Job 39:11
Wilt thou trust him, because his strength [is] great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?
Wilt thou trust {H982} him, because his strength {H3581} is great {H7227}? or wilt thou leave {H5800} thy labour {H3018} to him?
Would you trust its great strength enough to let it do your heavy work,
Can you rely on his great strength? Will you leave your hard work to him?
Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? Or wilt thou leave to him thy labor?
Cross-References
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Isaiah 31:1
¶ Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because [they are] many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD! -
Isaiah 31:3
Now the Egyptians [are] men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together. -
Psalms 144:14
[That] our oxen [may be] strong to labour; [that there be] no breaking in, nor going out; that [there be] no complaining in our streets. -
Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. -
Psalms 147:10
He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. -
Psalms 20:7
Some [trust] in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. -
Genesis 9:2
And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth [upon] the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
Commentary
Job 39:11 (KJV)
This verse is part of God's powerful speech to Job from the whirlwind, where He challenges Job's understanding and wisdom by highlighting the wonders and untamable nature of His creation. Here, God is speaking about the "unicorn" (KJV), which is generally understood by modern scholars to refer to the *re'em*, a powerful wild ox or aurochs, known for its immense strength and independence.
The question is rhetorical: "Wilt thou trust him [the wild ox], because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?" God is asking Job if he could possibly rely on such a creature, despite its great physical power, to do the work of a domesticated animal, like plowing or harrowing the fields (as mentioned in the preceding verses). The obvious answer is no; its wild, untamable nature makes its strength useless for human labor and control.
The key theme is the contrast between raw power and usefulness or reliability from a human perspective. God uses this example to illustrate that while humans might value and seek to control strength, there are aspects of His creation, under His sole control, that are utterly beyond human manipulation or understanding.
This passage serves to humble Job, reminding him of his limited perspective and inability to control even powerful earthly creatures. If Job cannot manage the wild ox, how can he presume to understand or question God's management of the entire universe and the complexities of human suffering? It points to God's absolute sovereignty and the unsearchable nature of His wisdom and power. We are reminded that true reliability and control rest with God alone, not with the powerful forces of nature or life that we cannot tame.
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