Job 39:1-30 - Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

¹ Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?

² Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?

³ They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows.

⁴ Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they go forth, and return not unto them.

⁵ Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?

⁶ Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barrena land his dwellings.

⁷ He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver.b

⁸ The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.

⁹ Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib?

¹⁰ Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?

¹¹ Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?

¹² Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn?

¹³ Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?

¹⁴ Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust,

¹⁵ And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them.

¹⁶ She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her labour is in vain without fear;

¹⁷ Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.

¹⁸ What time 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.c

²¹ He pawethd in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.

²² He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.

²³ The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.

²⁴ He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.

²⁵ He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

²⁶ Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?

²⁷ Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?

²⁸ She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place.

²⁹ From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.

³⁰ Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.