ScriptureDepth's study of Job 39
“Have you given the horse might? Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane?”
Job 39:19
Yahweh asks Job about the might of the horse, illustrating God's control over creation and challenging Job's understanding of divine wisdom and power.
What Job 39 is about
In Job chapter 39, God continues speaking to Job, highlighting His sovereign control and wisdom through the examples of various animals. God describes the habits and characteristics of creatures such as mountain goats, wild donkeys, and the powerful ostrich, each illustrating unique aspects of divine provision and natural order. As the chapter unfolds, God underscores His mastery in the independent life of the wild ox and the extraordinary instincts of the horse. These examples illustrate nature's diversity and God's unmatched understanding in creating and sustaining life.
The chapter serves as a reminder of human limitations in understanding God's creation fully. By presenting Job with questions about the natural world, God points out the complexity and mystery imbued in even the daily existence of animals. Such depth in creation's design emphasizes God's infinite wisdom and power, intending to humble Job and reaffirm trust in the divine plan.
Theological themes in this chapter include the sovereignty of God, the wonder of creation, human limitations in understanding divine wisdom, and trust in God's plan despite incomprehension. Through this dialogue, God invites Job to recognize his position in the broader context of divine creation, encouraging humility and awe.
Job 39 at a glance
- Job 39:1–4The Birth of Mountain Goats
- Job 39:5–8The Wild Donkey's Freedom
- Job 39:9–12The Wild Ox's Strength
- Job 39:13–17The Ostrich's Carelessness
- Job 39:18–25The Horse's Might in Battle
- Job 39:26–30The Hawk and Eagle's Intuition
Key verse: Job 39:19
Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.
Chapter text
Read Job 39 (WEB)
The Birth of Mountain Goats Job 39:1–4
1Verse 1. “Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth?Do you watch when the doe bears fawns?2Verse 2. Can you count the months that they fulfill?Or do you know the time when they give birth?3Verse 3. They bow themselves, they bear their young.They end their labor pains.4Verse 4. Their young ones become strong.They grow up in the open field.They go out, and don’t return again.
The Wild Donkey's Freedom Job 39:5–8
5Verse 5. “Who has set the wild donkey free?Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey,6Verse 6. Whose home I have made the wilderness,and the salt land his dwelling place?7Verse 7. He scorns the tumult of the city,neither does he hear the shouting of the driver.8Verse 8. The range of the mountains is his pasture,He searches after every green thing.
The Wild Ox's Strength Job 39:9–12
9Verse 9. “Will the wild ox be content to serve you?Or will he stay by your feeding trough?10Verse 10. Can you hold the wild ox in the furrow with his harness?Or will he till the valleys after you?11Verse 11. Will you trust him, because his strength is great?Or will you leave to him your labor?12Verse 12. Will you confide in him, that he will bring home your seed,and gather the grain of your threshing floor?
The Ostrich's Carelessness Job 39:13–17
13Verse 13. “The wings of the ostrich wave proudly;but are they the feathers and plumage of love?14Verse 14. For she leaves her eggs on the earth,warms them in the dust,15Verse 15. and forgets that the foot may crush them,or that the wild animal may trample them.16Verse 16. She deals harshly with her young ones, as if they were not hers.Though her labor is in vain, she is without fear,17Verse 17. because God has deprived her of wisdom,neither has he imparted to her understanding.
The Horse's Might in Battle Job 39:18–25
18Verse 18. When she lifts up herself on high,she scorns the horse and his rider.19Verse 19. “Have you given the horse might?Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane?20Verse 20. Have you made him to leap as a locust?The glory of his snorting is awesome.21Verse 21. He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength.He goes out to meet the armed men.22Verse 22. He mocks at fear, and is not dismayed,neither does he turn back from the sword.23Verse 23. The quiver rattles against him,the flashing spear and the javelin.24Verse 24. He eats up the ground with fierceness and rage,neither does he stand still at the sound of the trumpet.25Verse 25. As often as the trumpet sounds he snorts, ‘Aha!’He smells the battle afar off,the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
The Hawk and Eagle's Intuition Job 39:26–30
26Verse 26. “Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars,and stretches her wings toward the south?27Verse 27. Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up,and makes his nest on high?28Verse 28. On the cliff he dwells, and makes his home,on the point of the cliff, and the stronghold.29Verse 29. From there he spies out the prey.His eyes see it afar off.30Verse 30. His young ones also suck up blood.Where the slain are, there he is.”
World English Bible (public domain)
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Main themes in Job 39
Divine Sovereignty
In Job 39, the sovereignty of God is presented through His control over nature and the animal kingdom. For example, in vv. 1-4, the text refers to the birth of mountain goats and does, questioning if Job knows their birthing times or the number of months they fulfill. This establishes that only God ordains such natural processes, affirming His ultimate authority over creation.
