Jó 39
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Jó 39:1-4
39:1-4 This strophe relates to questions about how and when animals give birth to their young. ibex (NIDOTTE, vol. 2, p. 488) deer 39:3 "labor pains" AB (p. 259) suggests that the root is not MT (BDB 286, KB 286), which denotes pain in birth, but an Arabic root that denotes rapid birth. 39:4 "the open field" The MT has "in the open field" (BDB 141, KB 153 IV), which is found only here in the OT. The root is either from Arabic or Aramaic (this verse has possibly three Aramaic roots). It denotes uninhabited, uncultivated land.
Jó 39:5-12
39:5-12 This strophe deals with questions about animals which are hard to domesticate. wild donkey wild ox (cf. Num. 23:22; 24:8; Deut. 33:17; Ps. 22:21; 29:6) LXX, "unicorn" Vulgate, "rhinoceros" AB, "buffalo" (avroch) 39:5 "swift donkey" This NOUN (BDB 789, KB 882) is found only here in the OT. It is possibly an Aramaic root (NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 531). SPECIAL TOPIC: MULES AND DONKEYS
Jó 39:13-18
38:13-18 This strophe is about the stupidity of the ostrich. Notice God does not ask Job a question in this strophe. This strophe is absent in the LXX. 39:13b NASB, RSV "love" "like the kindly storks" "lack plumage" "fly like a stork" "of stork or falcon" "like the storks" "scanty" The MT has "kind, pious" (BDB 339, KB 337) or "stork" (BDB 339, KB 337). The stork was known for it's kind treatment of it's young (NKJV), but the ostrich is just the opposite. The UBS Text Project (p. 14) gives a "B" rating (some doubt) to NRSV, REB, denoting a lack of plumage (which involves an emendation, "d" to "r," which are Hebrew consonants often confused). I think NKJV fits the antithetical parallelism better. 39:14a "she abandons her eggs" The AB (p. 260) suggests a change to a Ugaritic root which means "place" or "put." This fits the actions of ostriches better and forms a better parallelism with line b. However, it does not fit the larger context of Job 39:13-18 (cf. Lam. 4:3). 39:18 This verse denotes the birds' ability to rapidly rise and flee hunters. The VERB in Job 39:18a is found only here in the OT; possibly "flap the wings" or "beat the air" (BDB 597, KB 630, Hiphil PERFECT).
Jó 39:19-25
39:19-25 This strophe is about the war horse. It is the only domesticated animal in the list. It was used for hunting, war, and as a regal mount for leaders. 39:19 NASB, NRSV, TEV, NJB, JPSOA. REB, NET "mane" "thunder" "terror" "armour" Targum "power" "neighing" The root (BDB 947) can be "vibrating" or "quivering," which might be imagery for a flowing mane (NJB). KB (901) sees a possible Arabic root related to a hyena, meaning "mother of the mane" (AB, p. 263). "Mane" is obviously the best informed guess. 39:20 Locusts and horses are often compared (cf. Jer. 51:27; Joel 2:4; Rev. 9:7). 39:21a NASB, NKJV, NJB, Net "paws in the valley" "paws violently" "paws with force" LXX, Peshitta "paws in the plain" "paws and prances" The MT has "valley" (BDB 770, KB 847 I), but several scholars think the basic root is parallel to "strength" (BDB 470) in line b (NRSV, JPSOA). This fits the parallelism best. 39:23 "rattles" This VERB (BDB 943, KB 1246, Qal IMPERFECT) occurs only here. It denotes the sound of battle implements that were hung on the warhorses, making a clanking sound as the horse runs. 39:24 "he races over the ground" NRSV, JPSOA "shallows the ground" "it consumes the ground" "he devours the ground" "it will stamp out the ground" "making he ground to tremble" This verse follows the MT (BDB 167, KB 196, Piel IMPERFECT), but Andersen, in The Tyndale OT Commentaries (p. 283, #4), suggests that the same root can mean "willfully," and this fits the parallelism with the next line better (if the term used translated "faithful," "trust," BDB 52) is used in a unique sense of "cannot stand still" or "stand firm."
Jó 39:26-30
39:26-30 This strophe is about the hawk (Job 39:26) and eagle/vulture (Job 39:27-30). 39:26 "the south" This could refer to soaring on the south wind an annual migration to the south 39:30b This imagery is used in NT prophecy (cf. Matt. 24:28; Luke 17:37).