TRV
Translation
King James Version
They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows.
Complete Jewish Bible
when they crouch down and bring forth their young, when they deliver their fawns?
American Standard Version
They bow themselves, they bring forth their young, They cast out their pains.
World English Bible Messianic
They bow themselves, they bear their young. They end their labor pains.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Who prepareth for the rauen his meate, when his birdes crie vnto God, wandering for lacke of meate?
Young's Literal Translation
They bow down, Their young ones they bring forth safely, Their pangs they cast forth.
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In the KJVVerse 13,838 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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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
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.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
47. For they roar in truth, whilst by bending themselves down, they bring forth the souls of their hearers in the conversation of light; because they cannot release us from eternal punishments, except by tears and pain. For holy preachers sow in tears now, that they may afterwards reap a crop of joys. They are now like hinds in the pangs of bringing forth, that they may afterwards be fruitful in spiritual offspring. For, to speak of one out of many, I see Paul, like a hind, uttering roarings of great pain in his pangs of birth. For he says, My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, till Christ be formed in you, I desire to be with you now, and to change my voice, since I am perplexed for you. [Gal. 4, 19. 20.] Lo, he wishes to change his voice in his child-birth, that the voice of preaching may he turned into the roaring of pain. He wishes to change his voice, because those whom he had already brought forth by preaching, he was again bringing forth with groans in forming them anew. What a roaring did this travailing hind utter, when he was compelled to exclaim to these same persons, returning after him, saying, O senseless Galatians! who hath bewitched you? and are ye so foolish, that when ye have begun in the Spirit, ye are now made perfect by the flesh? [Gal. 3, 1. ib. 3] Or certainly; Ye did run well; who hindered you that ye should not obey the truth? [Gal. 5, 7] What a roaring was there in the birth-pains of this hind, which brought forth with so many difficulties her young so long conceived, and which knew they had returned, when at length brought forth, to the womb of wickedness? Let us consider what pain, what labour she suffered, who after she had had strength to bring forth what she had conceived, was, again, obliged to resuscitate them when dead.
48. But it must be particularly observed, that these hinds bow down to bring forth; doubtless, because they would not have strength to bring forth, if they were standing erect. For unless holy preachers were to come down from that boundlessness of inward contemplation which they embrace, by bending, as it were, to our infirmity, in the humblest preaching, they would surely never beget sons in the faith. For they could not benefit us, if they continued in the uprightness of their own height. But let us see the hind bending herself to bring forth. It says, I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal; as unto babes in Christ, I have given you milk and not meat. [1 Cor. 3, 1. 2.] And presently it mentions the causes of this bending, For hitherto ye were not able, neither yet now are ye able. [ibid.] But this hind, which has been bent on our account, let us, I pray you, behold erect says; We speak wisdom among them that are perfect. [1 Cor. 2, 6] And again, Whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God. [2 Cor 5, 13] But when it is beside itself to God, we do not at all understand its transport. It therefore bows down to us, in order to gain us. Whence it fitly subjoins in that place, Whether we be sober, it is for your cause. [ibid.] For if holy men were to choose to preach to us those things which they hear, when they are intoxicated with heavenly contemplation, and did not rather temper their knowledge with some moderation and sobriety, who could receive those streams of the heavenly fount, in the still contracted channel of his understanding? But these bended hinds are called elsewhere ‘heavens,’ of which it is said, Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down. [Ps. 144, 5] For when the heavens are bowed down, the Lord descends, because, when holy preachers bend themselves in their preaching, they pour the knowledge of the Godhead into our hearts. For the Lord would not at all descend to us, if His preachers were to remain inflexible in the rigour of contemplation. The heavens are therefore bowed down, for the Lord to descend, the hinds are bent, for us to be born in the new light of faith. These bended hinds are in the Song of Songs called the breasts of the Bride, as it is written, Thy breasts are better than wine. [Cant. 1, 2] For they are the breasts, which, fixed on the casket of the bosom, feed us with milk; because they themselves clinging to the secrets of loftiest contemplation nourish us with subtle preaching. In order therefore to bring us back from eternal groaning and pain, the hinds are now bent down, and utter roarings as they bring forth. But because those very persons who are born by the holy preaching of fathers, sometimes precede their teachers in suffering, so that while these are still remaining in this life, they themselves are already consummated by martyrdom.
