pot with rushes, i. e. with a fire of rushes.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Out of his nostrils goeth forth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. In which flesh or anything else is boiling. It is observed that there is a likeness between the crocodile and the river horse, and particularly in their breathing (u): and of the former it is remarked (w), that its nostrils are very large and open, and that they breathe out a fiery smoke, as out of a furnace.

(u) Plin. l. 48. c. 8. Aristot. Hist. Animal. l. 8. c. 2. (w) Achilles Statius & Eustathius, apud Scheuchzer: ut supra. (vol. 4. p. 849.)

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Out of his nostrils goeth smoke - See the quotations on Job 41:19. This appearance of the crocodile, or alligator, has been often noticed. Bertram, in his “Travels in North and South Carolina,” p. 116, says, “While I was seeking a place of rest, I encountered an alligator that in the neighboring lake rushed through the canes that grew on its banks. He inflated his enormous body, and swung his tail high in the air. A thick smoke streamed from his wide-open nostrils, with a sound that made the earth tremble.” Rosenmuller, “Alte u. neue Morgenland,” No. 778.

As out of a seething-pot - A pot that is boiling. Literally, “a blown pot;” that is, a pot under which the fire is blown, or kindled.

Or caldron - Any kettle. The same word is used to denote a reed or bulrush, or a rope made of reeds, Isa 9:14; Job 41:1.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Hammer. Septuagint Greek: sphura, means also, "the bottom of a rock." This would not overwhelm the whale; as some are represented like floating islands. Protestants, "darts." (Haydock) --- Chaldean, "axe." Others have, "the ballista;" an instrument to throw stones. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Heb. pool. So a great caldron is called, because it sends forth a great smoke, as a pool doth vapours; as in like manner the great brazen laver in the temple is called a sea, for the great quantity of water which it held.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

20. A…

caldron — Thus Hitzig, Delitzsch, etc. The same word, agmon, appears in the second verse, and is here correspondingly read by some, kindled reeds. See note on Job_40:21.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron; rather, as from a seething pot and rushes; i.e. as from a pot heated by burning rushes.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

No arrow can put him to flight He will not flee before an archer, and arrows and slingstones are as stubble to him.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.