TRV
Translation
King James Version
Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?
Complete Jewish Bible
Can you tell how many months they carry their young? Do you know when they give birth,
Berean Standard Bible
Can you count the months they are pregnant? Do you know the time they give birth?
American Standard Version
Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? Or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?
World English Bible Messianic
Can you number the months that they fulfill? Or do you know the time when they give birth?
Young's Literal Translation
Thou dost number the months they fulfil? And thou hast known the time of their bringing forth!
See also
See on the biblical-era map
In the KJVVerse 13,837 of 31,102
Study This Verse
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.
Copy as
John ChrysostomAD 407
COMMENTARY ON JOB 39:1B-3B
He is right in saying, “Have you protected the calving of the hinds?” Since flight, fear and anxiety are usual in this kind of animal, which never ceases from leaping and galloping, how, he says, can it not abort, so do you know how its young can be given birth at the right time? “Say if you have numbered the full months of their being with young, and if you have relieved their pangs. [Speak out if you] have reared their young without fear. Will you loosen their pangs?” This animal is timorous. How may its young ones, which cannot count on the speed of their legs, be devoid of fear? Who watches them? You see that nature never abandons them, neither the lion rules through its strength, nor is the hind abandoned.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
44. For when holy men think of the improvement of their hearers, they bear already a conception, as it were, in their womb. But when they put off some things which ought to be said, and seek a season fit for their exhortations, they are detained, as it were, by a weary length of months, from that birth which they wish to take place. And frequently when they are unwilling to express some of their sentiments to their hearers unseasonably; by this very slowness in declaring their opinion they are strengthened with greater wisdom, whether for giving this advice, or for reproving these faults. And while the life of their children is considered, but the tongue utters not the thoughts of the mind before the time, the offspring which has been already conceived grows, as it were, within the womb; in order that the sentiment of their heart may then come forth to the knowledge of the hearers, when being usefully uttered it can live, as if at the fit season for its birth. But since men are ignorant when, or how, these things take place in the mind of teachers, but God, in order to the glory of retribution, considers not only the effects, but also the seasons of thoughts, it is rightly said to blessed Job, Hast thou numbered the months of their conception? Thou understandest, As I, Who count in holy preachers not only the fruits of their outward doings, but their long-continued meditations themselves; Who reserve them also for retribution.
45. By months, because they are an aggregate of days, multiplied virtues can be likewise understood. In months also the moon is new born; and there is no hindrance, if the new creating of regeneration is understood by months. Of which the Apostle Paul says, In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. [Gal. 6, 15] When holy men, therefore, prepare themselves for preaching, they first renew themselves within with virtues, in order to accord in their living with that which they teach in words. They first consider their own internal state, and cleanse themselves from all the filth of sin; taking special care to shine forth against anger with the light of patience, against the lust of the flesh to glitter with cleanness even of the heart, against torpor, to be bright with zeal, against the confused motions of precipitation to glow with serene gravity, against pride to shine with true humility, against fear to be brilliant with the rays of authority. Because therefore they first accumulate such attention on themselves, months of virtues pass, as it were, in the conception of holy preaching. And the Lord alone numbers these months, because no one but He Who has given these virtues, values them in their hearts. And because the produce of fruit follows according to the measure of their virtues, it is rightly subjoined;
And hast thou known the time when they bring forth?
46. Thou understandest, As I, Who, when I number months in the thought of virtues, know when they are able to bring forth that which they wish to perform; because, doubtless, whilst I behold the secrets of the heart, I judge from the weight of thought within, the future result of the work without.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
MORALS ON THE BOOK OF JOB 30.49
“Their young ones leave and go to pasture.” Holy Scripture calls “pasture” that green place of eternity where our nourishment will never be spoiled by any drought. About this pasture the psalmist says, “The Lord is my shepherd, and I will never lack anything. In a green place, there he gave me rest.” And again, “We are his people and herd of his pasture.” And the Truth himself says about these pastures, “If one enters through me, he will be saved and will get out and will find pasture.” They go to pasture because, after going out of their body, they find the eternal green pastures. They go out and do not go back to them, because, after being received in that joyful contemplation, they do not need to hear the words of those who teach. And so, after going out they do not go back to them, because after escaping the afflictions of life, they do not seek to receive any longer from the doctors the doctrine of life.
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.
