TRV
Translation
King James Version
Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
Berean Standard Bible
Can you hold him to the furrow with a harness? Will he plow the valleys behind you?
American Standard Version
Canst thou bind the wild-ox with his band in the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
World English Bible Messianic
Can you hold the wild ox in the furrow with his harness? Or will he till the valleys after you?
Geneva Bible (1599)
He derideth the multitude of the citie: he heareth not the crie of the driuer.
Young's Literal Translation
Dost thou bind a Reem in a furrow with his thick band? Doth he harrow valleys after thee?
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In the KJVVerse 13,845 of 31,102
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Commentary on Job 39 verses 1–12
1 ¶ Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?
2 Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?
3 They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows.
4 Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they go forth, and return not unto them.
5 Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?
6 Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings.
7 He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver.
8 The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.
9 Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib?
10 Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
11 Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?
12 Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn?
God here shows Job what little acquaintance he had with the untamed creatures that run wild in the deserts and live at large, but are the care of the divine Providence. As,
I. The wild goats and the hinds. That which is taken notice of concerning them is the bringing forth and bringing up of their young ones. For, as every individual is fed, so every species of animals is preserved, by the care of the divine Providence, and, for aught we know, none extinct to this day. Observe here, 1. Concerning the production of their young, (1.) Man is wholly ignorant of the time when they bring forth, Job 39:1, Job 39:2. Shall we pretend to tell what is in the womb of Providence, or what a day will bring forth, who know not the time of the pregnancy of a hind or a wild goat? (2.) Though they bring forth their young with a great deal of difficulty and sorrow, and have no assistance from man, yet, by the good providence of God, their young ones are safely produced, and their sorrows cast out and forgotten, Job 39:3. Some think it is intimated (Psa 29:9) that God by thunder helps the hinds in calving. Let it be observed, for the comfort of women in labour, that God helps even the hinds to bring forth their young; and shall he not much more succour them, and save them in child-bearing, who are his children in covenant with him? 2. Concerning the growth of their young, (Job 39:4): They are in good liking; though they are brought forth in sorrow, after their dams have suckled them awhile they shift for themselves in the corn-fields, and are no more burdensome to them, which is an example to children, when they have grown up, not to be always hanging upon their parents and craving from them, but to put forth themselves to get their own livelihood and to requite their parents.
II. The wild ass, a creature we frequently read of in Scripture, some say untameable. Man is said to be born as the wild ass's colt, so hard to be governed. Two things Providence has allotted to the wild ass: - 1. An unbounded liberty (Job 39:5): Who but God has sent out the wild ass free? He has given a disposition to it, and therefore a dispensation for it. The tame ass is bound to labour; the wild ass has no bonds on him. Note, Freedom from service, and liberty to range at pleasure, are but the privileges of a wild ass. It is a pity that any of the children of men should covet such a liberty, or value themselves on it. It is better to labour and be good for something than ramble and be good for nothing. But if, among men, Providence sets some at liberty and suffers them to live at ease, while others are doomed to servitude, we must not marvel at the matter: it is so among the brute-creatures. 2. An unenclosed lodging (Job 39:6): Whose house I have made the wilderness, where he has room enough to traverse his ways, and snuff up the wind at his pleasure, as the wild ass is said to do (Jer 2:24), as if he had to live upon the air, for it is the barren land that is his dwelling. Observe, The tame ass, that labours, and is serviceable to man, has his master's crib to go to both for shelter and food, and lives in a fruitful land: but the wild ass, that will have his liberty, must have it in a barren land. He that will not labour, let him not eat. He that will shall eat the labour of his hands, and have also to give to him that needs. Jacob, the shepherd, has good red pottage to spare, when Esau, a sportsman, is ready to perish for hunger. A further description of the liberty and livelihood of the wild ass we have, Job 39:7, Job 39:8. (1.) He has no owner, nor will he be in subjection: He scorns the multitude of the city. If they attempt to take him, and in order to that surround him with a multitude, he will soon get clear of them, and the crying of the driver is nothing to him. He laughs at those that live in the tumult and bustle of cities (so bishop Patrick), thinking himself happier in the wilderness; and opinion is the rate of things. (2.) Having no owner, he has no feeder, nor is any provision made for him, but he must shift for himself: The range of the mountains is his pasture, and a bare pasture it is; there he searches after here and there a green thing, as he can find it and pick it up; whereas the labouring asses have green things in plenty, without their searching for them. From the untameableness of this and other creatures we may infer how unfit we are to give law to Providence, who cannot give law even to a wild ass's colt.
