Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, [and] stretch her wings toward the south?
Ver. 26. Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom?] Or, Doth the hawk (plumescere) get her feathers by thy wisdom? The word cometh from a root which signifieth strong, because the strength of fowls is in their wings, their delight in high flying. Hath the hawk her wings from thee? and doth she recruit and use them, artificio et auspicio, by thy art or industry? Tame them indeed men may, and bring them to hand, as falconers do, for pleasure more than for profit; but neither can they give them their wings nor repair them when broken.
And stretch her wings toward the south] Thereby to furnish herself with a second plumage, while she flieth into those hotter countries, where (as they say) her old feathers by the sun's heat fall off, and new come in their room (Pennabit).