Job 39:7-17

7 He laughs at his city cousins, who are harnessed and harried. He's oblivious to the cries of teamsters.
8 He grazes freely through the hills, nibbling anything that's green.
9 "Will the wild buffalo condescend to serve you, volunteer to spend the night in your barn?
10 Can you imagine hitching your plow to a buffalo and getting him to till your fields?
11 He's hugely strong, yes, but could you trust him, would you dare turn the job over to him?
12 You wouldn't for a minute depend on him, would you, to do what you said when you said it?
13 "The ostrich flaps her wings futilely - all those beautiful feathers, but useless!
14 She lays her eggs on the hard ground, leaves them there in the dirt, exposed to the weather,
15 Not caring that they might get stepped on and cracked or trampled by some wild animal.
16 She's negligent with her young, as if they weren't even hers. She cares nothing about anything.
17 She wasn't created very smart, that's for sure, wasn't given her share of good sense.

Job 39:7-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 39

This chapter treats of various creatures, beasts and birds, which Job had little knowledge of, had no concern in the making of them, and scarcely any power over them; as of the goats and hinds, Job 39:1-4; of the wild ass, Job 39:5-8; of the unicorn, Job 39:9-12; of the peacock and ostrich, Job 39:13-18; of the horse, Job 39:19-25; and of the hawk and eagle, Job 39:26-30.

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.