Job 39:19

"When she lifts up herself on high, she scorns the horse and his rider."

Key Reflection

In Job 39:19, the verse vividly describes a mare's response to being approached by a horse and its rider. The imagery of the mare raising herself up and disdainfully rejecting both the horse and the rider is powerful. This scene underscores the animal's wild nature and independence, highlighting how even in the face of human dominance, certain creatures assert their freedom and will not be subdued. Such descriptions within the text reflect the cultural understanding of animals and their roles, emphasizing the limits of human control over them, a theme that resonates throughout the book of Job as the narrator grapples with questions of divine justice and human suffering.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Hast thou given the horse strength? -The incidental allusion to the horse in comparison with the ostrich in the previous verse, seems to have suggested this magnificent description of this noble animal - a description which has never been surpassed or equalled. The horse is an animal so well known, that a particular description of it is here unnecessary. The only thing which is required is an explanation of the phrases used here, and a confirmation of the particular qualities here attributed to the war-horse, for the description here is evidently that of the horse as he appears in war, or as about to plunge into the midst of a battle.

Related Verses

More from Job 39

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Go deeper with Bible.talk - your AI Bible study companion