Job 41:21

Job 41:21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.

Ver. 21. His breath kindleth coals] Or, would kindle coals (as a smith’s bellows), if there were any to kindle. Such a kindling of coal was Arius and Hildebrand of old, the Jesuits of this day, and not a few others, Pro 26:21 Isa 33:11, "your breath, as fire, shall devour you." Some men’s tongues are like gunpowder, which, touched with the least spark, will instantly be in the face. A flame goeth out of their mouths enough to set the whole course of nature on fire, Jas 3:6.

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.

His skin is so hard that he lieth with a great ease on the stones as in the mire.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

kindleth coals--poetical imagery (Psa 18:8).

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

His breath kindles coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. Hyperbolical expressions, which the above observations may seem to justify.

His breath kindles coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. Hyperbolical expressions, which the above observations may seem to justify.

Job 41:22

job 41:22

job 41:22

job 41:22In his neck remaineth strength,.... This is thought to be an argument against the whale, which is said to have no neck: but whatever joins the head and body may be called the neck, though ever so small; and the shorter the neck is, the stronger it is. It is also said by some, that the crocodile has no neck also; but the philosopher (x) is express for it, that it has one and moves it: and Pliny (y) speaks of it as turning its head upwards, which it could not do without a neck;

and sorrow is turned into joy before him; or leaps and dances before him; it departs from him: he is not afraid of anything, though ever so threatening. Or sorrow and distress at the sight of him, in men and fishes, make them leap, and hasten to get out of the way of him and escape him.

(x) Aristot. Hist. Animal. l. 9. c. 6. & Part. Animal l. 4. c. 11. (y) Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 25.

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

His breath kindleth coals - It seems to be a flame, and to set on fire all around it. So Hesiod, “Theog.” i. 319, describing the creation of the Chimera, speaks of it as

πνέουσαν ἀμαισάκετον πῦρ

pneousan amaimaketon pur.

“Breathing unquenchable fire,” So Virgil, “Georg.” ii. 140:

Haec loca non tauri spirantes naribus ignem Invertere.

“Bulls breathing fire these furrows ne’er have known.”

Warton

A similar phrase is found in a sublime description of the anger of the Almighty, in Psa 18:8 :

There went up a smoke out of his nostrils,

And fire out of his mouth devoured:

Coals were kindled by it.

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

Under him. He shall not value the beams of the sun: and gold to him be like mire. (Challoner) (Menochius) --- Hebrew, "sharp stones (or potsherds) are under him; he spreadeth (or lieth upon) sharp-pointed things, as upon the mire." (Haydock) --- He is not afraid of being hurt.

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).

An hyperbolical expression, noting only extraordinary heat.

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

21. His breath kindleth coals — A highly poetical description of the beast when engaged in the pursuit of his prey, or when inflamed with rage. In equally bold and high-wrought figure, Ovid describes a ferocious wild boar: Fulmen ab ore venit, frondesque adflatibus ardent: “Lightning comes from his mouth, and the boughs burn with his breath.”

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

His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. All the representations of dragons breathing smoke and flames, found in the myths and sagas of so many countries, probably rest upon the observed fact of,team or spray streaming forth from the mouth and widely opened nostrils of the crocodile. The steam has seemed to be smoke, and smoke has naturally suggested flame and fire.

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

Kindleth coals - An hyperbolical expression, denoting extraordinary heat.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Catapult [stones] a weapon, to be interpreted according to the context.

and he plays at the noise of the harpoon At the noise of the tumult of warriors who carry harpoons, he plays and strolls, for he does not fear them.

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.