New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Job 39
1
"Job, do you know when mountain goats have their babies? Do you watch when female deer give birth?
Reference
2
Do you count the months until the animals have their babies? Do you know the time when they give birth?
3
They bend their back legs and have their babies. Then their labor pains stop.
4
Their little ones grow strong and healthy in the wild. They leave and do not come home again.
7
They laugh at all of the noise in town. They do not hear the shouts of the donkey drivers.
Reference
8
They wander over the hills to look for grass. They search for anything green to eat.
10
Can you keep them in straight rows with harnesses? Will they plow the valleys behind you?
11
Will you depend on them for their great strength? Will you let them do your heavy work?
12
Can you trust them to bring in your grain? Will they take it to your threshing floor?
13
"The wings of ostriches flap with joy. But they can't compare with the wings and feathers of storks.
Reference
14
Ostriches lay their eggs on the ground. They let them get warm in the sand.
15
They do not know that something might step on them. A wild animal might walk all over them.
16
Ostriches are mean to their little ones. They treat them as if they did not belong to them. They do not care that their work was useless.
Reference
Parallel theme
Lamentations 4:3
17
I did not provide ostriches with wisdom. I did not give them good sense.
Reference
Parallel theme
Job 35:11
18
But when they spread their feathers to run, they laugh at a horse and its rider.
19
"Job, do you give horses their strength? Do you put flowing manes on their necks?
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 147:10
20
Do you make them jump like locusts? They terrify others with their proud snorting.
Reference
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 8:16
21
They paw the ground wildly. They are filled with joy. They charge at their enemies.
Reference
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 8:6
22
They laugh at fear. They are not afraid of anything. They do not run away from swords.
23
Many arrows rattle at their sides. Flashing spears and javelins are also there.
24
They are so stirred up that they eat up the ground. They can't stand still when trumpets are blown.
25
When they hear the trumpets they snort, 'Aha!' They catch the smells of battle far away. They hear the shouts of commanders and the battle cries.
26
"Job, are you wise enough to teach hawks where to fly? They spread their wings and fly toward the south.
28
They live on cliffs and stay there at night. High up on the rocks they think they are safe.
29
From there they look for their food. They can see it from far away.
Reference
Parallel theme
Job 9:26
Summary of Job 39
Job Chapter 39 continues God's questioning of Job by moving from the forces of weather and the structure of creation to the remarkable variety, independence, instincts, and abilities of animals, using each creature as another example of a world that operates according to patterns and purposes far beyond human control. Rather than explaining the reason for Job's suffering directly, God demonstrates through the animal kingdom that even creatures living around human beings possess characteristics, instincts, and behaviors that Job neither designed nor governs.
The chapter begins with mountain goats and their ability to reproduce in remote places. God asks Job whether he knows when these animals give birth or whether he can control the timing of their pregnancies and the development of their young. The point is not simply that Job lacks information about wild animals; rather, it is that life continues through processes that human beings can observe but cannot command.
The young animals grow strong and eventually leave their parents, following patterns that exist independently of human planning. Their lives demonstrate that creation operates according to an order that does not require Job's supervision.
God then turns to the wild donkey, emphasizing its freedom from human authority. Unlike a domesticated animal that can be trained to work, the wild donkey lives in open and barren regions where it does not respond to city noise or the commands of human workers. Its independence reminds Job that not every creature exists primarily for human use.
This leads naturally to the wild ox, an animal associated with enormous strength. God asks whether Job could make such an animal plow his fields, pull heavy equipment, or bring his harvest into storage. The implication is clear: physical strength does not automatically give humans control over a creature.
The wild ox possesses extraordinary power, but that power belongs to the animal rather than to Job.
God then describes the ostrich, whose behavior appears strange and even foolish from a human perspective. The ostrich leaves its eggs exposed and does not seem to protect its young in the same way people might expect. Yet the same animal that appears careless possesses extraordinary speed, allowing it to outrun a horse.
This creates an important contrast.
Something that appears foolish from a human perspective can still possess remarkable abilities and fulfill a role within creation.
Job's judgment is therefore shown to be limited not only because he lacks knowledge but because human expectations are not necessarily the correct measure of how creation should function.
