Job 39:3

KJV

They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows.

KJV (with Strong's)

They bow {H3766} themselves, they bring forth {H6398} their young ones {H3206}, they cast out {H7971} their sorrows {H2256}.

Complete Jewish Bible

when they crouch down and bring forth their young, when they deliver their fawns?

Berean Standard Bible

They crouch down and bring forth their young; they deliver their newborn.

American Standard Version

They bow themselves, they bring forth their young, They cast out their pains.

Commentary

### 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](/job/38 "Job 38 - God Challenges Job from the Whirlwind") and extending through [Job 41](/job/41 "Job 41 - Description of Leviathan"). 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](/psalms/145-15-16 "Psalm 145:15-16 - God's Provision for All Living Things"). 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](/isaiah/55-8-9 "Isaiah 55:8-9 - God's Thoughts are Higher than Ours").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **bow themselves (Hebrew, _kâraʻ'_):** This verb (H3766), derived from the primitive root כָּרַע, means "to bend the knee," "to kneel," or "to crouch." In the context of animal birth, it vividly describes the physical posture adopted by the animal during labor—a crouching or kneeling position—which is a natural and necessary act for giving birth. It signifies the onset of the intense physical process of parturition, illustrating the inherent, divinely programmed instinct within the animal to prepare for delivery.
* **sorrows (Hebrew, _chebel'_):** The Hebrew word (H2256), here in its plural form, refers to "a rope," "a measuring line," "a noose," "a company," or, critically, "a throe (especially of parturition)." In this context, it carries a rich double meaning. It refers primarily to the physical pain, arduous toil, and intense contractions associated with childbirth. However, it can also encompass the "product" or "offspring" that results from this labor, as well as the "bond" or "cord" that connects mother and young. Thus, "casting out their sorrows" can imply both the expulsion of the afterbirth and the relief from pain, as well as the successful delivery of the young, which, paradoxically, is the "product" that alleviates the "sorrow" of labor.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"They bow themselves":** This initial clause describes the instinctive preparatory action for birth. It paints a vivid picture of the wild animals assuming the necessary physical posture—kneeling or crouching—as labor commences. This highlights the natural, uncoached, and divinely programmed instinct that guides these creatures through a critical and vulnerable process, emphasizing the inherent design and order embedded within creation.
* **"they bring forth their young ones":** This clause signifies the successful outcome of the labor. Following the preparatory "bowing," the animals proceed to deliver their offspring. This is the culmination of the birthing process, emphasizing the successful perpetuation of life in the wild, entirely under God's providential care and without human intervention. It speaks to the fruitfulness and vitality of creation as sustained by the Creator's power and wisdom.
* **"they cast out their sorrows":** This final clause is the most evocative and complex. As explored in "Key Word Analysis," "sorrows" here primarily refers to the intense pain and toil of labor, including the contractions. "Casting out" implies expulsion, release, or relief. Thus, the phrase means they expel the physical pain and difficulty of labor, likely through the delivery of the young and the expulsion of the afterbirth. It signifies the completion of the birthing cycle, moving from arduous effort to the relief and successful establishment of new life, all orchestrated by God's intricate design and oversight.

#### 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.

* [Psalm 104:27-28](/psalms/104-27-28 "Psalm 104:27-28 - God Provides for His Creation")
* [Matthew 6:26](/matthew/6-26 "Matthew 6:26 - God Feeds the Birds")
* [Romans 8:22](/romans/8-22 "Romans 8:22 - Creation Groans in Labor Pains")

### 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
* **How does God's meticulous care for wild animals, as described in this verse, challenge my assumptions about His involvement in the seemingly "uncontrolled" or "chaotic" areas of my own life?**
* **In what specific situations do I struggle to trust God's sovereign control, and how can the truth of His effortless provision for creation encourage me to surrender those areas to Him?**
* **What does this passage teach me about the limits of human wisdom and understanding compared to the infinite wisdom of God, and how should that shape my posture before Him in prayer and decision-making?**

### 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](/genesis/3-16 "Genesis 3:16 - Pain in Childbirth") 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](/job/38-41 "Job 38-41 - God's Challenge to Job") 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](/matthew/6-26-30 "Matthew 6:26-30 - God's Care for Creation and Humanity")). 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](/romans/8-22 "Romans 8:22 - Creation Groans in Labor Pains"), point to a world awaiting its ultimate redemption through Christ. He is the ultimate wisdom of God ([1 Corinthians 1:24](/1_corinthians/1-24 "1 Corinthians 1:24 - Christ the Power and Wisdom of God")) through whom all things were created and through whom all things hold together ([Colossians 1:16-17](/colossians/1-16-17 "Colossians 1:16-17 - Christ as Creator and Sustainer")). 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.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.