TRV
Translation
King James Version
Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?
American Standard Version
Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? Or wilt thou leave to him thy labor?
World English Bible Messianic
Will you trust him, because his strength is great? Or will you leave to him your labor?
Geneva Bible (1599)
He seeketh out the mountaine for his pasture, and searcheth after euery greene thing.
Young's Literal Translation
Dost thou trust in him because great is his power? And dost thou leave unto him thy labour?
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In the KJVVerse 13,846 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
8. The Lord asserts that He has confidence in the strength of the rhinoceros; because He inclined the powers, which He had conferred for a temporal purpose on an earthly prince, to minister to His reverence, in order that by the power he had received, through which he had, heretofore, been puffed up against God, he might now bestow on God religious obedience. For the more powerful he is toward the world, the more does he prevail for the Creator of the world. For because he is himself dreaded by his subjects, he persuades them the more readily, the more he points out with his power, Who is truly to be feared. Let it be said then; Wilt thou have confidence in his great strength? As if it were said, As I, Who see, that the powers of earthly princes are about to submit to My worship. For I regard those things which thou art now doing, as of so much the less consequence, the more I now foresee, that I shall bend down to Myself even the greater powers of this world. But it is well subjoined; And wilt thou leave to him thy labours? For the Lord left His labours to this rhinoceros, because He entrusted to an earthly prince, on his conversion, that Church which He purchased by His own death, because, namely, He committed to his hand the great anxiety of preserving the peace of the faith.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
33. The Lord had confidence in the strength of this rhinoceros; because the more He endured him cruelly inflicting hardships upon Him, the more firmly He foresaw him enduring adversities for His sake. To whom also He left the labours, which He Himself had endured in the flesh; because He led him when converted even to the imitation of His own Passion. Whence also it is said by the same rhinoceros, I fill up those things which are lacking of the sufferings of Christ in my flesh. [Col. 1, 24]
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 39:11 is a pivotal rhetorical question posed by God to Job from the whirlwind, challenging Job's limited understanding of divine sovereignty by highlighting the untamable nature of His creation. Specifically, God questions Job's ability to rely on the powerful yet wild re'em (often translated "wild ox" or "aurochs") for human agricultural labor. This query profoundly underscores the immense chasm between humanity's desire to control and harness power for its own purposes, and God's absolute dominion over all creation, much of which remains beyond human manipulation or comprehension, thereby humbling Job and revealing the unsearchable wisdom of the Almighty.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Job 39:11 is deeply embedded within God's majestic and overwhelming speeches to Job, which commence in Job 38 and extend through Job 41. This extensive divine discourse serves as God's direct, yet indirect, response to Job's persistent questioning of divine justice and his lament over his suffering. Rather than offering a direct explanation for Job's plight, God chooses to humble Job by showcasing His unassailable creative power and providential control over the natural world, particularly focusing on creatures that are inherently beyond human management. The immediate context of Job 39 specifically details various wild animals—including the mountain goat, wild donkey, wild ox (re'em), ostrich, and horse—each presented as a profound testament to God's unique design, independent sustenance, and ultimate dominion. Verses 9-10 directly precede verse 11, setting up the rhetorical challenge concerning the re'em, asking if it would be willing to serve humanity, making verse 11 the logical and forceful continuation of this line of questioning regarding its suitability for human labor.
Historical & Cultural Context: In the ancient Near East, agrarian societies were utterly dependent on agriculture, and the domestication of animals, especially oxen, was foundational for survival. These beasts of burden were indispensable for plowing, harrowing, threshing, and other forms of heavy field labor. The concept of harnessing animal strength for human benefit was not merely understood but was a daily reality and necessity. The re'em, identified by modern scholarship as the aurochs (Bos primigenius), was a truly formidable wild bovine, renowned for its immense physical strength, powerful horns, and fiercely untamable nature. Unlike domesticated oxen, the re'em could not be yoked, controlled, or trained for agricultural purposes; its wildness rendered its strength utterly useless for human enterprise. Other biblical references, such as Numbers 23:22 and Deuteronomy 33:17, consistently emphasize its raw power. God's challenge to Job in this verse masterfully taps into this deep-seated cultural understanding, contrasting the raw, unmanageable power of the re'em with the controlled, useful power of domesticated animals, thereby powerfully illustrating the inherent limits of human dominion even over the physical world.