Copy as
Continue studying Job 39:2 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Job 39:2 presents a profound rhetorical question from God to Job, spoken from the whirlwind, designed to expose the vast limitations of human understanding and underscore divine omnipotence and omniscience over all creation. In this verse, God specifically challenges Job's capacity to comprehend the precise biological cycles of wild animals, particularly their gestation periods and the exact moment of their delivery, thereby magnificently highlighting God's meticulous providence and sovereign control over every intricate detail of natural phenomena.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 39:2 primarily employs a Rhetorical Question, a powerful literary device where a question is posed not to elicit an answer, but to make a profound point or create a dramatic effect. God asks Job questions that are inherently unanswerable by human wisdom, thereby highlighting Job's (and by extension, humanity's) inherent limitations and God's boundless omniscience and sovereignty. This technique serves to humble Job, compelling him to acknowledge the vast disparity between his finite understanding and the Creator's infinite wisdom. The verse also utilizes Parallelism, with the two clauses ("Canst thou number the months [that] they fulfil?" and "or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?") reinforcing the same core idea through slightly different phrasing. This creates a rhythmic and emphatic challenge, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of God's knowledge versus human ignorance regarding the intricate timing of natural processes. The specific examples of wild animals also serve as Synecdoche, where a part (wild animals' gestation) represents the whole (God's comprehensive control over all natural processes and life).
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 39:2 powerfully illustrates God's absolute sovereignty and meticulous providence over His creation, even in its most untamed and seemingly unpredictable aspects. It serves as a profound testament to divine wisdom, demonstrating that the intricate biological clocks and life cycles of wild animals are not random occurrences but are precisely orchestrated and sustained by God. This challenges humanity's tendency to rely on its own limited understanding and calls for a posture of humility and trust in the Creator's all-encompassing knowledge and control. The verse implicitly teaches that if God so meticulously cares for the wild creatures, whose lives are often hidden from human sight, His care for humanity, made in His image and the pinnacle of His creation, is infinitely greater and more profound, extending to every detail of our existence.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 39:2 invites us to pause and reflect deeply on the immense wisdom, meticulous care, and sovereign control of God, evident even in the unseen biological processes of wild animals. In a world that often feels chaotic, unpredictable, or beyond our control, this verse serves as a powerful reminder that there is a divine Hand orchestrating even the most intricate details of life, from the largest cosmic phenomena to the smallest, hidden biological rhythms. It calls us to cultivate a posture of profound humility, recognizing the vast limitations of our own knowledge and understanding compared to the infinite wisdom of the Creator. This humility should, in turn, lead to a deeper, more abiding trust: if God knows the precise timing of a wild goat's birth, He certainly knows and orchestrates the details of our lives, our challenges, our future, and the timing of His perfect plan for us. This perspective can liberate us from anxiety, the burden of needing to control every outcome, and the frustration of the unknown, encouraging us instead to rest securely in His sovereign plan and to marvel at His consistent, faithful care for all creation, including each one of us.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does God ask Job questions He knows Job cannot answer?
Answer: God asks rhetorical questions throughout His discourse in Job 38-41 not because He expects Job to provide answers, but to powerfully reveal His own unparalleled wisdom, limitless power, and absolute sovereignty, and to profoundly humble Job. These questions expose the vast chasm between finite human understanding and infinite divine knowledge. By pointing to intricate details of creation—like the precise timing of animal births in Job 39:2—God demonstrates that His ways are unsearchable and His judgments unfathomable, far beyond human comprehension. The ultimate purpose is not to shame Job but to reorient his perspective, leading him to a deeper reverence, humility, and trust in God, acknowledging that the Creator's plan is always perfect, even when it is beyond human understanding or appears unjust from a limited viewpoint.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Job 39:2 is rooted in God's Old Testament revelation of His majestic sovereignty over creation, it finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the Person of Jesus, who is the very embodiment of divine wisdom and the active agent of creation and its ongoing sustenance. The God who meticulously knows the "months" and "time" of every creature's birth is the same God revealed in Christ, through 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). Jesus, as the eternal Word of God, is not only the Creator but also the sustainer, actively upholding "the universe by the word of his power" (Hebrews 1:3). The meticulous care and intimate knowledge God exhibits over wild animals in Job foreshadows the even greater, more intimate knowledge and care Jesus demonstrates for humanity, exemplified in His assurance that not even a single sparrow falls without the Father's knowledge, and that we, His beloved children, are of infinitely more value than many sparrows (Matthew 10:29-31). Ultimately, the unsearchable wisdom of God displayed in creation's intricate timing culminates in the perfect, divine timing of Christ's redemptive work, for "when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons" (Galatians 4:4-5). Thus, the sovereign control over creation's cycles, highlighted in Job, powerfully points to the sovereign Lordship of Christ over all things, including the precise unfolding of salvation history and the personal lives of His redeemed.