But we know that one who, even when acting rightly, forgets to see the virtues of his betters, extinguishes the eye of his heart by the darkness of pride. But, on the other hand, one who carefully weighs the good qualities of others enlightens his own deeds by a powerful ray of humility, because when he sees the things he has done himself done by others also, and he keeps down that swelling of pride that strives to break forth from within from singularity. Hence it is said by the voice of God to Elijah, when thinking that he was solitary, I have left me seven thousand men who have not bent their knees before Baal.^[1] This was said so that by learning he did not remain solitary, that he might avoid the boasting of pride that might arise in him from his personal uniqueness. Blessed Job, therefore, is not blamed for having done anything perversely, but he is informed of the good deeds of others besides, in order that while he considers that he has others also equal to him, he may humbly submit himself to him who is specially the Highest.

I have continued to look for the reason that caused my misfortune but have not put the blame on creation. Now I have nothing to reply about what was said. I will keep silent, and after speaking once, I will not speak a second time. Indeed, it is necessary to kneel down instead of looking at the face of such a powerful Lord.

Either he speaks here about his present intervention, as if to say, I do not speak so in order to condemn you but to show that you are righteous; or he wants to speak about his trial by calling intervention his approval. This means, Do not think that I managed things in this manner for any other reason. He did not say, In order that you might be righteous but that you might appear to be righteous, as you actually were, so that you might teach others. Finally, he may want to speak about his present intervention, as if to say, If I said it, it is in order that you might appear to be righteous after the words that I had expressed, not in order to condemn you. Then he places again before him his power and his hatred for the wicked, because I am not only powerful, he says, but I act and use my power against the wicked.

I will question you, and you answer me. The perfect rewards of the struggles are reserved after this life to those who fought bravely. The grace of God nevertheless offers a sort of pledge to the athletes. For this reason, Job faced the hardest fights; while losing his riches, he praised him who gave him these afflictions. After losing his children, he glorified him who had taken them away. While realizing that worms grew out of his body, he was not defeated by his diseases. God gave him the firstlings and the pledge of his fights by speaking to him out of the clouds and the whirlwind. After he had listened to the former speeches, when it was necessary to speak to God, he was silent, as if he had no faculty to speak to him. In fact, he did not know yet what would have been written by Moses, Moses spoke, and God answered him with a voice.^[1] Therefore, he was like someone who did not know that he did not want to answer God. But God conceded him forgiveness to speak. The benevolence of God is such that he does not play the role of the judge but that of the lawyer, who discusses the case with a man.

When there is a reference to the voice or the arm [power] of God, we must be very careful not to attribute to him any corporeal feature. To enclose into corporeal dimensions him who cannot be circumscribed and fills and embraces everything would mean to fall into the heresy of the Anthropomorphites.^[1] But the almighty God, drawing us toward his condition, humiliates himself to our context, and in order to suggest to us sublime truths, he lowers himself to the humble ones. Therefore the soul of the little ones, being led by well-known models, rises to look for what is unknown, and moves with firm steps towards the Most High.

The thunder and all the rest exist not in order to impress but so that God may be known. See with how many arguments he convinces him that his nature is small. He does not say to him, You are small, but, I am great, and you cannot do what I do.

A slanderer conspired against you. Sometimes he said to me, Stretch out your hand now.^[1] He said to me, Touch all that he has,^[2] and he added about you that you would have cursed me to my face.^[3] But, on the contrary, you were victorious. Therefore I say to you, Clothe yourself with glory. Abase the slanderer completely. Humiliate his angels. He was arrogant against you, but you destroy the arrogant. He was impious against you, but you strike him by lightning.

These words are not spoken with an offended mind but with zealous affection, so that they may be useful in consoling and instructing him and that he may understand that to perform such a great judgment is beyond human strength. Then I will also acknowledge you that your own right hand can give you victory. If you could play the role of such a judge, as I described it in my speech, evidently you would not need any further help.

