Job 40:17

It makes its tail stiff ¹  like a cedar, the sinews of its thighs are tightly wound.

His tail sways like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are close-knit.

"He bends his tail like a cedar; The sinews of his thighs are knit together.

Its tail is as straight as a cedar. The sinews of its thighs are tightly knit together.

His tail sways like a cedar in the wind; his huge legs are like beech trees.

His tail is curving like a cedar; the muscles of his legs are joined together.

It makes its tail stiff like a cedar; the sinews of its thighs are knit together.

He moves his tail like a cedar; The sinews of his thighs are tightly knit.

It makes its tail stiff ¹  like a cedar, the sinews of its thighs are tightly wound.

¹ tn The verb חָפַץ (khafats) occurs only here. It may have the meaning “to make stiff; to make taut” (Arabic). The LXX and the Syriac versions support this with “erects.” But there is another Arabic word that could be cognate, meaning “arch, bend.” This would give the idea of the tail swaying. The other reading seems to make better sense here. However, “stiff” presents a serious problem with the view that the animal is the hippopotamus.