King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.
Complete Jewish Bible:
When the time comes, it flaps its wings, scorning both horse and rider.
Berean Standard Bible:
Yet when she proudly spreads her wings, she laughs at the horse and its rider.
American Standard Version:
What time she lifteth up herself on high, She scorneth the horse and his rider.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
What time{H6256} she lifteth up{H4754} herself on high{H4791}, she scorneth{H7832} the horse{H5483} and his rider{H7392}.
Cross-References (KJV):
2 Kings 19:21
- This [is] the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, [and] laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
Job 39:22
- He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.
Job 5:22
- At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
Job 39:7
- He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver.
Job 41:29
- Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.
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Commentary for Job 39:18
Job 39:18 is part of a larger poetic discourse in the Book of Job, which is traditionally ascribed to the time of the patriarchs, placing it in the second millennium BCE, although modern scholarship often dates its composition to a later period, around the 6th century BCE. This book grapples with the age-old question of why suffering occurs, particularly to the righteous, and challenges the simplistic notion that bad things happen only to bad people.
In the verse, God is speaking to Job out of a whirlwind, questioning him about the mysteries of creation and the limits of human understanding. The verse itself is embedded in a series of rhetorical questions that highlight the majesty and might of God as seen in the wonders of nature, contrasting it with human frailty and ignorance.
The specific verse, Job 39:18, uses the image of an ostrich—the "she" in the verse—to illustrate a point. When the ostrich "lifteth up herself on high," or stretches out her wings, she is depicted as scorning the horse and his rider. This verse metaphorically conveys the idea that the ostrich, a creature not known for its grace or strength in flight, displays a kind of audacity or pride that seems to mock the horse, a symbol of human power and majesty. The ostrich, in its unique way, challenges the perceived hierarchy of strength and value in the animal kingdom, echoing the broader themes of the book which question human assumptions about justice, power, and the nature of God's governance of the world.
In summary, Job 39:18 reflects the book's exploration of the inscrutability of divine wisdom and the limitations of human perspective. It uses the natural world, in this case, the ostrich, to illustrate that God's creation does not always conform to human expectations or values, thereby underscoring the complex and often mysterious relationship between the Creator and the created order.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H6256
There are 258 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֵת
Transliteration: ʻêth
Pronunciation: ayth
Description: from עַד; time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.; [phrase] after, (al-) ways, [idiom] certain, [phrase] continually, [phrase] evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-, noon-) tide, (meal-), what) time, when. - Strong's Number: H4754
There are 2 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מָרָא
Transliteration: mârâʼ
Pronunciation: maw-raw'
Description: a primitive root; to rebel; hence (through the idea of maltreating) to whip, i.e. lash (self with wings, as the ostrich in running); be filthy, lift up self. - Strong's Number: H4791
There are 52 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מָרוֹם
Transliteration: mârôwm
Pronunciation: maw-rome'
Description: from רוּם; altitude, i.e. concretely (an elevated place), abstractly (elevation, figuratively (elation), or adverbially (aloft); (far) above, dignity, haughty, height, (most, on) high (one, place), loftily, upward. - Strong's Number: H7832
There are 36 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׂחַק
Transliteration: sâchaq
Pronunciation: saw-khak'
Description: a primitive root; to laugh (in pleasure or detraction); by implication, to play; deride, have in derision, laugh, make merry, mock(-er), play, rejoice, (laugh to) scorn, be in (make) sport. - Strong's Number: H5483
There are 131 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: סוּס
Transliteration: çûwç
Pronunciation: soos
Description: or סֻס; from an unused root meaning to skip (properly, for joy); a horse (as leaping); also a swallow (from its rapid flight); crane, horse (-back, -hoof). Compare פָּרָשׁ. - Strong's Number: H7392
There are 75 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָכַב
Transliteration: râkab
Pronunciation: raw-kab'
Description: a primitive root; to ride (on an animal or in a vehicle); causatively, to place upon (for riding or generally), to despatch; bring (on (horse-) back), carry, get (oneself) up, on (horse-) back, put, (cause to, make to) ride (in a chariot, on, -r), set.