Job 39:23

23 The banging and clanging of quiver and lance don't faze him.

Job 39:23 Meaning and Commentary

Job 39:23

The quiver rattleth against him
The quiver is what arrows are put into and carried in, and seems here to be put for arrows, which being shot by the enemy come whizzing about him, but do not intimidate him; unless this is to be understood of arrows rattling in the quiver when carried by the rider "upon him", so some render the last word; and thus Homer F23 and Virgil F24 speak of the rattling quiver and sounding arrows in it, as carried on the back or shoulder; but the first sense seems best, in which another poet uses it F25;

the glittering spear and the shield;
the lance or javelin, as Mr. Broughton renders it, and others; that is, he does not turn back from these, nor is he frightened at them when they are pointed to him or flung at him; so Aelianus F26 speaks of the Persians training their horses and getting them used to noises, that in battle they might not be frightened at the clashing of arms, of swords and shields against each other; in like manner as our war horses are trained, not to start at the firing of a gun, or the explosion of a cannon.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 Iliad. 1. v. 4.
F24 "Pharetramqne sonantem". Aeneid. 9. v. 666.
F25 "----audito sonitu per inane pharetrae". Ovid. Metamorph. l. 6. v. 230.
F26 De Animal. l. 16. c. 25.

Job 39:23 In-Context

21 He paws the ground fiercely, eager and spirited, then charges into the fray.
22 He laughs at danger, fearless, doesn't shy away from the sword.
23 The banging and clanging of quiver and lance don't faze him.
24 He quivers with excitement, and at the trumpet blast races off at a gallop.
25 At the sound of the trumpet he neighs mightily, smelling the excitement of battle from a long way off, catching the rolling thunder of the war cries.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.