III. The unicorn - rhem, a strong creature (Num 23:22), a stately proud creature, Psa 112:10. He is able to serve, but not willing; and God here challenges Job to force him to it. Job expected every thing should be just as he would have it. "Since thou dost pretend" (says God) "to bring every thing beneath thy sway, begin with the unicorn, and try thy skill upon him. Now that thy oxen and asses are all gone, try whether he will be willing to serve thee in their stead (Job 39:9) and whether he will be content with the provision thou usedst to make for them: Will he abide by thy crib? No;" 1. "Thou canst not tame him, nor bind him with his band, nor set him to draw the harrow," Job 39:10. There are creatures that are willing to serve man, that seem to take a pleasure in serving him, and to have a love for their masters; but there are such as will never be brought to serve him, which is the effect of sin. Man has revolted from his subjection to his Maker, and is therefore justly punished with the revolt of the inferior creatures from their subjection to him; and yet, as an instance of God's good-will to man, there are some that are still serviceable to him. Though the wild bull (which some think is meant here by the unicorn) will not serve him, nor submit to his hand in the furrows, yet there are tame bullocks that will, and other animals that are not ferae naturae - of a wild nature, in whom man may have a property, for whom he provides, and to whose service he is entitled. Lord, what is man, that thou art thus mindful of him? 2. "Thou darest not trust him; though his strength is great, yet thou wilt not leave thy labour to him, as thou dost with thy asses or oxen, which a little child may lead or drive, leaving to them all the pains. Thou wilt never depend upon the wild bull, as likely to come to thy harvest-work, much less to go through it, to bring home thy seed and gather it into thy barn," Job 39:11, Job 39:12. And, because he will not serve about the corn, he is not so well fed as the tame ox, whose mouth was not to be muzzled in treading out the corn; but therefore he will not draw the plough, because he that made him never designed him for it. A disposition to labour is as much the gift of God as an ability for it; and it is a great mercy if, where God gives strength for service, he gives a heart; it is what we should pray for, and reason ourselves into, which the brutes cannot do; for, as among beasts, so among men, those may justly be reckoned wild and abandoned to the deserts who have no mind either to take pains or to do good.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–12. Public domain.
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Ephrem the SyrianAD 373
COMMENTARY ON JOB 39:9
“Is the unicorn willing to serve you?” This animal, as is reported, is similar to an ox and is found in the austral regions, armed with a single horn. In the unicorn, whoever is not subjected at all to the bondage of the world is covertly represented. It is said to be provided with a single horn, because there is only one truth for the righteous. Again the human soul is compared with the unicorn, and it must be defined as endowed with a single horn if it is led by a single movement to the top. Moreover, it is said that the unicorn cannot be caught as its strength and dangerousness are extreme. However, the virgin hunter can win it, after being captured by the pleasure of beauty. So the soul is caught by the things that it has loved.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
4. The bands of the Church, are the precepts of discipline. But to plough, is to cleave with the ploughshare of the tongue the soil of the human breast by earnestness of preaching. This rhinoceros therefore, which was before proud and stubborn, is now bound and fastened by the bands of faith; and he is led from the manger to plough, because he endeavours to make known to others also that very preaching, with which he has himself been refreshed. For we know with what cruelty this rhinoceros, that is to say, this earthly prince, raged against the Lord; and now we know with what humility he prostrates him beneath Him, by the power of the Lord. This rhinoceros was not only bound, but bound to plough: because, in truth, when bound by the bands of discipline, he not only keeps himself from wicked works, but also exercises himself in preaching the holy faith. For behold, as was before said, when we see the rulers and chiefs themselves of human concerns fearing God in their actions, what else do we see them than bound with bands? But when, by the enacting of laws, they cease not to preach that faith which they recently assaulted with persecution, what else do they, but toil at the labours of the plough?
