Job 39:19

19 Whether thou shalt give strength to an horse, either shalt give neighing about his neck? (Hast thou given strength to a horse, and hast thou clothed his neck with a mane?)

Job 39:19 Meaning and Commentary

Job 39:19

Hast thou given the horse strength?
&c.] Not only to bear burdens and draw carriages, but for war; for it is the war horse that is here spoken of, as what follows shows, and his strength denotes; not strength of body only, but fortitude and courage; for which, as well as the other, the horse is eminent, and both are the gift of God, and not of men;

hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?
or with strength, as the Targum; the horse having particularly great strength in its neck, as well as in other parts; or with strength of voice, as Ben Gersom explains it; and it has been generally understood of the neighing of horses, which comes through and out of their neck, and makes a vehement sound: some render it, "with a mane" F16; and could it be made to appear that the word is so used in any other place, or in any other writings, or in any of the dialects, it would afford a very good sense, since a fine large mane to a horse is a great ornament and recommendation: the Septuagint render it by "fear", and Jarchi interprets it of "terror"; and refers to the sense of, he word in ( Ezekiel 27:35 ) ; and it may signify such a tremor as thunder makes, from whence that has its name; and it may be observed that between the neck and shoulder bone of an horse there is a tremulous and quavering motion; and which is more vehement in battle, not from any fearfulness of it, but rather through eagerness to engage in it; and therefore Schultens translates the words, "hast thou clothed his neck with a cheerful tremor?"


FOOTNOTES:

F16 Bochart, Bootius

Job 39:19 In-Context

17 For God hath deprived him from wisdom, and he hath not given understanding to him. (For God hath deprived him of wisdom, and he hath not given him understanding.)
18 When time is, he raiseth the wings on high (And then the time cometh that he raise up his wings on high); he scorneth the horse, and his rider.
19 Whether thou shalt give strength to an horse, either shalt give neighing about his neck? (Hast thou given strength to a horse, and hast thou clothed his neck with a mane?)
20 Whether thou shalt raise him as locusts? The glory of his nostrils is dreaded. (Hast thou made that horse as frightening as a horde of locusts? The glory of his nostrils is fearful indeed!)
21 He diggeth [the] earth with his foot, he full out joyeth; and he goeth boldly against [the] armed men.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.