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 39:3 stands as a powerful declaration within God's extended discourse to Job from the whirlwind, spanning chapters 38-41. This verse vividly describes the natural, unassisted birthing process of wild animals, serving to underscore God's meticulous and sovereign control over all creation. It highlights the inherent instincts divinely implanted in creatures and God's unfailing providential care for every aspect of their existence, thereby challenging Job's limited human understanding and wisdom in comparison to the Creator's infinite knowledge and boundless power.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Job 39:3 is strategically placed within God's climactic, rhetorical challenge to Job, commencing in Job 38 and extending through Job 41. Following Job's extensive lamentations and the circular theological debates with his three friends, God intervenes not to provide a direct explanation for suffering, but rather to assert His absolute sovereignty, incomprehensible wisdom, and unfathomable power over all creation. Chapters 38 and 39 specifically detail God's mastery over the cosmos, elemental forces, and the animal kingdom, with a particular focus on creatures beyond human control or comprehension, such as the wild ass, wild ox, and ostrich. Verse 39:3 sets the stage for these descriptions by highlighting the fundamental, instinctual act of procreation—an act that occurs effortlessly under divine oversight, without any human assistance or intervention. This serves to humble Job by demonstrating the vastness and self-sufficiency of God's dominion, contrasting it sharply with human limitations.
Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Near Eastern cultures, human interaction with animals predominantly revolved around domestication for labor, food, or companionship. The birthing process of domesticated animals would often involve human assistance, guidance, and protective care. In stark contrast, God's discourse in Job deliberately emphasizes wild animals—creatures of the untamed wilderness—that are inherently beyond human reach, control, or understanding. The arid, rugged landscapes of the ancient Near East, particularly the regions described in Job, were home to such untamed beasts. The fact that these animals, without any human intervention, "bow themselves," "bring forth their young ones," and "cast out their sorrows" speaks powerfully to God's self-sufficient and comprehensive providence. It highlights that God's care extends not just to humanity or domesticated creatures, but to the most remote and wild corners of His creation, demonstrating a level of control and wisdom far exceeding any human capacity or expectation. This would have resonated deeply with an audience familiar with the challenges of animal husbandry versus the mystery of the wild.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Job and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it profoundly illustrates Divine Providence and Sovereignty, showcasing God's meticulous design and ongoing, intimate care for all living things. He orchestrates the natural cycles of life, including the most vulnerable moments of birthing in the wild, without any external aid. This emphasizes that His control extends to every minute detail of creation, as seen in passages like Psalm 145:15-16. Secondly, it highlights the Instinctual Nature of Creation, revealing that these animals operate by innate, divinely imparted wisdom, requiring no human instruction or assistance for their most fundamental biological processes. This points to God as the ultimate source of all wisdom and design. Thirdly, and most importantly for Job's immediate situation, the verse reinforces the theme of Humility Before God's Wisdom. By presenting these unassisted natural wonders, God challenges Job's presumption of understanding, compelling him and all readers to acknowledge the vast chasm between finite human knowledge and the infinite, incomprehensible wisdom of the Creator, echoing the sentiment found in Isaiah 55:8-9.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 39:3, situated within God's larger discourse, employs several compelling literary devices. While not explicitly a rhetorical question itself, the verse functions as an implicit answer, providing concrete evidence to God's overarching Rhetorical Questions posed to Job regarding his understanding of creation's complexities. The description of animals "bowing themselves," "bringing forth their young ones," and "casting out their sorrows" utilizes powerful Imagery, allowing the listener or reader to vividly visualize the raw, instinctual, and often arduous process of birth in the wild. Furthermore, the phrase "they cast out their sorrows" can be seen as a form of Personification, attributing a human-like experience of "sorrow" (pain, travail) and its "casting out" (relief, expulsion) to animals. This choice of language elevates the description from mere biological fact to a profound theological statement about God's intimate involvement in the life cycles of His creatures, making their natural process relatable and emphasizing the divine orchestration of relief following intense effort.