Will he make a covenant with you? will you take him for a servant forever?
Read Chapter 41
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Garment, or the skin. (Menochius)
Who shall look steadfastly, or dare to take off its skin?
Mouth. Protestants, "Who can come to him with his double bridle? "(Haydock) though it be of the greatest strength; or, who will enter its jaws, or put bits in them? It is reported that the Tent rites jump on the crocodile's back, and having thrown a piece of wood into its open mouth, like bits, which they hold with both hands, they conduct it to the river side, and kill it. (Pliny viii. 25.)
Septuagint, "Who would enter the wrinkles of his breast, (Calmet) or the folds of its coat of arms? "which may allude to the almost impenetrable scales of the leviathan. (Haydock)
Symmachus, "Who will enter the folds of its scales? "The crocodile can open its mouth so wide as to swallow a heifer, or to let a man stand upright. (Calmet)
Each jaw is furnished with thirty-six teeth. (Vansleb.)
28. Thou understandest, As I. But it must be carefully observed, that this Leviathan makes a covenant with the Lord, in order to be counted His servant for ever. For in a covenant the wishes of parties who are at variance are fulfilled, that each attains to what it desires, and terminates its quarrels by the desired result. The ancient enemy, therefore, when kindled by the torch of his malice, is at variance with the purity of the Divine innocence, but even in his variance, disagrees not with His judgment. For he is ever maliciously seeking to tempt righteous men. But yet the Lord permits this to take place, either mercifully, or righteously. This liberty to tempt is, therefore, called a ‘covenant,’ wherein the desire of the tempter is effected, and yet the will of the righteous Dispenser is thereby wonderfully fulfilled. For, as we have lately said, the Lord frequently subjects His Elect to the tempter, in order to be instructed; just as after the barriers of Paradise, after the secre...
He said this because the demons asked the Lord not to cast them into the abyss, or because Satan said to Christ, “I will give you all these things.” Will he now, he says, implore you with a soft speech? Will he make a covenant with you, and will he stop fighting his war against you? - "Commentary on Job 40.22–23"
