Job 39:20

20 Did you make him able to leap like a locust? Its majestic snorting is frightening!

Job 39:20 Meaning and Commentary

Job 39:20

Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper?
&c.] Which is frightened at every noise, and at any approach of men; but not so the horse; or canst thou move him, or cause him to skip and jump, or rather leap like a grasshopper? that is, hast thou given, or canst thou give him the faculty of leaping over hedges and ditches, for which the horse is famous? so Neptune's war horses are said F17 to be (euskarymoi) , good leapers;

the glory of his nostrils [is] terrible:
which may be understood of his sneezing, snorting, pawing, and neighing, when his nostrils are broad, spread, and enlarged; and especially when enraged and in battle, when he foams and fumes, and his breath comes out of his nostrils like smoke {r}, and is very terrible.


FOOTNOTES:

F17 Homeri Iliad. 13. v. 31.
F18 "Iguescunt patulae nares". Claudian. in 4. Consul. Honor.

Job 39:20 In-Context

18 When the time comes, it flaps its wings, scorning both horse and rider.
19 "Did you give the horse its strength? Did you clothe its neck with a mane?
20 Did you make him able to leap like a locust? Its majestic snorting is frightening!
21 It paws with force and exults with vigor, then charges into the battle;
22 mocking at fear, unafraid, it does not shy away from the sword.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.