Job 39-40
New American Standard Bible
God Speaks of Nature and Its Beings
39 “Do you know the time the [a](A)mountain goats give birth?
Do you observe the calving of the (B)deer?
2 Can you count the months they fulfill,
Or do you know the time they give birth?
3 They kneel down, they deliver their young,
They get rid of their labor pains.
4 Their offspring become strong, they grow up in the open field;
They leave and do not return to them.
5 “Who sent the (C)wild donkey out free?
And who opened the bonds of the swift donkey,
6 To whom I gave (D)the wilderness as his home,
And the salt land as his dwelling place?
7 He laughs at the turmoil of the city,
He does not hear the shouting of the taskmaster.
8 He explores the mountains of his pasture,
And searches after every green thing.
9 Will the (E)wild bull be willing to serve you,
Or will he spend the night at your feeding trough?
10 Can you tie down the wild bull in a furrow with [b]ropes,
Or will he [c]plow the valleys after you?
11 Will you trust him because his strength is great,
And leave your labor to him?
12 Will you have faith in him that he will return your [d]grain
And gather it from your threshing floor?
13 “The wings of the ostrich flap joyously,
With the pinion and feathers of [e]love,
14 For she abandons her eggs to the earth
And warms them in the dust,
15 And she forgets that a foot may crush [f]them,
Or that a wild animal may trample [g]them.
16 She treats her young (F)cruelly, as if they were not hers;
Though her labor is for nothing, she is [h]unconcerned,
17 Because God has made her forget wisdom,
And has not given her a share of understanding.
18 When she rushes away on high,
She laughs at the horse and his rider.
19 “Do you give the horse his might?
Do you clothe his neck with a mane?
20 Do you make him (G)leap like locusts?
His majestic (H)snorting is frightening.
21 [i]He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength;
He (I)goes out to meet the battle.
22 He laughs at fear and is not dismayed;
And he does not turn back from the sword.
23 The quiver rattles against him,
The flashing spear and javelin.
24 He [j]races over the ground with a roar and fury,
And he does not stand still when he hears the sound of the trumpet.
25 As often as the trumpet sounds he says, ‘Aha!’
And he senses the battle from afar,
And the thunder of the captains and the war cry.
26 “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars,
Stretching his wings toward the south?
27 Is it at your [k]command that the eagle flies high,
And makes (J)his nest on high?
28 He dwells and spends his nights on the cliff,
On the rocky cliff, an inaccessible place.
29 From there he (K)tracks food;
His eyes look at it from afar.
30 His young ones also lick up blood greedily;
And (L)where the slain are, there he is.”
Job Says What Can I Say?
40 Then the Lord said to Job,
3 Then Job answered the Lord and said,
4 “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I say in response to You?
I (O)put my hand on my mouth.
5 I have spoken once, and (P)I will not reply;
Or twice, and I will add nothing more.”
God Questions Job
6 Then the (Q)Lord answered Job from the whirlwind and said,
7 “Now [m](R)tighten the belt on your waist like a man;
I will (S)ask you, and you instruct Me.
8 Will you really (T)nullify My judgment?
Will you (U)condemn Me (V)so that you may be justified?
9 Or do you have an arm like God,
And can you (W)thunder with a voice like His?
10 “(X)Adorn yourself with pride and dignity,
And clothe yourself with honor and majesty.
11 Let out your (Y)outbursts of anger,
And look at everyone who is (Z)arrogant, and humble him.
12 Look at everyone who is arrogant, and (AA)humble him,
And (AB)trample down the wicked [n]where they stand.
13 (AC)Hide them together in the dust;
Imprison [o]them in the hidden place.
14 Then I will also [p]confess to you,
That your own right hand can save you.
God’s Power Shown in Creatures
15 “Behold, [q]Behemoth, which (AD)I made [r]as well as you;
He eats grass like an ox.
16 Behold, his strength in his waist,
And his power in the muscles of his belly.
17 He hangs his tail like a cedar;
The tendons of his thighs are knit together.
18 His bones are tubes of bronze;
His [s]limbs are like bars of iron.
19 “He is the (AE)first of the ways of God;
Let his (AF)Maker bring His sword near.
20 Indeed the [t]mountains (AG)bring him food,
And all the animals of the field (AH)play there.
21 He lies down under the lotus plants,
In the hiding place of the reeds and the marsh.
22 The lotus plants cover him with [u]shade;
The willows of the brook surround him.
23 If a river [v]rages, he is not alarmed;
He is confident, though the (AI)Jordan rushes to his mouth.
24 Can anyone capture him [w]when he is on watch,
Can anyone pierce his nose with barbs?
Footnotes
- Job 39:1 Lit goats of the rock
- Job 39:10 Lit his rope
- Job 39:10 I.e., pull a harrow, a farming device
- Job 39:12 Lit seed
- Job 39:13 Or a stork
- Job 39:15 Lit it
- Job 39:15 Lit it
- Job 39:16 Lit without fear
- Job 39:21 Lit They paw
- Job 39:24 Lit swallows up
- Job 39:27 Lit mouth
- Job 40:2 Lit answer it
- Job 40:7 I.e., as if for battle
- Job 40:12 Lit under them
- Job 40:13 Lit their faces
- Job 40:14 Or praise you
- Job 40:15 I.e., a powerful animal, possibly a hippopotamus
- Job 40:15 Lit with you
- Job 40:18 Lit bones
- Job 40:20 I.e., the mountain streams
- Job 40:22 Lit his shade
- Job 40:23 Or oppresses
- Job 40:24 Lit in his eyes
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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