Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes. His breath kindles coals, and a flame comes forth from his mouth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easily missed is that the smoke isn't just like a boiling pot, but specifically a pot heated by burning reeds or rushes. This paints a vivid picture of intense, almost unnatural heat, hinting at the fiery breath of this formidable creature. It’s a detail that amplifies the raw power and destructive potential God is revealing.
Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes. His breath kindles coals, and a flame comes forth from his mouth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job is being confronted by God, who is using the immense, terrifying creature known as Leviathan to illustrate His own power. This description of Leviathan's fiery breath, like smoke from a boiling pot fueled by burning reeds, emphasizes its raw, untamable ferocity. This passage continues the argument that Job, a mere mortal, cannot possibly comprehend or contend with the Creator of such a formidable being.
Imagine the sheer force behind a creature whose breath isn't just air, but a visible, powerful display. This verse paints a vivid picture.
This verse compares the smoke from Leviathan's nostrils to a "seething pot and burning rushes." This isn't just about a scary sound or sight; it's a metaphor for immense, raw power.
A Heated Display
The "seething pot" suggests intense heat and boiling, like something being violently cooked. The "burning rushes" add to this image, pointing to a fuel source that burns quickly and intensely, creating a lot of smoke and heat. Some scholars suggest the original language might even imply a "blown pot," meaning a fire stoked and made more fierce.
More Than Just Breath
In ancient contexts, smoke rising from nostrils or mouths was often associated with fearsome beasts, signifying their destructive capability. It wasn't just a biological function; it was a demonstration of their terrifying might.
When God describes Leviathan's terrifying breath, He's not just admiring a monster. He's making a point about who's really in charge.
Job is in a bad place, questioning God's justice and power. God's response isn't a gentle reassurance; it's a dramatic unveiling of His sovereignty, using creatures like Leviathan.
The Uncontrollable Power
By describing Leviathan's smoke in such vivid, powerful terms, God highlights a creature that is beyond human control. No one can 'hook' this beast or tame its fiery breath. This isn't a pet; it's a force of nature.
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A Divine Comparison
God uses Leviathan's fearsome display to contrast with Job's own limitations. If humans can't even comprehend or manage such a creature, how can they possibly question the wisdom and power of the Creator? The smoke from Leviathan's nostrils serves as a potent symbol of power that belongs ultimately to God alone.
Understand the original words
ashan · Hebrew Noun
In Scripture, smoke is frequently associated with the thick, mysterious presence of God or the tangible evidence of His judgment upon the wicked. It represents the visibility of an unseen power, often linked to sacrifice or divine wrath.
neshamah · Hebrew Noun
The life force or spirit of a creature, often associated with the power or presence of God or the vitality of living beings. In this context, it highlights the creature's overwhelming, elemental power.
lehabah · Hebrew Noun
A strong, intense heat or combustion. In biblical imagery, fire often symbolizes judgment, divine presence, or, as here, uncontrollable and destructive power.
This verse describes Babylon as becoming a desolate place that will be filled with creatures of the desert, including wild beasts and jackals, whose roaring smoke from their nostrils is a powerful image of destruction.
Psalm 18:8This psalm uses imagery of God's powerful presence causing smoke to come from His nostrils, mirroring the intense and fearsome nature of divine power described in Job.
Isaiah 14:29This prophecy speaks of a serpent that will breathe out smoke, drawing a parallel between the terrifying, smoke-spewing descriptions of powerful creatures and the venomous threats that arise in opposition to God's people.
Revelation 9:18This passage describes a third of mankind being killed by fire, smoke, and sulfur coming from the mouths of horsemen, connecting the imagery of destructive smoke to powerful, God-ordained judgment.
cambridgeJob 41:20: "Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron."
20 . as out of a seething pot or caldron ] Rather perhaps, like a seething pot with rushes , i. e. with a fire of rushes.
jfbJob 41:20: "Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron."
- seething—boiling: literally, "blown under," under which a fire is blown.
What's easily missed is that the smoke isn't just like a boiling pot, but specifically a pot heated by burning reeds or rushes. This paints a vivid picture of intense, almost unnatural heat, hinting at the fiery breath of this formidable creature. It’s a detail that amplifies the raw power and destructive potential God is revealing.
Job is being confronted by God, who is using the immense, terrifying creature known as Leviathan to illustrate His own power. This description of Leviathan's fiery breath, like smoke from a boiling pot fueled by burning reeds, emphasizes its raw, untamable ferocity. This passage continues the argument that Job, a mere mortal, cannot possibly comprehend or contend with the Creator of such a formidable being.
Job is being confronted by God, who is using the immense, terrifying creature known as Leviathan to illustrate His own power. This description of Leviathan's fiery breath, like smoke from a boiling pot fueled by burning reeds, emphasizes its raw, untamable ferocity. This passage continues the argument that Job, a mere mortal, cannot possibly comprehend or contend with the Creator of such a formidable being.
"Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes. His breath kindles coals, and a flame comes forth from his mouth." — What's easily missed is that the smoke isn't just like a boiling pot, but specifically a pot heated by burning reeds or rushes. This paints a vivid picture of intense, almost unnatural heat, hintin…
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Last reviewed October 2026