James 3:7

7 All the natures of beastes and of byrdes and of serpentes and thinges of ye see are meked and tamed of the nature of man.

James 3:7 Meaning and Commentary

James 3:7

For every kind of beasts, and of birds
Or the "nature" of them, as it is in the Greek text; however fierce, as beasts of prey are, or shy, as the fowls of the air be:

and of serpents and things in the sea;
the fishes there:

is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind,
or "by human nature": by the wit and industry of man; by the various ways, means, and methods devised by man. So Pliny ^F12 relates, that elephants lions and tigers among beasts, and the eagle among birds, and crocodiles, asps, and other serpents, and fishes of the sea, have been tamed: though some think this is only to be understood of their being mastered and subdued, by one means or another; or of their being despoiled of their power, or of their poison: and the Syriac and Ethiopic versions render it, "subjected to human nature".

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 9. 16, 17. & 10. 5, 44.

James 3:7 In-Context

5 Even so the tonge is a lyttell member and bosteth great thinges. Beholde how gret a thinge a lyttell fyre kyndleth

6 and the tonge is fyre and a worlde of wyckednes. So is the tonge set amonge oure members that it defileth the whole body and setteth a fyre all that we have of nature and is it selfe set a fyre even of hell.

7 All the natures of beastes and of byrdes and of serpentes and thinges of ye see are meked and tamed of the nature of man.

8 But the tonge can no man tame. Yt is an vntuely evyll full of deedly poyson.

9 Therwith blesse we God the father and therwith cursse we me which are made after the similitude of God.