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.

God's Providence for Wild Creatures

1
"Do you know when mountain goats give birth? Have you seen deer in labor? ​
2
Can you tell how many months they carry their young? Do you know when they give birth,
3
when they crouch down and bring forth their young, when they deliver their fawns?
4
Their young become strong, growing up in the open; they leave and never return. ​

The Untamable Wild Ass

5
"Who lets the wild donkey roam freely? Who sets the wild donkey loose from its shackles? ​
6
I made the 'Aravah its home, the salty desert its place to live.
7
It scorns the noise of the city and hears no driver's shouts.
8
It ranges over the hills for its pasture, searching for anything green.

The Unusable Strength of the Wild Ox

9
"Would a wild ox be willing to serve you? Would it stay by your stall? ​
10
Could you tie a rope around its neck and make it plow furrows for you?
11
Would you trust its great strength enough to let it do your heavy work,
12
or rely on it to bring home your seed and gather the grain from your threshing-floor?

The Ostrich Lacking Wisdom

13
"An ostrich's wings beat wildly, although its pinions lack plumage. ​
14
It leaves its eggs on the ground and lets them be warmed by the sand,
15
forgetting that a foot may crush them or a wild animal trample on them.
16
It treats its chicks heartlessly, as if they were not its own; even if her labor is in vain, it really doesn't care; ​
17
because God has deprived it of wisdom and given it no share in understanding. ​
18
When the time comes, it flaps its wings, scorning both horse and rider.

The Strength and Terror of the War Horse

19
"Did you give the horse its strength? Did you clothe its neck with a mane? ​
20
Did you make him able to leap like a locust? Its majestic snorting is frightening!
21
It paws with force and exults with vigor, then charges into the battle;
22
mocking at fear, unafraid, it does not shy away from the sword.
23
The [rider's] quiver rattles over it, [his] gleaming spear and javelin.
24
Frenzied and eager, it devours the ground, scarcely believing the shofar has sounded.
25
At the sound of the shofar it whinnies; as from afar it scents the battle, the roar of the chiefs and the shouting. ​

The Instinctive Flight of Birds of Prey

26
"Is it your wisdom that sets the hawk soaring, spreading its wings toward the south? ​
27
Does the eagle fly up when you say so, to build its nest in the heights? ​
28
It lives and spends its nights on the cliffs; a rocky crag is its fortress.
29
From there it spots its prey, its eyes see it far off.
30
Its young ones suck up blood; wherever the slain are, there it 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.

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