5. We are permitted to see this rhinoceros, that is, this prince of the earth, bound with the bands of faith; how he both wears his horn, by the power of the world, and bears the yoke of faith, by the love of God. This rhinoceros were greatly to be feared, unless he were bound. For he has in truth a horn, but yet he is bound. The lowly have therefore something to love in his bands, the proud have something to fear in his horn. For, as fast bound with thongs, he preserves the gentleness of meekness; but, as supported by the horn of earthly glory, he exercises the dominion of power. But frequently, when he is hurried on by the provocation of anger to strike, he is recalled by heavenly fear. And he rouses himself to fury, by his power being provoked; but because he calls to mind the eternal Judge, he bends himself down with fastened horn. I remember, that I myself have frequently seen, that when this rhinoceros was rousing himself to strike a heavy blow, and was threatening, as it were, with elevated horn, death, banishment, and condemnation to the smaller animals, who were suffering under unbounded dread, he extinguished all the blaze of fury within, on the sign of the cross being suddenly imprinted on his brow, that he was converted and laid aside his threats, and, as bound, acknowledged that he could not proceed to his resolutions. And not only does he subdue all wrath within himself, but he hastens to implant also every thing which is right, in the feelings of his subjects; in order to show himself, by the example of his own humility, that all should reverence Holy Church from their inmost thoughts. Let it be said therefore to blessed Job; Wilt thou bind the rhinoceros with thy band to plough? As if He plainly said; Dost thou direct the mighty ones of this world, trusting in their foolish pride, to the labour of preaching, and restrain them under the bonds of discipline? Thou understandest, As Myself, who did that, when I willed; Who made My very persecutors, whom I first endured as enemies, to be afterwards themselves the defenders of sound faith. It follows;
Or will he break the clods of the valleys after thee?
6. The overlying clods of cultivated land are wont to press down the seeds which have been thrown in, and to stifle them when springing up. By which clods are signified in this place those, who through their own hardness, and deadly life, neither receive themselves the seeds of the word, nor yet allow others to bring forth fruits of the seeds they have received. For every holy preacher, on coming into the world, had, by preaching the Gospel to the poor, ploughed, as it were, the soft lands of the valleys. But the Church, unable to break down the hardness of some of the haughty, was bearing them when oppressed, as clods thrown upon her labours. For many of perverse mind, relying on this very unbelief of earthly princes, were oppressing the rising Church with the weight of evil living, when they were destroying, for a long while, those whom they could, at one time by their damnable examples, at another by threats, at another by blandishments, lest the cultivated soil of the heart of their hearers should attain to the fruit of spiritual seed. But when Almighty God subdued this rhinoceros with his bands, He broke at once by his aid the hardness of the clods. For He presently subjugated the princes of the earth to His faith, and crushed the hard hearts of persecutors, that the broken clods might, as it were, no longer oppress with their hardness, but might crumble and bud forth on receiving the seeds of the word. Whence He now rightly says; Or will he break the clods of the valleys after thee? As if He were saying, As after Me, Who, after I enter the mind of any lofty power, not only render it subject to Me, but also train it to crush the enemies of the faith, that the mighty of this world, being bound with the bands of My fear, may not only continue believers in Me, but may also from zeal for Me crush the hardness of another’s heart.
