_KNOWEST THOU THE TIME WHEN THE WILD GOATS OF THE ROCK BRING FORTH? OR CANST THOU MARK WHEN THE HINDS DO CALVE?_ Even wild beasts, cut off from all care of man, are cared for by God at their seasons of greatest need. Their instinct comes direct from God, and guides them to help themselves in partur... [ Continue Reading ]
_CANST THOU NUMBER THE MONTHS THAT THEY FULFIL? OR KNOWEST THOU THE TIME WHEN THEY BRING FORTH?_ They bring forth with ease, and do not need to reckon the months of pregnancy, as the shepherd does in the case of his flocks.... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEY BOW THEMSELVES, THEY BRING FORTH THEIR YOUNG ONES, THEY CAST OUT THEIR SORROWS._ Bow themselves - in parturition: bend on their knees (1 Samuel 4:19). BRING FORTH, х_ PAALACH_ (H6398)] - literally, cause their young to cleave the womb and break forth. SORROWS - their young ones, the cause o... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEIR YOUNG ONES ARE IN GOOD LIKING, THEY GROW UP WITH CORN; THEY GO FORTH, AND RETURN NOT UNTO THEM._ Are in good liking - in good condition, grow up strong. WITH CORN - rather, in the field х_ BAAR_ (H1250)], without man's care. RETURN NOT - being able to provide for themselves.... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHO HATH SENT OUT THE WILD ASS FREE? OR WHO HATH LOOSED THE BANDS OF THE WILD ASS?_ Wild ass. Two different Hebrew words are here used for the same animal, the donkey of the woods х_ PERE'_ (H6501)], and the wild donkey х_ `AAROWD_ (H6171)]. (Note, Job 6:5; Job 11:12; Job 24:5; Jeremiah 2:24.)... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHOSE HOUSE I HAVE MADE THE WILDERNESS, AND THE BARREN LAND HIS DWELLINGS._ Barren - literally, salt - i:e., unfruitful х_ MªLEECHAAH_ (H4420)]. (So "barrenness," Psalms 107:34, margin, saltness.)... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE SCORNETH THE MULTITUDE OF THE CITY, NEITHER REGARDETH HE THE CRYING OF THE DRIVER._ Multitude - rather, din: he sets it at defiance, being far away from it in the freedom of the wilderness. DRIVER - who urges on the tame donkey to work. The wild donkey is the symbol of uncontrolled freedom in... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE RANGE OF THE MOUNTAINS IS HIS PASTURE, AND HE SEARCHETH AFTER EVERY GREEN THING._ The range, х_ YªTUWR_ (H3491)] - literally, searching: 'that which it finds by searching is,' etc.... [ Continue Reading ]
_WILL THE UNICORN BE WILLING TO SERVE THEE, OR ABIDE BY THY CRIB?_ Unicorn. Pliny ('Natural History,' 8:21) mentions such an animal: its figure is found depicted in the ruins of Persepolis. The Hebrew х_ REEYM_ (H7214)] conveys the idea of loftiness and power (cf. Ramah; Indian, Ram; Latin, Roma).... [ Continue Reading ]
_CANST THOU BIND THE UNICORN WITH HIS BAND IN THE FURROW? OR WILL HE HARROW THE VALLEYS AFTER THEE?_ _ CANST THOU BIND THE UNICORN WITH HIS BAND IN THE FURROW? OR WILL HE HARROW THE VALLEYS AFTER THEE?_ His band - fastened to the horns, as its chief strength lies in the head and shoulders. AFTER... [ Continue Reading ]
_WILT THOU TRUST HIM, BECAUSE HIS STRENGTH IS GREAT? OR WILT THOU LEAVE THY LABOUR TO HIM?_ Thy labour - rustic work.... [ Continue Reading ]
_WILT THOU BELIEVE HIM, THAT HE WILL BRING HOME THY SEED, AND GATHER IT INTO THY BARN?_ Believe - trust. SEED - produce х_ ZERA`_ (H2233)] (1 Samuel 8:15). INTO THY BARN - rather, gather (the contents of) thy threshing floor х_ GOREN_ (H1637)]: Maurer, the grain threshed on it.... [ Continue Reading ]
_GAVEST THOU THE GOODLY WINGS UNTO THE PEACOCKS? OR WINGS AND FEATHERS UNTO THE OSTRICH?_ Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich? - rather, 'the wing of the ostrich hen (literally, of cries: the crying-bird х_ RªNAANIYM_ (H7443)]; as the Arab name for... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHICH LEAVETH HER EGGS IN THE EARTH, AND WARMETH THEM IN DUST,_ Nay (unlike the stork) she leaveth etc. Hence, called by the Arabs the impious bird. However, the fact is, she lays her eggs with great care about a foot beneath the surface, and hatches them as other birds do; but in hot countries th... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND FORGETTETH THAT THE FOOT MAY CRUSH THEM, OR THAT THE WILD BEAST MAY BREAK THEM._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_SHE IS HARDENED AGAINST HER YOUNG ONES, AS THOUGH THEY WERE NOT HERS: HER LABOUR IS IN VAIN WITHOUT FEAR;_ On a slight noise often she forsakes her eggs, and returns not, as if she were 'hardened toward her young.' HER LABOUR - in producing eggs, is in vain, (yet) she has no disquietude (about h... [ Continue Reading ]