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 39:3 offers a profound glimpse into the theological underpinnings of God's relationship with creation. It asserts God's absolute sovereignty, not merely as a distant architect, but as an intimately involved sustainer who oversees the most fundamental and vulnerable processes of life, even in the untamed wilderness. The effortless, instinctual nature of birth in wild animals, devoid of human assistance, serves as a powerful testament to God's inherent wisdom and power, humbling humanity's pretensions to control or comprehensive understanding. This meticulous care for wild creatures underscores a broader biblical truth: if God so perfectly provides for the needs of animals, how much more will He care for humanity, made in His image, and for His covenant people? This verse invites a posture of humility and trust, recognizing that the same God who orchestrates the complex birthing cycle of a mountain goat also holds the details of our lives in His providential hand, demonstrating His omnipresent and omniscient care.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 39:3, though seemingly a simple observation of nature, carries profound implications for our lives today. It calls us to a deeper sense of awe, reverence, and humility before the Creator. In a world where we often strive for control, predictability, and comprehensive understanding, this verse powerfully reminds us that vast realms of existence operate perfectly under God's design, entirely independent of human intervention or comprehension. If God meticulously oversees the arduous yet successful birthing of wild animals in remote wildernesses, how much more does He attend to the intricate details of our lives, our struggles, and our most vulnerable moments? This truth should bring immense comfort and assurance, especially when we face uncertainties, feel overwhelmed by life's challenges, or are tempted to despair. It encourages us to release our need for control and to trust in God's sovereign providence, knowing that His wisdom and care extend to every corner of His creation, including our individual circumstances. Ultimately, it challenges us to cultivate a spirit of worship, recognizing that the God who sustains the wild is the same God who faithfully sustains us.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse imply that childbirth is always painful?
Answer: While the Hebrew word for "sorrows" (עַצְבָּם, chebel') can certainly denote pain or toil, as it does in contexts like Genesis 3:16 regarding human childbirth, in Job 39:3 it refers more broadly to the arduous process of labor and the subsequent relief or expulsion of the product of that labor. For wild animals, it highlights the natural, unassisted, and often difficult, yet ultimately successful, delivery. The emphasis is on the process God oversees and brings to completion, not necessarily a universal theological statement on the nature of pain in human childbirth. It underscores the divine design that enables creatures to endure and overcome the "sorrows" of birth to bring forth new life, demonstrating God's complete oversight even in moments of intense natural struggle.
Why does God focus on wild animals in this discourse?
Answer: God's discourse in Job 38-41 systematically showcases His control over aspects of creation that are entirely beyond human dominion or comprehension. Unlike domesticated animals, which humans manage and assist, wild creatures like the mountain goat, wild ass, and ostrich (mentioned in the surrounding verses) operate purely by divine instinct and provision, without any human intervention. By highlighting His mastery over the untamed wilderness and its inhabitants, God underscores the vast chasm between His infinite wisdom and Job's limited understanding. This serves to humble Job, demonstrating that if he cannot even comprehend or control the natural processes of wild animals, how could he possibly presume to understand or question the ways of the Almighty Creator, reinforcing His absolute sovereignty and the incomprehensibility of His ways.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The profound truth revealed in Job 39:3—that God meticulously oversees the unassisted, instinctual birthing processes of wild animals—finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest meaning in Jesus Christ. The sovereign God who so intimately cares for every detail of creation, from the "bowing" of a wild goat to the "casting out of its sorrows," is the same God who is fully revealed in the person of Jesus. Christ Himself taught of God's pervasive care, reminding His disciples that if God feeds the birds of the air and clothes the lilies of the field, how much more will He care for humanity, who are of far greater value (Matthew 6:26-30). This echoes the divine providence seen in Job. Furthermore, the "sorrows" of creation, particularly the groaning of the natural world in labor pains mentioned in Romans 8:22, point to a world awaiting its ultimate redemption through Christ. He is the ultimate wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24) through whom all things were created and through whom all things hold together (Colossians 1:16-17). The effortless, divinely guided birthing process in Job 39:3 foreshadows the new creation and the ultimate relief from all sorrows that Christ's redemptive work brings. His sacrifice on the cross and resurrection demonstrate that God's meticulous care for His creation culminates in His saving work through His Son, bringing forth new spiritual life and ultimate deliverance from the pains of a fallen world, establishing a hope that extends beyond the natural cycles of birth and death.