God then turns to the horse, and the tone becomes dramatically more powerful. The horse is portrayed as strong, fearless, energetic, and ready for battle. It does not retreat from weapons or become paralyzed by the sounds of warfare. Instead, the noise of battle seems to awaken its strength and excitement.
The ancient historical context makes this image especially significant. Horses were associated with military power, royal authority, chariots, cavalry, and battlefield strength. A war horse represented an impressive combination of speed, endurance, courage, and controlled power.
Yet even this magnificent animal was not created by Job.
Job cannot manufacture its instincts, give it its strength, or command the qualities that make it suitable for battle.
The final animals are the hawk and eagle, bringing the discussion into the realm of flight and migration. God asks whether Job's wisdom determines when birds migrate or whether Job commands the eagle to rise and build its nest on high cliffs.
Again, the answer is no.
The birds possess abilities that operate naturally and independently of Job's control. They know where to fly, where to nest, how to hunt, and how to survive, even though human beings do not direct their movements.
The eagle's elevated nest is especially meaningful because it demonstrates how an animal can occupy a position that provides safety, visibility, and access to prey without human planning. From its high location, the eagle can see distant objects and locate food, demonstrating specialized abilities that humans did not design.
The entire chapter therefore builds upon the argument begun in Chapter 38.
In Chapter 38, God showed Job the complexity of the earth, sea, weather, stars, and heavens.
In Chapter 39, He shows Job the complexity of living creatures.
The two chapters together demonstrate that creation is filled with systems and behaviors that human beings neither designed nor control.
This is important because Job has been trying to understand the moral order of his own life. He wants to know why he has suffered despite believing himself to be righteous. God's response does not give him a simple explanation. Instead, God reveals the extraordinary complexity of the world in which Job lives.
The lesson is not that Job's suffering has no meaning.
Rather, the lesson is that Job does not possess enough knowledge to evaluate every purpose operating within God's creation.
The animals also provide another important insight: creation is not organized solely around human convenience.
The wild donkey does not serve people.
The wild ox cannot simply be commanded to work.
The ostrich behaves according to its own unusual pattern.
The horse possesses its own instincts and strength.
The hawk migrates according to patterns beyond human command.
The eagle builds its nest in places Job cannot easily reach.
All of these creatures have lives that are meaningful within creation even though they are not under Job's authority.
This challenges the assumption that human beings should be able to understand everything according to their own immediate needs and expectations.
The historical setting makes these descriptions especially vivid. The people of the ancient Near East lived closely connected to animals, agriculture, wilderness, hunting, transportation, and warfare. They knew the strength of wild animals, the usefulness of domestic animals, the danger of predators, and the importance of horses in battle. These examples therefore would have provided powerful evidence of the complexity of God's creation.
The central theme of Job Chapter 39 is that the animal world displays extraordinary diversity, instinct, strength, freedom, and intelligence that human beings cannot create or control. By asking Job questions about mountain goats, wild donkeys, wild oxen, ostriches, horses, hawks, and eagles, God demonstrates that even familiar aspects of the natural world contain mysteries beyond human understanding.
The chapter therefore continues God's larger response to Job: before questioning the justice of the Creator, Job must recognize how limited his own perspective is compared with the wisdom that governs the entire created world.
Job Chapter 39 can therefore be summarized as God's continued demonstration of His wisdom and authority through the remarkable lives and abilities of animals, showing Job that reproduction, freedom, strength, speed, courage, migration, hunting, and survival all operate according to patterns beyond human control, and that the complexity of creation should lead human beings toward humility when they try to understand God's purposes in their own lives.
The chapter begins with mountain goats and their ability to reproduce in remote places. God asks Job whether he knows when these animals give birth or whether he can control the timing of their pregnancies and the development of their young. The point is not simply that Job lacks information about wild animals; rather, it is that life continues through processes that human beings can observe but cannot command.
The young animals grow strong and eventually leave their parents, following patterns that exist independently of human planning. Their lives demonstrate that creation operates according to an order that does not require Job's supervision.
God then turns to the wild donkey, emphasizing its freedom from human authority. Unlike a domesticated animal that can be trained to work, the wild donkey lives in open and barren regions where it does not respond to city noise or the commands of human workers. Its independence reminds Job that not every creature exists primarily for human use.
