Job 39

Chapter 39

The LORD’s Challenge Continues

1 “Do you know when the wild goats give birth?
Have you watched as deer are born in the wild?2 Do you know how many months they carry their young?
Are you aware of the time of their delivery?3 They crouch down to give birth to their young
and deliver their offspring.4 Their young grow up in the open fields,
then leave home and never return.5 “Who gives the wild donkey its freedom?
Who untied its ropes?6 I have placed it in the wilderness;
its home is the wasteland.7 It hates the noise of the city
and has no driver to shout at it.8 The mountains are its pastureland,
where it searches for every blade of grass.9 “Will the wild ox consent to being tamed?
Will it spend the night in your stall?10 Can you hitch a wild ox to a plow?
Will it plow a field for you?11 Given its strength, can you trust it?
Can you leave and trust the ox to do your work?12 Can you rely on it to bring home your grain
and deliver it to your threshing floor?13 “The ostrich flaps her wings grandly,
but they are no match for the feathers of the stork.14 She lays her eggs on top of the earth,
letting them be warmed in the dust.15 She doesn’t worry that a foot might crush them
or a wild animal might destroy them.16 She is harsh toward her young,
as if they were not her own.
She doesn’t care if they die.17 For God has deprived her of wisdom.
He has given her no understanding.18 But whenever she jumps up to run,
she passes the swiftest horse with its rider.19 “Have you given the horse its strength
or clothed its neck with a flowing mane?20 Did you give it the ability to leap like a locust?
Its majestic snorting is terrifying!21 It paws the earth and rejoices in its strength
when it charges out to battle.22 It laughs at fear and is unafraid.
It does not run from the sword.23 The arrows rattle against it,
and the spear and javelin flash.24 It paws the ground fiercely
and rushes forward into battle when the ram’s horn blows.25 It snorts at the sound of the horn.
It senses the battle in the distance.
It quivers at the captain’s commands and the noise of battle.26 “Is it your wisdom that makes the hawk soar
and spread its wings toward the south?27 Is it at your command that the eagle rises
to the heights to make its nest?28 It lives on the cliffs,
making its home on a distant, rocky crag.29 From there it hunts its prey,
keeping watch with piercing eyes.30 Its young gulp down blood.
Where there’s a carcass, there you’ll find it.”

Job 39

1 “Are you acquainted with the wayt
the mountain goatst give birth?
Do you watch as the wild deer give birth to their young?

2 Do you count the months they must fulfill,
and do you know the time they give birth?t

3 They crouch, they bears their young,
they bring forth the offspring they have carried.t

4 Their young grow strong, and grow up in the open;t
they go off, and do not return to them.

5 Who let the wild donkey go free?
Who released the bonds of the donkey,

6 to whom I appointed the steppe for its home,
the salt wastes as its dwelling place?

7 It scorns the tumult in the town;
it does not hear the shouts of a driver.s

8 It ranges the hills as its pasture,
and searches after every green plant.

9 Is the wild ox willing to be your servant?
Will it spend the night at your feeding trough?

10 Can you bind the wild oxt to a furrow with its rope,
will it till the valleys, following after you?

11 Will you rely on it because its strength is great?
Will you committ your labor to it?

12 Can you count ont it to bring ins your grain,t
and gather the graint to your threshing floor?t

13 s “The wings of the ostricht flap with joy,t
but are they the pinions and plumage of a stork?t

14 For she leavest her eggs on the ground,
and lets them be warmed on the soil.

15 She forgets that a foot might crush them,
or that a wild animalt might trample them.

16 She is harshs with her young,
as if they were not hers;
she is unconcerned
about the uselessness of her labor.

17 For God deprived her of wisdom,
and did not impart understanding to her.

18 But as soon as she springs up,t
she laughs at the horse and its rider.

19 “Do you give the horse its strength?
Do you clothe its neck with a mane?t

20 Do you make it leaps like a locust?
Its proud neighingt is terrifying!

21 Its paws the ground in the valley,t
exulting mightily,t
it goes out to meet the weapons.

22 It laughs at fear and is not dismayed;
it does not shy away from the sword.

23 On it the quiver rattles;
the lance and javelint flash.

24 In excitement and impatience it consumes the ground;t
it cannot stand stillt when the trumpet is blown.

25 At the sound of the trumpet, it says, ‘Aha!’
And from a distance it catches the scent of battle,
the thunderous shouting of commanders,
and the battle cries.

26 “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars,t
and spreads its wings toward the south?

27 Is it at your commandt that the eagle soars,
and builds its nest on high?

28 It lives on a rock and spends the night there,
on a rocky cragt and a fortress.t

29 From there it spotst its prey,t
its eyes gaze intently from a distance.

30 And its young ones devour the blood,
and where the dead carcassest are,
there it is.”