English · BSB

Job39

God continues His discourse to Job, challenging his understanding of the natural world by presenting various wild creatures. He questions Job's knowledge of the birthing cycles of wild goats and hinds, and highlights the untamed freedom of the wild ass and the unyokeable strength of the unicorn. God further describes the ostrich's peculiar parenting and the magnificent, battle-eager horse, concluding with the soaring hawk and eagle, all demonstrating divine wisdom in creation.
Listen to this chapter
0:00 0:00

God's Providence for Wild Creatures

1
“Do you know when mountain goats give birth? Have you watched the doe bear her fawn? ​
2
Can you count the months they are pregnant? Do you know the time they give birth?
3
They crouch down and bring forth their young; they deliver their newborn.
4
Their young ones thrive and grow up in the open field; they leave and do not return. ​

The Untamable Wild Ass

5
Who set the wild donkey free? Who released the swift donkey from the harness? ​
6
I made the wilderness his home and the salt flats his dwelling.
7
He scorns the tumult of the city and never hears the shouts of a driver.
8
He roams the mountains for pasture, searching for any green thing.

The Unusable Strength of the Wild Ox

9
Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Will he stay by your manger at night? ​
10
Can you hold him to the furrow with a harness? Will he plow the valleys behind you?
11
Can you rely on his great strength? Will you leave your hard work to him?
12
Can you trust him to bring in your grain and gather it to your threshing floor?

The Ostrich Lacking Wisdom

13
The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, but cannot match the pinions and feathers of the stork. ​
14
For she leaves her eggs on the ground and lets them warm in the sand.
15
She forgets that a foot may crush them, or a wild animal may trample them.
16
She treats her young harshly, as if not her own, with no concern that her labor was in vain. ​
17
For God has deprived her of wisdom; He has not endowed her with understanding. ​
18
Yet when she proudly spreads her wings, she laughs at the horse and its rider.

The Strength and Terror of the War Horse

19
Do you give strength to the horse or adorn his neck with a mane? ​
20
Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting?
21
He paws in the valley and rejoices in his strength; he charges into battle.
22
He laughs at fear, frightened of nothing; he does not turn back from the sword.
23
A quiver rattles at his side, along with a flashing spear and lance.
24
Trembling with excitement, he devours the distance; he cannot stand still when the ram’s horn sounds.
25
At the blast of the horn, he snorts with fervor. He catches the scent of battle from afar— the shouts of captains and the cry of war. ​

The Instinctive Flight of Birds of Prey

26
Does the hawk take flight by your understanding and spread his wings toward the south? ​
27
Does the eagle soar at your command and make his nest on high? ​
28
He dwells on a cliff and lodges there; his stronghold is on a rocky crag.
29
From there he spies out food; his eyes see it from afar.
30
His young ones feast on blood; and where the slain are, there he is.” ​

Study Notes for Job 39

Verse 1

God begins by asking Job about the most intimate and hidden details of creation—the timing of birth—to prove that Job's knowledge is profoundly limited.

Verse 4

This verse emphasizes that the young are quickly independent, demonstrating God’s provision for creatures that do not rely on human stewardship or care.

Verse 5

The wild ass is presented as the epitome of freedom, a state granted and maintained solely by God, resisting all attempts at domestication or human control.

Verse 9

The 'unicorn' (Heb. *re’em*) is likely the wild ox or aurochs, an animal of immense strength that cannot be tamed for human agricultural labor. God asks if Job can harness this power, emphasizing that true might often resists human utility.

Verse 13

God shifts to birds, contrasting the beauty of the peacock’s wings with the peculiar, seemingly foolish habits of the ostrich regarding its young.

Verse 16

The ostrich’s apparent cruelty or disregard for its offspring highlights a design that defies human logic regarding typical parental instinct.

Verse 17

This verse provides the theological explanation: the ostrich acts this way because God deliberately withheld wisdom or understanding from it, demonstrating divine control over instinct and natural law.

Verse 19

God now focuses on a domesticated animal, yet one whose power and terrifying majesty in battle are entirely God-given. 'Clothed his neck with thunder' is a powerful metaphor for its deep, resonant snorting and terrifying presence.

Verse 25

The horse’s fierce instinct and eagerness, signaled by its cry 'Ha, ha,' and smelling the battle from afar, contrasts the animal’s brute courage with human strategic caution.

Verse 26

God concludes the list by focusing on the instinctive, high-flying birds, asking if Job possesses the wisdom to guide their migration or nesting habits.

Verse 27

The eagle's ability to nest securely high on the rock demonstrates its independence from human help and its reliance on the natural laws established by God.

Verse 30

The eagle's predatory nature is highlighted, concluding the chapter with a reminder that God sustains life (even the young) through the harsh realities of the perfectly ordered created world.

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate
Settings

Reading Style

Typeface

Font Size 19px

Reading Width 45 chars

Options