Job 41:17
They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.
Original Language Analysis
אִישׁ
one
H376
אִישׁ
one
Strong's:
H376
Word #:
1 of 6
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
בְּאָחִ֥יהוּ
to another
H251
בְּאָחִ֥יהוּ
to another
Strong's:
H251
Word #:
2 of 6
a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance [like h0001])
יְדֻבָּ֑קוּ
They are joined
H1692
יְדֻבָּ֑קוּ
They are joined
Strong's:
H1692
Word #:
3 of 6
properly, to impinge, i.e., cling or adhere; figuratively, to catch by pursuit
יִ֝תְלַכְּד֗וּ
they stick together
H3920
יִ֝תְלַכְּד֗וּ
they stick together
Strong's:
H3920
Word #:
4 of 6
to catch (in a net, trap or pit); generally, to capture or occupy; also to choose (by lot); figuratively, to cohere
Historical Context
The imagery of inseparable joining would resonate with ancient metallurgy and construction techniques. Creating permanent bonds between materials was highly valued but difficult to achieve. Leviathan possesses naturally what humans could only approximate through skilled craftsmanship, emphasizing the creature's superiority to human technology.
Questions for Reflection
- What patterns of sin in your life seem inseparably joined together, and how does Christ's power address them?
- How has God separated in your life what you thought was permanently bonded to your identity?
- In what ways does recognizing the strength of evil's coherence increase your appreciation for Christ's victory?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The description of Leviathan's armor intensifies: 'They are joined one to another' (ish be-achihu yedubbaqu, אִישׁ בְּאָחִיהוּ יְדֻבָּקוּ) uses vocabulary suggesting intimate adhesion or welding together. 'Stick together, that they cannot be sundered' (yitlakadu ve-lo yitparadu, יִתְלַכְּדוּ וְלֹא יִתְפָּרָדוּ) emphasizes permanent, unbreakable bonding. The verb 'sundered' (parad, פָּרַד) means to separate or divide, the same word used for dividing waters in Genesis 1:6-7. What God easily separates in creation, humans cannot separate in this creature. This establishes divine prerogative—God alone can unmake what He has made impregnable. The unified armor represents how evil's components reinforce each other, creating systems of sin that resist dismantling. Yet Christ came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), separating what seemed permanently joined. The verse points to Calvary where Christ sundered death's power over believers.