Job 39:19

Third long strophe FURTHER ILLUSTRATIONS FROM THE BRUTE CREATION, OF THE WONDROUS WORKING OF GOD. THE MAJESTIC HORSE DISPLAYS A TASTE FOR WAR; THE HAWK, LED BY UNERRING INSTINCT, MIGRATES TO DISTANT LANDS; WHILE THE KING OF BIRDS DEVOTES HIS KEENNESS OF VISION TO SEEKING CARRION FOR HIS PREY, Job 39:19-30.

α . The allusion to the horse in the preceding description of the ostrich (camel-bird) leads to a magnificent description of a noble animal useful to man everywhere, even on his fields of blood. Job is asked whether it was he who endowed it with its noblest qualities, Job 39:19-25.

19. Thunder The rendering by Gesenius and others of “terror” “terror-striking mane,” and by Ewald and Zockler of “quivering mane,” is not so justifiable and vastly more prosaic than that of “thunder.” This masterly touch clothing the neck with thunder by the very indefiniteness of the image gives to the description a recognised element of sublimity. The monuments of antiquity abound with pictorial representations of the war-horse, in every age the pride of the East. Next to man, the most important agent on the battlefield, he was prized too highly to be made a beast of draught. For descriptions of the horse by Homer and Virgil, see Dr. Clarke.