Job 41:32
He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.
He maketh a path to shine after him,.... Upon the sea, by raising a white from upon it, through its vehement motion as it passes along, or by the spermaceti it casts out and leaves behind it. It is said {s} that whales will cut and plough the sea in such a manner, as to leave a shining glittering path behind them, the length of a German mile, which is three of ours;
one would think the deep to be hoary; to be old and grey headed, or white like the hair of the head of an old man, a figure often used of the sea by poets {t}; and hence "Nereus" {u}, which is the sea, is said to be an old man, because the froth in the waves of it looks like white hair.
{s} Vid. Scheuchzer. ibid. (vol. 4.) p. 853.
{t} polihv alov, Homer. Iliad. 1. v. 350. polihv yalasshv, Iliad. 4. v. 248. "incanuit unda", Catullus.
{u} Phurnutus de Natura Deorum, p. 63.