“Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord?
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to think of Leviathan as just a really big fish, but the question here is about using ordinary fishing tools – a hook and a cord. This isn't about just pulling something out of the water; it's about controlling and subduing a creature so wild and powerful that even its tongue can't be held down by a simple rope. It highlights that true power isn't about brute force, but about the kind of mastery God possesses, which Job is clearly lacking.
“Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord?
English Standard Version (ESV)
God has just described the mighty Behemoth, and now turns to an even more terrifying creature, the Leviathan. The text strongly suggests this is a crocodile, an animal known for its immense power and armored hide. God asks Job if he can possibly capture such a formidable beast with ordinary fishing tools, highlighting the vast difference in their capabilities and power.
When God describes His creation, He doesn't just marvel at its beauty, but its sheer, untamable power. It's a power far beyond our reach.
In Job 41:1, God poses a rhetorical question to Job: Can you capture this colossal creature, Leviathan, with everyday tools like a fishing hook or a rope? The immediate answer is a resounding 'no.'
An Impossible Task
This isn't just about fishing. It's about demonstrating the vast difference between human capability and God's creative might. Leviathan represents a force that is utterly beyond human control, a testament to the Creator's absolute sovereignty.
The identity of Leviathan has sparked debate for centuries. While we can't pinpoint it with absolute certainty, its description reveals powerful truths about God's creation.
The ancient commentators wrestled with identifying 'Leviathan.' Was it a whale? A sea dragon? Most scholars today lean towards the crocodile or a similar formidable reptilian creature.
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Clues from the Text and Context
Understand the original words
liwyatan · Hebrew Noun
A mythical or real sea creature, often symbolic of chaos, evil, or the uncontrollable forces of nature, which only God has the power to subdue or defeat.
c. 1800 BC - 1600 BC
Job's Life in Uz
Job, the central figure of the book, likely lived in the land of Uz, a region in ancient Mesopotamia or Arabia. This period predates many of the great empires of the ancient Near East.
c. 1550 BC - 1070 BC
New Kingdom Egypt
The New Kingdom period in Egypt saw great imperial power and expansion. The Nile River, home to crocodiles, was a central artery of Egyptian life and power.
c. 1000 BC
Davidic Kingdom in Israel
Around this time, the united monarchy of Israel under King David was flourishing. The book of Job, though possibly written earlier, is often placed within or around this era.
c. 900 BC - 600 BC— this verse
Composition of the Book of Job
Scholarly estimates for the writing of the Book of Job vary, but many place its composition within this broad timeframe, likely during the Iron Age in ancient Israel.
c. 600 BC
Babylonian Exile Begins
The first wave of the Babylonian exile of Judeans occurred, marking a period of immense national trauma and theological upheaval for ancient Israel.
This passage directly refers to Pharaoh as 'the great monster that lies in the midst of his rivers,' using language that echoes the description of Leviathan, highlighting the symbolic use of such creatures to represent powerful, arrogant rulers opposed to God.
Psalm 74:14This psalm speaks of God breaking the heads of Leviathan in pieces and giving him as food to the creatures of the wilderness, showing God's ultimate power over this formidable creature and its symbolic representation of chaos or oppressive forces.
Isaiah 27:1Here, Leviathan is described as a fleeing serpent, a twisting serpent, whom the Lord will punish, further solidifying its role as a symbol of God's enemies and His sovereign power to subdue them.
Psalm 104:26This psalm mentions 'Leviathan that you formed to play in the sea,' presenting a different perspective where Leviathan is part of God's creation, implying that even the most fearsome creatures are subject to His design and dominion.
cambridgeJob 41:1: "Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?"
1 . The second clause appears to mean, Wilt thou press down his tongue with a cord? The “cord” may be that of the hook; when the hook is swallowed and the cord drawn tightly, it presses down the tongue. 1–9 . The impossibility of capturing the animal.
wesleyJob 41:1: "Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?"
41:1 Leviathan - Several particulars in the following description, agree far better with the crocodile, than the whale. It is highly probable, that this is the creature here spoken of. Cord - Canst thou take him with a hook and a line, as anglers take ordinary fishes.
It's easy to think of Leviathan as just a really big fish, but the question here is about using ordinary fishing tools – a hook and a cord. This isn't about just pulling something out of the water; it's about controlling and subduing a creature so wild and powerful that even its tongue can't be held down by a simple rope. It highlights that true power isn't about brute force, but about the kind of mastery God possesses, which Job is clearly lacking.
God has just described the mighty Behemoth, and now turns to an even more terrifying creature, the Leviathan. The text strongly suggests this is a crocodile, an animal known for its immense power and armored hide. God asks Job if he can possibly capture such a formidable beast with ordinary fishing tools, highlighting the vast difference in their capabilities and power.
God has just described the mighty Behemoth, and now turns to an even more terrifying creature, the Leviathan. The text strongly suggests this is a crocodile, an animal known for its immense power and armored hide. God asks Job if he can possibly capture such a formidable beast with ordinary fishing tools, highlighting the vast difference in their capabilities and power.
"“Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord?" — It's easy to think of Leviathan as just a really big fish, but the question here is about using ordinary fishing tools – a hook and a cord. This isn't about just pulling something out of the water; i…
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Last reviewed October 2026