Wonder of Creation
Job 39 presents the diversity and wonder of God's creation through vivid descriptions of various animals. In verses 5-8, the wild donkey is portrayed as free in the wilderness, emphasizing its natural habitat and lifestyle. The majestic abilities of the horse in verses 18-25 and the instinctive prowess of the hawk and eagle in verses 26-30 demonstrate the remarkable characteristics endowed by God to different creatures.
Human Limitations
Job 39 highlights human limitations in understanding and controlling the natural world. In verses 9-12, the wild ox is questioned about its willingness to serve humans, indicating that its strength is beyond human control. The ostrich's behavior in verses 14-17 shows a lack of understanding in caring for its young, revealing how human knowledge is limited compared to divine wisdom.
Trust in God
Job 39 points to the necessity of trust in God through His intricate design in creation, which humans cannot fully grasp. In verses 26-30, the hawk and eagle are described as soaring and finding prey through their innate instincts, which are ordained by God. This depiction highlights human dependence on God's wisdom and providence in all aspects of life.
Chapter outline
How Job 39 unfolds
Job 39:1–4 The Birth of Mountain Goats
Job asks about the birth of mountain goats, inquiring if anyone knows when they give birth or can count their months of gestation (vv. 1-2). He describes how they give birth and their young grow strong in the wild (vv. 3-4).
Job 39:5–8 The Wild Donkey's Freedom
Job questions who has set the wild donkey free and made the wilderness its home (v. 5). The wild donkey avoids the city's tumult and finds pasture among the mountains, illustrating its freedom (vv. 6-8).
Job 39:9–12 The Wild Ox's Strength
Job asks whether the wild ox will serve a person or cultivate the fields (vv. 9-10). He questions if one can trust the strength of the wild ox to perform labor or gather grain (vv. 11-12).
Job 39:13–17 The Ostrich's Carelessness
Job describes the ostrich's behavior, noting it leaves eggs on the earth and forgets them (vv. 14-15). Despite her harshness toward her young, God has 'deprived her of wisdom' (vv. 16-17).
Job 39:18–25 The Horse's Might in Battle
Job asks if it is by one's wisdom that the horse is given might and a 'quivering mane' (v. 19). The horse displays strength in battle, rejoicing in confrontation and not fearing the trumpet's call (vv. 20-25).
Job 39:26–30 The Hawk and Eagle's Intuition
Job inquires if it is by human wisdom that the hawk soars and the eagle mounts up (vv. 26-27). He describes the eagle’s keen sight and its ability to spot prey from afar (vv. 28-30).
Key verses
Job 39:19Yahweh asks Job about the might of the horse, illustrating God's control over creation and challenging Job's understanding of divine wisdom and power.
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Study questions
Questions for studying Job 39
- observeWhich animals does Yahweh ask Job about in this chapter, from the 'mountain goats' of v1 to the eagle of v27?
- observeWhat does the ostrich forget in vv. 14-15, and what does v17 say is the reason?
- interpretThe horse 'mocks at fear' in v22 and 'smells the battle afar off' in v25: why is that offered as an answer to Job?
- interpretThe wild donkey 'scorns the tumult of the city' in v7: what is Yahweh saying about a freedom no one gave him?
- applyWhere in your life are you asked to trust a strength you cannot harness, like the wild ox in vv. 9-11?
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Cross-references
Passages that echo Job 39
- Psalm 104Job 39:1 and Psalm 104:18Both mention mountain goats: Job 39:1 asks about their birthing, while Psalm 104:18 notes high mountains for wild goats.
- Jeremiah 8Job 39:21 and Jeremiah 8:6Both describe strength: Job 39:21 speaks of horse strength, while Jeremiah 8:6 compares to horses rushing into battle.
- Genesis 1Job 39:4 and Genesis 1:30Both note young ones growing strong: Job 39:4 speaks of young animals in fields, while Genesis 1:30 describes food provision.
- Job 41Job 39:21 and Job 41:26Both speak of strength: Job 39:21 describes the horse, while Job 41:26 notes that swords cannot prevail.
- Luke 17Job 39:29 and Luke 17:37Both mention sighting prey: Job 39:29 shows the eagle spying, while Luke 17:37 relates vultures gathering where the body is.
- Matthew 24Job 39:30 and Matthew 24:28Both mention blood: Job 39:30 notes young ones suck up blood, while Matthew 24:28 relates vultures gathering where carcasses are.
Related chapters
Chapters that connect with Job 39
Elsewhere on ScriptureDepth
Where to go from here
- Job: the whole bookJob confronts the hardest question in the life of faith: why do the righteous suffer?
- Full Year Chronological Bible, day 16Day 16 of 365: Job 39–41.
- SufferingWhat the Bible says about suffering, with verses.
- Common Bible questionsThe questions people bring to Bible study, each answered from the text.
- Today's devotionalOne verse and a short reflection, new every morning.
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