Job 39

1 numquid nosti tempus partus hibicum in petris vel parturientes cervas observasti

2 dinumerasti menses conceptus earum et scisti tempus partus earum

3 incurvantur ad fetum et pariunt et rugitus emittunt

4 separantur filii earum pergunt ad pastum egrediuntur et non revertuntur ad eas

5 quis dimisit onagrum liberum et vincula eius quis solvit

6 cui dedi in solitudine domum et tabernacula eius in terra salsuginis

7 contemnit multitudinem civitatis clamorem exactoris non audit

8 circumspicit montes pascuae suae et virentia quaeque perquirit

9 numquid volet rinoceros servire tibi aut morabitur ad praesepe tuum

10 numquid alligabis rinocerota ad arandum loro tuo aut confringet glebas vallium post te

11 numquid fiduciam habebis in magna fortitudine eius et derelinques ei labores tuos

12 numquid credes ei quoniam reddat sementem tibi et aream tuam congreget

13 pinna strutionum similis est pinnis herodii et accipitris

14 quando derelinquit in terra ova sua tu forsitan in pulvere calefacis ea

15 obliviscitur quod pes conculcet ea aut bestiae agri conterant

16 duratur ad filios suos quasi non sint sui frustra laboravit nullo timore cogente

17 privavit enim eam Deus sapientia nec dedit illi intellegentiam

18 cum tempus fuerit in altum alas erigit deridet equitem et ascensorem eius

19 numquid praebebis equo fortitudinem aut circumdabis collo eius hinnitum

20 numquid suscitabis eum quasi lucustas gloria narium eius terror

21 terram ungula fodit exultat audacter in occursum pergit armatis

22 contemnit pavorem nec cedit gladio

23 super ipsum sonabit faretra vibrabit hasta et clypeus

24 fervens et fremens sorbet terram nec reputat tubae sonare clangorem

25 ubi audierit bucinam dicet va procul odoratur bellum exhortationem ducum et ululatum exercitus

26 numquid per sapientiam tuam plumescit accipiter expandens alas suas ad austrum

27 aut ad praeceptum tuum elevabitur aquila et in arduis ponet nidum suum

28 in petris manet et in praeruptis silicibus commoratur atque inaccessis rupibus

29 inde contemplatur escam et de longe oculi eius prospiciunt

30 pulli eius lambent sanguinem et ubicumque cadaver fuerit statim adest

31 et adiecit Dominus et locutus est ad Iob

32 numquid qui contendit cum Deo tam facile conquiescit utique qui arguit Deum debet respondere ei

33 respondens autem Iob Domino dixit

34 qui leviter locutus sum respondere quid possum manum meam ponam super os meum

35 unum locutus sum quod utinam non dixissem et alterum quibus ultra non addam

Job 39 Commentary

Chapter 39

God inquires of Job concerning several animals.

- In these questions the Lord continued to humble Job. In this chapter several animals are spoken of, whose nature or situation particularly show the power, wisdom, and manifold works of God. The wild ass. It is better to labour and be good for something, than to ramble and be good for nothing. From the untameableness of this and other creatures, we may see, how unfit we are to give law to Providence, who cannot give law even to a wild ass's colt. The unicorn, a strong, stately, proud creature. He is able to serve, but not willing; and God challenges Job to force him to it. It is a great mercy if, where God gives strength for service, he gives a heart; it is what we should pray for, and reason ourselves into, which the brutes cannot do. Those gifts are not always the most valuable that make the finest show. Who would not rather have the voice of the nightingale, than the tail of the peacock; the eye of the eagle and her soaring wing, and the natural affection of the stork, than the beautiful feathers of the ostrich, which can never rise above the earth, and is without natural affection? The description of the war-horse helps to explain the character of presumptuous sinners. Every one turneth to his course, as the horse rushes into the battle. When a man's heart is fully set in him to do evil, and he is carried on in a wicked way, by the violence of his appetites and passions, there is no making him fear the wrath of God, and the fatal consequences of sin. Secure sinners think themselves as safe in their sins as the eagle in her nest on high, in the clefts of the rocks; but I will bring thee down from thence, saith the Lord, ( Jeremiah 49:16 ) . All these beautiful references to the works of nature, should teach us a right view of the riches of the wisdom of Him who made and sustains all things. The want of right views concerning the wisdom of God, which is ever present in all things, led Job to think and speak unworthily of Providence.

Chapter Summary

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.