Job 38:40

_WHEN THEY COUCH IN THEIR DENS, AND ABIDE IN THE COVERT TO LIE IN WAIT?_ Lie in wait - for their prey (Psalms 10:9)....

25-41 Hitherto God had put questions to Job to show him his ignorance; now God shows his weakness. As it is but little that he knows, he ought not to arraign the Divine counsels; it is but little he can do, therefore he ought not to oppose the ways of Providence. See the all-sufficiency of the Divine Providence; it has wherewithal to satisfy the desire of every living thing. And he that takes care of the young ravens, certainly will not be wanting to his people. This being but one instance of the Divine compassion out of many, gives us occasion to think how much good our God does, every day, beyond what we are aware of. Every view we take of his infinite perfections, should remind us of his right to our love, the evil of sinning against him, and our need of his mercy and salvation....

Verse Job 38:40. _WHEN THEY COUCH IN_ THEIR _DENS_] Before they are capable of trusting themselves abroad. _ABIDE IN THE COVERT_] Before they are able to hunt down the prey by running. It is a fact that the _young lions_, before they have acquired sufficient strength and swiftness, _lie under cover_, in order to surprise those animals which they have not fleetness enough to overtake in the forest; and from this circumstance the כפירים _kephirim_, "young lions, or lions' whelps," have their name: the root is כפר _caphar_, to _cover_ or _hide_. Job 4:11, where _six_ different names are given to the lion, all expressing some distinct quality or state....

WHEN THEY COUCH IN THEIR DENS - For the purpose of springing upon their prey. AND ABIDE IN THE COVERT TO LIE IN WAIT? - The usual posture of the lion when he seeks his prey. He places himself in some unobserved position in a dense thicket, or crouches upon the ground so as not to be seen, and then springs suddenly upon his victim. The common method of the lion in taking his prey is to spring or throw himself upon it from the place of his ambush, with one vast bound and to inflict the mortal blow with one stroke of his paw. If he misses his aim, however, he seldom attempts another spring at the same object, but deliberately returns to the thicket in which he lay in concealment. See the habits of the lion illustrated in the Edinburgh Encyclopedia, “Mazology.”...

CLOSE OF THE CONTROVERSY BY THE INTERFERENCE OF THE ALMIGHTY. EXPOSITION The discourse, by which the Almighty answers Job and rebukes his "friends," occupies four chapters (ch. 38-41.). It is broken into two parts by the interposition of a-short confession on Job's part (Job 40:3). Job 38:1 and Job 39:1 are closely connected, and form a single appeal—a sort of _argumentum ad verecundiam—_to_ _Job's profound ignorance of God's natural government, which incapacitates him from passing judgment upon what is far more incomprehensible and myste

WHEN THEY COUCH IN [THEIR] DENS, [AND] ABIDE IN THE COVERT TO LIE IN WAIT?] Which some understand of old lions, who, for want of strength, lie couchant in their dens, or in some covert place, waiting for any prey that passes by, to seize upon it. But the same pasture and places are used by younger lions, as well as old ones; who are emblems of wicked men, cruel persecutors, and bloodthirsty tyrants, who fill their palaces and kingdoms with murder and rapine; see Psalms 10:8 Nahum 2:11....

CHAPTER S 38:39--39:30 _ 1. The beasts of prey (Job 38:39)_ 2. The wild goats, the ass, the unicorn and the ostrich (Job 39:1) 3. The horse, the hawk and the eagle (Job 39:19) Job 38:39. God's own wisdom and power in nature, as witnessed to by Himself, is followed by His witness as to the sustenance of His creatures, how mercifully He provides for their need. This section begins with the query, “Knowest thou?” Could he hunt the prey of the lion, or fill the ravenous appetite of their young? God considers the young, even so unclean a bird as the raven has its food provided by God. Wonderful it is to read that the young rave

JOB 38:39 TO JOB 39:30. THE WONDERS OF THE ANIMATE CREATION. In Job 38:39 f. God first names the lion. Man would rather hunt and destroy the lion than feed him. But God cares for the lion as well as for man. So also for the raven (Job 38:41); but perhaps as the raven seems out of place here among the beasts, we should read, Who provideth at evening its food? In this case Job 38:41 continues the description of God's care of the lion....

The lion. _wilt thou hunt_ Rather, DOST THOU HUNT THE PREY FOR THE LIONESS? That the lioness is enabled to catch her prey is due to some power which brings it into her hand. Is it Job, perhaps, that finds it for her?...

_THE SHATTERING OF SILENCE_ VI. THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND THE PENITENCE OF JOB (Job 38:1, Job 42:6) A. INTEGRITY, CERTAINTY, AND KNOWLEDGE (Job 38:1, Job 40:2) 1. God questions Job about the marvels of the universe. (Job 38:1-41) TEXT 38:1-41 38 THEN JEHOVAH ANSWERED JOB OUT OF THE WHIRLWIND, AND SAID, 2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel By words without knowledge? 3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; For I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Dec