Job 39:19-30 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 39:19-25

God, having displayed his own power in those creatures that are strong and despise man, here shows it in one scarcely inferior to any of them in strength, and yet very tame and serviceable to man, and that is the horse, especially the horse that is prepared against the day of battle and is serviceable to man at a time when he has more than ordinary occasion for his service. It seems, there was, in Job's country, a noble generous breed of horses. Job, it is probable, kept many, though they are... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 39:26-30

The birds of the air are proofs of the wonderful power and providences of God, as well as the beasts of the earth; God here refers particularly to two stately ones:?1. The hawk, a noble bird of great strength and sagacity, and yet a bird of prey, Job 39:26. This bird is here taken notice of for her flight, which is swift and strong, and especially for the course she steers towards the south, whither she follows the sun in winter, out of the colder countries in the north, especially when she is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 39:19

Hast thou given the horse strength ?.... Not only to bear burdens and draw carriages, but for war; for it is the war horse that is here spoken of, as what follows shows, and his strength denotes; not strength of body only, but fortitude and courage; for which, as well as the other, the horse is eminent, and both are the gift of God, and not of men; hast thou clothed his neck with thunder ? or with strength, as the Targum; the horse having particularly great strength in its neck, as well... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 39:20

Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper ?.... Which is frightened at every noise, and at any approach of men; but not so the horse; or canst thou move him, or cause him to skip and jump, or rather leap like a grasshopper? that is, hast thou given, or canst thou give him the faculty of leaping over hedges and ditches, for which the horse is famous? so Neptune's war horses are said F17 Homeri Iliad. 13. v. 31. to be ευσκαρθμοι , good leapers; the glory of his nostrils is ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 39:21

He paweth in the valley ,.... Where armies are usually pitched and set in battle army, and especially the cavalry, for which the valley is most convenient; and here the horse is impatient of engaging, cannot stand still, but rises up with his fore feet and paws and prances, and, as the word signifies, digs the earth and makes it hollow, by a continual striking upon it; so generally horses are commonly described in this manner F19 "Cavatque tellurem". Virgil. Georgic. l. 3. v. 87. ; ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 39:22

He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted ,.... At those things which cause fear and fright to men; as arms, though ever so terrible, and armies, though never so numerous; neither turneth he back from the sword ; the naked sword, when it is drawn against him, and ready to be thrust into him; the horse being so bold and courageous was with the Egyptians a symbol of courage and boldness F22 Clement. Alex. Stromat. l. 5. p. 567. . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 39:23

The quiver rattleth against him ,.... The quiver is what arrows are put into and carried in, and seems here to be put for arrows, which being shot by the enemy come whizzing about him, but do not intimidate him; unless this is to be understood of arrows rattling in the quiver when carried by the rider "upon him", so some render the last word; and thus Homer F23 Iliad. 1. v. 4. and Virgil F24 "Pharetramqne sonantem". Aeneid. 9. v. 666. speak of the rattling quiver and sounding... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 39:24

He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage ,.... Being so eager for the battle, and so full of fierceness and rage, he bounds the plain with such swiftness that he seems rather to swallow up the ground than to run upon it; neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet ; for joy at hearing it; or he will not trust to his ears, but will see with his eyes whether the battle is ready, and therefore pushes forward. Mr. Broughton and others read it, "he will not stand still... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 39:25

He saith among the trumpets, ha, ha ,.... As pleased with the sound of them, rejoicing thereat, and which he signifies by neighing; and he smelleth the battle afar off ; which respects not so much the distance of place as of time; he perceives beforehand that it is near, by the preparations making for it, and particularly by what follows; so Pliny F2 Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 42. says of horses, they presage a fight. The thunder of the captains, and the shouting; they understand an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 39:26

Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom ,.... With so much swiftness, steadiness, and constancy, until she has seized her prey. The Vulgate Latin version and some others read, "does she become feathered", or "begin to have feathers?" and so Bochart: either when first fledged; or when, as it is said F4 Aelian. de Animal. l. 12. c. 4. she casts her old feathers and gets new ones, and this every year. Now neither her flight nor her feathers, whether at one time or the other, are owing to men, but... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 39:19-25

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 39:26-30

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 39:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 39:20

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 39:21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 39:22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 39:23

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 39:24

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 39:25

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 39:26

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