Key Themes: The overarching and foundational theme of God's speeches in the book of Job is the absolute divine sovereignty and the profound inscrutability of God's wisdom. Job 39:11 specifically contributes to the theme of the limits of human wisdom and control. By presenting creatures like the re'em that are utterly beyond human taming, God powerfully demonstrates that His creation operates according to His divine design and purpose, not human convenience, understanding, or manipulation. This highlights the vastness of God's power, which extends not only to creating but also to sustaining and governing all things, including those elements of creation that actively defy human attempts at mastery. The passage also serves to profoundly humble humanity, reminding us that if we cannot even control the wild beasts of the field, how much less can we possibly comprehend or challenge the intricate ways of the Almighty, whose thoughts are infinitely higher than our thoughts and whose ways are beyond our ways, as affirmed in Isaiah 55:8-9. Ultimately, it underscores the critical theme of trust in divine providence, even when God's actions or the circumstances of life seem mysterious, contrary to human expectations, or even unjust, as was the case with Job's suffering.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The primary literary device powerfully employed in Job 39:11 is the Rhetorical Question. God poses questions that are not intended to elicit an audible answer from Job, but rather to provoke profound introspection, to expose Job's limited understanding, and to highlight an undeniable truth: Job's utter inability to control or even comprehend the wild re'em serves to underscore his even greater inability to grasp or challenge God's providential management of the entire universe. This device effectively humbles Job by exposing the inherent limits of his knowledge, power, and wisdom. There is also a strong element of Contrast woven into the verse, juxtaposing the raw, untamed strength of the wild ox with its complete unsuitability for human labor and control. This contrast serves to emphasize the critical distinction between mere power and power that is harnessed, directed, and purposeful—a distinction that ultimately points to God's own power as being not only immense but also perfectly ordered, wise, and purposeful. Furthermore, the passage employs Analogy or Metaphor, where the untamable nature of the re'em serves as a tangible and vivid representation of the many aspects of God's creation, His providential governance, and His divine wisdom that remain perpetually beyond human grasp, understanding, or manipulation.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 39:11 powerfully articulates a core theological truth: God's absolute and unquestionable sovereignty extends over every facet of creation, including those aspects that defy human comprehension or control. The untamable re'em serves as a vivid and tangible metaphor for the vastness of God's power and wisdom, which are not merely great but also profoundly inscrutable to finite human minds. If humanity cannot even harness the strength of a wild animal for its own purposes, how much less can it presume to understand or question the intricate workings of divine justice, the mystery of suffering, or the grand design of the cosmos? This verse calls humanity to profound humility, reminding us that true reliability, ultimate control, and perfect wisdom rest solely with God. It challenges our inherent desire to control our circumstances and to comprehend everything, urging us instead to cultivate a deep trust in a God whose ways are infinitely higher than our ways and whose thoughts are immeasurably deeper than our thoughts.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 39:11 profoundly invites us to reflect on the inherent limits of our own control and understanding in a world that often feels chaotic, unpredictable, or unjust. Like Job, we frequently desire to harness circumstances, to bend them to our will, or at the very least, to fully comprehend why things unfold as they do. We might be tempted to "trust" in our own strength, our intellect, our accumulated resources, or even the systems and powerful individuals of this world, rather than in God. We might also try to "leave our labor"—our plans, our anxieties, our future, our very sense of security—to our own tireless efforts. However, this verse serves as a powerful and humbling reminder that there are profound aspects of life, of creation, and of God's sovereign providence that are as untamable and uncontrollable as the wild ox. We are called to humble ourselves before the God who alone possesses infinite power, unsearchable wisdom, and perfect control. True peace, security, and spiritual rest come not from our ability to control or comprehend everything, but from our willingness to surrender our "labor" and our trust to the One who sovereignly oversees all things, even those that seem wild, incomprehensible, or beyond our grasp. It encourages us to find profound rest and confidence in His ultimate control, rather than fruitlessly striving to tame the untamable.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the "unicorn" mentioned in the KJV of Job 39:11?
Answer: The "unicorn" in the King James Version (KJV) is a translation of the Hebrew word re'em (רְאֵם). Modern scholarship widely agrees that re'em refers not to a mythical one-horned creature, but to a powerful, wild bovine, most likely the aurochs (Bos primigenius), which was a large, formidable wild ox now extinct. Its immense strength and untamable nature are consistently highlighted in biblical texts (e.g., Numbers 23:22 and Psalm 92:10), making it an apt example for God's rhetorical challenge to Job about the limits of human control over creation. The KJV translators likely chose "unicorn" based on ancient Greek (Septuagint) and Latin (Vulgate) translations that rendered re'em as a single-horned animal, perhaps due to the perspective of the animal in profile or a misunderstanding of its horns.
Why does God use examples of wild animals like the re'em to challenge Job?
Answer: God uses examples of wild animals throughout Job 38-41 to demonstrate His absolute and unquestionable sovereignty over all creation, which stands in stark contrast to Job's limited power and understanding. By highlighting creatures that are beyond human taming, control, or even full comprehension—like the re'em that cannot be yoked for labor, or the ostrich that abandons its eggs, or the leviathan that cannot be captured—God systematically dismantles Job's presumption to question divine justice or to understand the complexities of God's governance of the world. The point is not to explain Job's suffering directly, but to humble him by showing that if he cannot even manage the wild beasts of the earth, how can he possibly grasp or challenge the ways of the Almighty Creator, whose wisdom and power are infinite and unsearchable (Isaiah 40:28)? It serves to reorient Job's perspective from his own suffering to the majestic and incomprehensible greatness of God, leading Job to repentance and a deeper trust.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 39:11, with its profound portrayal of the untamable re'em and the inherent limits of human control, finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The wild ox, with its immense strength that cannot be harnessed by human hands for labor, serves as a powerful analogy for the aspects of God's power and wisdom that are beyond our finite comprehension and manipulation. Yet, in Christ, we behold the very embodiment of this divine, untamable power, perfectly yoked to divine wisdom and redemptive purpose. While humanity cannot "trust" in the untamed forces of creation or "leave its labor" to them, we are called to trust completely in Christ, who is the one in whom "all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him" (Colossians 1:16). He is the one who upholds the universe by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). The very power that Job could not grasp in the wild ox is perfectly revealed and exercised in Jesus, who has dominion over all creation, even commanding the winds and waves to obey Him (Mark 4:41). Furthermore, while we cannot leave our physical labor to the re'em, Christ invites us to leave our spiritual labor and heavy burdens to Him, promising profound rest for our weary souls: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). He is the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), bearing our ultimate "labor" of sin and its devastating consequences, offering us a perfect righteousness we could never earn. Thus, the untamable power and unsearchable wisdom of God, so vividly displayed in Job 39:11, ultimately find their perfect expression, their redemptive purpose, and their accessible grace in Jesus Christ, who is both our sovereign Lord and our compassionate Savior.