_BECAUSE GOD HATH DEPRIVED HER OF WISDOM, NEITHER HATH HE IMPARTED TO HER UNDERSTANDING._ Wisdom - such as God gives to other animals, and to man (Job 35:11). The Arab proverb is, 'Foolish as an ostrich.' Yet her very seeming want of wisdom is not without wise design of God, though man cannot see i... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHAT TIME SHE LIFTETH UP HERSELF ON HIGH, SHE SCORNETH THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER._ Not withstanding her deficiences, she has distinguishing, excellences. LIFTETH ... HERSELF - for running: she cannot mount in the air. Gesenius translates х_ TAMRIY'_ (H4754), from _ MAARAA'_ (H4754), akin to the Ar... [ Continue Reading ]
_HAST THOU GIVEN THE HORSE STRENGTH? HAST THOU CLOTHED HIS NECK WITH THUNDER?_ The allusion to "the horse" (Job 39:18) suggests the description of him. Arab poets delight in praising the horse; yet it is not mentioned in the possessions of Job, (Job 1:1; Job 42:1.) It seems to have been at the time... [ Continue Reading ]
_CANST THOU MAKE HIM AFRAID AS A GRASSHOPPER? THE GLORY OF HIS NOSTRILS IS TERRIBLE._ Make ... afraid - rather, 'canst thou (as I do) make him spring as the locust х_ RAA`ASH_ (H7493) unites the meaning of tremble and spring up (Umbreit)]. So in Joel 2:4 the comparison is between locusts and war ho... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE PAWETH IN THE VALLEY, AND REJOICETH IN HIS STRENGTH: HE GOETH ON TO MEET THE ARMED MEN._ Valley - where the battle is joined. GOETH ON - goeth forth (Numbers 1:3; Numbers 21:23.)... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE MOCKETH AT FEAR, AND IS NOT AFFRIGHTED; NEITHER TURNETH HE BACK FROM THE SWORD._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE QUIVER RATTLETH AGAINST HIM, THE GLITTERING SPEAR AND THE SHIELD._ QUIVER - for the arrows, which they contain, and which are directed "against him." GLITTERING SPEAR - literally, glittering of the spear, like 'lightning of the spear' (Habakkuk 3:11). SHIELD - rather, lance х_ KIDOWN_ (H359... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE SWALLOWETH THE GROUND WITH FIERCENESS AND RAGE: NEITHER BELIEVETH HE THAT IT IS THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET._ Swalloweth - fretting with impatience, he draws the ground toward him with his hoof, as if he would swallow it. The parallelism shows this to be the sense: not, as Maurer, 'scours over it.... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE SAITH AMONG THE TRUMPETS, HA, HA; AND HE SMELLETH THE BATTLE AFAR OFF, THE THUNDER OF THE CAPTAINS, AND THE SHOUTING._ Saith - poetically applied to his mettlesome neighing, whereby he shows his love of the battle. SMELLETH - snuffeth: discerneth (margin, Isaiah 11:3). THUNDER - thundering... [ Continue Reading ]
_DOTH THE HAWK FLY BY THY WISDOM, AND STRETCH HER WINGS TOWARD THE SOUTH?_ The instinct by which some birds migrate to warmer climates before winter. Rapid flying peculiarly characterizes The instinct by which some birds migrate to warmer climates before winter. Rapid flying peculiarly characterize... [ Continue Reading ]
_DOTH THE EAGLE MOUNT UP AT THY COMMAND, AND MAKE HER NEST ON HIGH?_ Eagle - it flies highest of all birds: thence called the bird of heaven.... [ Continue Reading ]
_SHE DWELLETH AND ABIDETH ON THE ROCK, UPON THE CRAG OF THE ROCK, AND THE STRONG PLACE._ Abideth - securely (Psalms 91:1); it occupies the same abode mostly for life. CRAG - literally, tooth х_ SHEN_ (H8127)] (margin, 1 Samuel 14:5). STRONG PLACE - citadel, fastness.... [ Continue Reading ]
_FROM THENCE SHE SEEKETH THE PREY, AND HER EYES BEHOLD AFAR OFF._ Seeketh - is on the look out for. BEHOLD - the eagle descries its prey at an astonishing distance by sight rather than smell.... [ Continue Reading ]
_HER YOUNG ONES ALSO SUCK UP BLOOD: AND WHERE THE SLAIN ARE, THERE IS SHE._ _ HER YOUNG ONES ALSO SUCK UP BLOOD: AND WHERE THE SLAIN ARE, THERE IS SHE._ Quoted partly by Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:28). The food of young eagles is the blood of victims brought by the parent, when they are still too fee... [ Continue Reading ]