7. But this, which we have said of unbelievers, we observe also in many who are reckoned by the name of faith. For many, placed in the midst of lowly brethren, hold the faith in word only, but while they abandon not the swelling of pride, while they oppress those, whom they can, by the infliction of violence, while they themselves receive not at all the seeds of the word, while others are bearing fruit, but turn the ear of their heart from the voice of the adviser, what else are they, but hardened clods lying in the cultivated valleys? Who are the more wicked, inasmuch as they neither bring forth themselves the fruit of humility, and, what is worse, oppress the lowly who are producing it. To break down the hardness of these, Holy Church, because she suffices not with her own strength, sometimes seeks the assistance of this rhinoceros, that is, of an earthly prince, for him to break down the overlying clods, which the humility of the Churches, like the level of the valleys, is bearing. These clods, therefore, the rhinoceros presses and crushes with his foot, because the religion of the prince crumbles, by its power, the hardness of the wicked and powerful, which the humility of the Church is unable to withstand. And since it is the effect of Divine power alone, that the loftinesses of earthly sovereignty are bowed down, to advance the kingdom of heaven, it is now rightly said, Or will he break the clods of the valleys after thee? But that Job may think humbly of his virtues, and, under the name of the rhinoceros, still discern sublime truths concerning the powers of this world.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
32. The Lord had, in truth, already entered the minds of some, who believed Him to be truly the Redeemer of mankind. But yet, when they departed not from their former observance, when they kept to the harsh preaching of the letter, the illustrious preacher says to them; If ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. [Gal. 5, 2] What else then did he, who in the humble mind of the faithful crushed by refutation the harshness of the law, but break the clods in the valley after the Lord? in order, namely, that the grains of the seeds, which the furrow of the heart, cleft by the plough of faith, was receiving, might not perish by being kept down by the observance of the letter.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Job 39:10 presents a profound rhetorical question from God to Job, delivered from the whirlwind, which starkly contrasts humanity's finite power and understanding with divine omnipotence. Through the vivid and seemingly absurd imagery of attempting to domesticate the wild and untamable aurochs (mistranslated as "unicorn" in the KJV) for agricultural labor, God powerfully underscores His absolute sovereignty over all creation, even its most formidable and independent elements. This serves to humble Job, expand his perspective on God's unsearchable wisdom and control, and ultimately lead him to a posture of awe and submission.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is deeply embedded within God's magnificent and awe-inspiring discourse to Job, which spans chapters 38-41. Following Job's persistent laments, self-justification, and challenges to divine justice, God responds not with an explanation for suffering, but with an overwhelming display of His creative power and wisdom. He systematically parades before Job the wonders of the natural world—from the cosmos to meteorological phenomena, and then to various wild animals—all of which are utterly beyond human comprehension or control. The specific questions concerning the untamable re'em (aurochs) in Job 39:9-12 serve as a powerful climax to this section, demonstrating that if humanity cannot even harness a wild beast for a simple farm task, how can it presume to grasp or critique the divine administration of the universe and its intricate moral order? The immediate literary context thus emphasizes the vast chasm between human limitation and divine majesty.
Historical & Cultural Context: Ancient Israel was fundamentally an agrarian society, intimately familiar with the domestication of animals for labor, particularly oxen used for plowing and harrowing. The imagery of binding an animal with a "band" (yoke) and employing it to "furrow" (plow) or "harrow the valleys" (break up soil) would have resonated immediately and powerfully with Job and his contemporaries. The "unicorn" in the KJV is a significant mistranslation of the Hebrew re'em (רְאֵם), which refers to the aurochs (Bos primigenius), a now-extinct species of large, powerful, and notoriously wild cattle that roamed the ancient Near East. Unlike domesticated oxen, the aurochs was renowned for its immense strength, ferocity, and absolute resistance to human subjugation. The choice of this specific animal highlights the stark contrast between human attempts at control and the raw, untamed power of God's creation, which remains solely under His dominion, serving His purposes rather than human utility.