The Behemoth is a dragon, that is, a land animal, just as the Leviathan is an aquatic sea animal. ^[1] IS THE BEHEMOTH REAL OR IMAGINARY? ISHO‘DAD OF MERV: The Behemoth is a dragon without equal. The Interpreter^[1] calls it an imaginary dragon that the author [of the book of Job] has poetically invented by himself. He has reported many statements in the name of Job, of his friends and in the name of God himself that are not appropriate to them, that appear to be unlikely. In the whole creation, he says, there is no animal that is unique and not male or female, because all animals have been created in pairs. On the other hand, those who assert that this book was written by the divine Moses maintain the reality of the Behemoth.^[2] It is a figure of Satan, they say, and as this animal destroys everything it sees, so Satan does the same thing secretly, and therefore it has been made Satan’s accomplice in crime. Both in its name and in its action it is the figure of Satan, because, according to the sense of the word, Behemoth means through it death, that is, death has entered among people through it. But the Jews assert that it is an ox, and, some day they will eat it and the Leviathan as well when they come back.^{[3] [4]}

Through the creation of such a hateful and tremendous beast people are given three opportunities of edification. They can recognize that the power of the Creator did not only make those beasts that would have served human beings but also fashioned those who frighten them; they can understand the goodness of Providence, because it removed those beasts that would have been deadly from the midst [of humans] and placed them in the wilderness. There they can learn how severe he is against vices. These [beasts] that are troublesome to mortals according to their size and strength are also subject to his regulation. ^[1] STRENGTH OF THE BEHEMOTH. ISHO‘DAD OF MERV: The words its strength is in its cover [mean] its strength and vigor are precisely in the animal itself. Animals usually take shelter in different places, but [the author] says this animal does not need a shelter at all. ^[1]

It makes its tail stiff like a cedar. It seems to me that this is said because not even in the end—which is signified by its tail—will it return to God. On the contrary, being arrogant and impious in its tyranny, it will never repent. Therefore, since it is exalted like a high cedar, it is destined to be destroyed and annihilated by the voice of the Lord, who judges righteously. . . . The sinews of its thighs are knit together. I believe that through the image of the sinews, which are very strong and insoluble, he describes the pleasures through which it enchains carnal persons.

Its bones are tubes of bronze, its cartilage like iron foils. Through these names of limbs it is signified that the devil is hard, harsh and inflexible with his subjects. Indeed, in the bones and the cartilage, that is, inside and outside, in words and actions, his absolute malice is clearly displayed.

This is the beginning of the ways of God. He who made him provided him with his sword. The sword of this Behemoth is his own malice in inflicting harm. But he who made him good in his nature^[1] provided him with his sword, because, according to divine will, his malice is limited, so that he is not allowed to strike human beings as much as he would like to. Now, if our enemy can do much but strikes less, this is due to the fact that the mercy of our Creator sets a limit to his sword. Therefore, [the devil] hides inside his conscience, and his malice, through which he makes people die, does not exceed the proper limits set by God.

And when he has gone up to a steep mountain, he causes joy to the quadrupeds in the deep. This means the wild animals have raised their heads only when this animal has withdrawn to the mountains. If [God] has created these two enormous beasts,^[1] he did so in order that you might know that he may create all of them according to their own type. But God does not do so because his creation is oriented to provide what is useful to you. Notice how these beasts observe their proper laws: they haunt that part of the sea which is not navigable. But one may ask, What is their use? We ignore what is the mysterious utility of these monsters, but, if we want to take the risk of an explanation, we may say that they lead toward the knowledge of God. ^[2] AN EXTRAORDINARY SIZE. ISHO‘DAD OF MERV: The words the shadows surround it. Because of the size of the animal, [the author says], anywhere it goes, it casts shadows around it. The words the crows like a torrent surround it. [This is said] because the habit of these birds is to approach and croak anytime they see something terrifying. ^[1]