Job 39:19

19 "Hast thou given the horse strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?

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 because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath He imparted to her understanding.
18 Yet when she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.
19 "Hast thou given the horse strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?
20 Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? The glory of his nostrils is terrible.
21 He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength; he goeth on to meet the armed men.
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.