Key Themes: Job 39:10 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Job and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores God's Absolute Sovereignty and Power over all creation, asserting that His control extends even to the most formidable and independent aspects of the natural world, far beyond human capacity to manage or comprehend. This divine omnipotence is a recurring motif throughout Scripture, also seen in passages like Psalm 24:1 and Isaiah 45:12. Secondly, the verse emphasizes Human Limitation and Humility, reminding Job—and all humanity—of our finite understanding, limited power, and inability to fully grasp or control the complexities of God's design and His ways. This theme is central to Job's journey from self-justification to humble submission, as reflected in Job 42:1-6. Finally, it speaks to Divine Wisdom in Creation, suggesting that God creates creatures for purposes beyond immediate human utility or domestication. The existence of untamable beasts testifies to a divine wisdom that transcends human needs and desires, reminding us that not everything in creation is for our benefit or under our control, aligning with the celebration of God's creative wisdom in Psalm 104.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 39:10 is rich in Rhetorical Question. God poses these questions not to elicit information from Job, but to make a forceful and undeniable point, compelling Job to acknowledge his own ignorance, limited power, and inability to control or comprehend God's vast creation, in stark contrast to God's infinite wisdom and absolute control. The verse also employs vivid Imagery, painting a clear and almost humorous picture of an untamable beast being absurdly forced into a domestic, subservient agricultural role. This creates a powerful sense of Irony, as the very idea of the mighty, independent aurochs submitting to human agricultural labor is preposterous, underscoring humanity's hubris in questioning God. The entire discourse, including this verse, is an example of Anthropomorphism, as God speaks to Job in human terms and uses human-relatable scenarios (like farming) to convey profound theological truths about His divine attributes and the nature of His sovereignty.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 39:10 serves as a powerful reminder of the vast chasm between human capacity and divine omnipotence. It underscores that God's power is not limited to what humans can comprehend or control; rather, His sovereignty extends over every aspect of creation, including the wild, untamed, and seemingly unproductive elements. This challenges anthropocentric views of creation, asserting that God's purposes are grander than immediate human utility or convenience. The untamable aurochs symbolizes those aspects of life, nature, or even our personal circumstances that remain utterly beyond our grasp, forcing us to confront our limitations and trust in a God whose wisdom and control are absolute. This humility is a foundational step towards true worship and a deep reliance on the Creator, acknowledging that His ways are higher than our ways.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 39:10 invites us to a profound posture of humility and awe before our Creator. In a world that often seeks to control, categorize, and utilize everything for human benefit, this verse reminds us that there are aspects of God's creation, and indeed of His providence, that remain wild, untamed, and utterly beyond our manipulation. When we encounter circumstances that defy our understanding, resist our efforts to control, or seem to serve no immediate human purpose, this passage calls us to surrender our need for mastery. It encourages us to trust that the same God who sovereignly manages the untamable beasts of the wild also holds all our life's unmanageable complexities in His wise and powerful hand. Our peace is found not in our ability to bind every "unicorn" in our lives, but in resting in the omnipotence of the One who alone can. This surrender is not passive resignation, but an active trust that God's wisdom is perfect, even when His ways are beyond our comprehension.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the "unicorn" mentioned in Job 39:10?
Answer: The "unicorn" in the King James Version of Job 39:10 is a significant mistranslation of the Hebrew word re'em (רְאֵם). This word refers not to a mythical one-horned horse, but to the aurochs (Bos primigenius), an extinct species of large, powerful, and notoriously wild bovine. These animals were known for their immense strength, ferocity, and untamable nature, making them impossible for humans to domesticate for agricultural work like plowing or harrowing. The KJV translators likely chose "unicorn" based on ancient Greek and Latin translations that associated the re'em with a single, prominent horn, or simply as a general term for a powerful, wild beast. The point of the verse is to highlight a creature that is utterly beyond human control, emphasizing God's unique sovereignty over it, as also referenced in Numbers 23:22 and Deuteronomy 33:17.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Job 39:10 speaks of God's untamable creation, its Christ-centered fulfillment points to the One who perfectly embodies and exercises divine sovereignty, yet paradoxically came in ultimate humility. Jesus Christ is the Creator through whom all things were made, including the wild beasts and the untamed forces of nature, as affirmed in John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16. He is the one who can bind the "unicorn"—not literally, but metaphorically, He possesses absolute authority over all that is wild, chaotic, and untamable in creation and in the human heart. He demonstrated this by calming raging storms with a word (Mark 4:39), casting out demons who defied human control (Luke 8:29), and ultimately conquering the untamable forces of sin and death through His crucifixion and resurrection (Hebrews 2:14). In Christ, God's sovereign power, which humbles Job, is revealed as redemptive power, inviting us not merely to acknowledge our limitations but to find our true freedom and purpose in submitting to the gentle yoke of the One who is truly Lord of all (Matthew 11:29-30). He is the one who can tame the wildness within our own hearts and bring us into His perfect order.