40:23 If the river rages, 1 it is not disturbed,
it is secure, 2 though the Jordan
should surge up to its mouth.
40:24 Can anyone catch it by its eyes, 3
or pierce its nose with a snare? 4
1 tn The word ordinarily means “to oppress.” So many commentators have proposed suitable changes: “overflows” (Beer), “gushes” (Duhm), “swells violently” (Dhorme, from a word that means “be strong”).
2 tn Or “he remains calm.”
3 tn The idea would be either (1) catch it while it is watching, or (2) in some way disabling its eyes before the attack. But others change the reading; Ball suggested “with hooks” and this has been adopted by some modern English versions (e.g., NRSV).
4 tn Ehrlich altered the MT slightly to get “with thorns,” a view accepted by Driver, Dhorme and Pope.