This leads naturally to the wild ox, an animal associated with enormous strength. God asks whether Job could make such an animal plow his fields, pull heavy equipment, or bring his harvest into storage. The implication is clear: physical strength does not automatically give humans control over a creature.
The wild ox possesses extraordinary power, but that power belongs to the animal rather than to Job.
God then describes the ostrich, whose behavior appears strange and even foolish from a human perspective. The ostrich leaves its eggs exposed and does not seem to protect its young in the same way people might expect. Yet the same animal that appears careless possesses extraordinary speed, allowing it to outrun a horse.
This creates an important contrast.
Something that appears foolish from a human perspective can still possess remarkable abilities and fulfill a role within creation.
Job's judgment is therefore shown to be limited not only because he lacks knowledge but because human expectations are not necessarily the correct measure of how creation should function.
God then turns to the horse, and the tone becomes dramatically more powerful. The horse is portrayed as strong, fearless, energetic, and ready for battle. It does not retreat from weapons or become paralyzed by the sounds of warfare. Instead, the noise of battle seems to awaken its strength and excitement.
The ancient historical context makes this image especially significant. Horses were associated with military power, royal authority, chariots, cavalry, and battlefield strength. A war horse represented an impressive combination of speed, endurance, courage, and controlled power.
Yet even this magnificent animal was not created by Job.
Job cannot manufacture its instincts, give it its strength, or command the qualities that make it suitable for battle.
The final animals are the hawk and eagle, bringing the discussion into the realm of flight and migration. God asks whether Job's wisdom determines when birds migrate or whether Job commands the eagle to rise and build its nest on high cliffs.
Again, the answer is no.
The birds possess abilities that operate naturally and independently of Job's control. They know where to fly, where to nest, how to hunt, and how to survive, even though human beings do not direct their movements.
The eagle's elevated nest is especially meaningful because it demonstrates how an animal can occupy a position that provides safety, visibility, and access to prey without human planning. From its high location, the eagle can see distant objects and locate food, demonstrating specialized abilities that humans did not design.
The entire chapter therefore builds upon the argument begun in Chapter 38.
In Chapter 38, God showed Job the complexity of the earth, sea, weather, stars, and heavens.
In Chapter 39, He shows Job the complexity of living creatures.
The two chapters together demonstrate that creation is filled with systems and behaviors that human beings neither designed nor control.
This is important because Job has been trying to understand the moral order of his own life. He wants to know why he has suffered despite believing himself to be righteous. God's response does not give him a simple explanation. Instead, God reveals the extraordinary complexity of the world in which Job lives.
The lesson is not that Job's suffering has no meaning.
Rather, the lesson is that Job does not possess enough knowledge to evaluate every purpose operating within God's creation.
The animals also provide another important insight: creation is not organized solely around human convenience.
The wild donkey does not serve people.
The wild ox cannot simply be commanded to work.
The ostrich behaves according to its own unusual pattern.
The horse possesses its own instincts and strength.
The hawk migrates according to patterns beyond human command.
The eagle builds its nest in places Job cannot easily reach.
All of these creatures have lives that are meaningful within creation even though they are not under Job's authority.
This challenges the assumption that human beings should be able to understand everything according to their own immediate needs and expectations.
The historical setting makes these descriptions especially vivid. The people of the ancient Near East lived closely connected to animals, agriculture, wilderness, hunting, transportation, and warfare. They knew the strength of wild animals, the usefulness of domestic animals, the danger of predators, and the importance of horses in battle. These examples therefore would have provided powerful evidence of the complexity of God's creation.
The central theme of Job Chapter 39 is that the animal world displays extraordinary diversity, instinct, strength, freedom, and intelligence that human beings cannot create or control. By asking Job questions about mountain goats, wild donkeys, wild oxen, ostriches, horses, hawks, and eagles, God demonstrates that even familiar aspects of the natural world contain mysteries beyond human understanding.
The chapter therefore continues God's larger response to Job: before questioning the justice of the Creator, Job must recognize how limited his own perspective is compared with the wisdom that governs the entire created world.
Job Chapter 39 can therefore be summarized as God's continued demonstration of His wisdom and authority through the remarkable lives and abilities of animals, showing Job that reproduction, freedom, strength, speed, courage, migration, hunting, and survival all operate according to patterns beyond human control, and that the complexity of creation should lead human beings toward humility when they try to understand God's purposes in their own lives.