Job 38:41

41 Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?

Job 38:41 in Other Translations

41 Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

41 Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God for help, and wander about for lack of food?

41 Who provides food for the ravens when their young cry out to God and wander about in hunger?

41 And who sets out food for the ravens when their young cry to God, fluttering about because they have no food?

41 Who provides the raven's food when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?

Job 38:41 Meaning and Commentary

Job 38:41

Who provideth for the raven his food?
&c.] Not man, but God; he feeds the ravens, creatures very voracious, mean, and useless, ( Luke 12:24 ) ;

when his young ones cry unto God;
cry for want of food; which is interpreted by the Lord as a cry unto him, and he relieves them, ( Psalms 147:9 ) ; when deserted by the old ones; either left in their nests through forgetfulness, as some ^F26; or because they are not, till fledged, black like them, as others ^F1; when God feeds them, as some say ^F2, with a kind of dew from heaven, or with flies that fly about them, and fall into their mouths; or with worms bred out of their dung but these things are not to be depended on; it may rather respect them when cast out of the nest by the old ones, when able to fly, which is testified by naturalists ^F3; and with this agrees what follows:

they wander for lack of meat;
being obliged to shift for themselves, when God takes care of them; which is an instance of his providential goodness; and how this is to be improved, see ( Matthew 6:26 ) ( Luke 12:24 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 Plin. apud Servium in Virgil. Georgic. l. 1. p. 189.
F1 Pirke Eliezer, c. 21.
F2 Hieron. in Pasl. cxlvii. 9.
F3 Aristot. Hist. Animal. l. 9. c. 3. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 10. c. 12.

Job 38:41 In-Context

39 “Do you hunt the prey for the lioness and satisfy the hunger of the lions

40 when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in a thicket?

41 Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?

Cross References

• 1. S Genesis 1:30
• 2. S Genesis 8:7; Luke 12:24
• 3. Psalms 147:9; S Matthew 6:26