Verses 13 and 14a are the final questions regarding Leviathan. The remainder of the chapter is given over to descriptive statements.
Who can strip off his outer garment? assumes the answer “Nobody.” Good News Translation expresses the question as a negative statement. Strip off translates a verb used in 12.22 and 20.27 meaning “uncover.” The expression is metaphorical in this line. The Hebrew says literally “the face of his garment,” which is taken by Dhorme to mean the front of a garment as opposed to the back. Some take this to refer to the scales of the crocodile, and so the belly side of the animal. Bible en français courant takes the expression to mean “who has removed his garment from the front,” that is, from the mouth end of the animal. Good News Translation and Revised Standard Version, as well as many others, understand the reference to be to the outer garment in contrast to the double layer beneath, and this is satisfactory if the figure is to be retained in translation. In languages in which the figure may not be used, it may be necessary to express this question differently; for example, “Who can remove his hide or cut through to his armor?” or “Who can take away his skin or the iron-like covering that protects him?”
Who can penetrate his double coat of mail? is literally “Who can enter into his double bridle?” In place of “bridle” the Septuagint has “coat of armor.” This involves a change in the order of the consonants. Some retain “bridle”; for example, New International Version has “Who would approach him with a bridle?” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project supports the change which underlies Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. This gives a better parallel between the two lines. Coat of mail or “armor” refers to metal body coverings worn by soldiers in battle to protect them from their enemies’ weapons. The fact that it is double means that it is twice as thick, and therefore twice as effective.
Quoted with permission from Reyburn, Wiliam. A Handbook on Job. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .