Job 39:4

"They bow themselves. They bear their young. They end their labor pains."

Key Reflection

In the context of ancient Near Eastern culture, Job 39:4 vividly describes the process of animal reproduction and care in a way that would be familiar to the original audience. The text portrays how young animals kneel (or "bow themselves") to give birth, much like humans do, while also bearing their offspring. This imagery would have emphasized the natural order and the nurturing instincts found even among non-human creatures, highlighting God's sovereignty over all creation in a way that resonated with both human and animal life.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Their young ones are in good liking -Hebrew “they are fat;” and hence, it means that they are strong and robust. They grow up with corn -Herder, Gesenius, Noyes, Umbreit, and Rosenmuller render this, “in the wilderness,” or “field.” The proper and usual meaning of the word used here (ברbâr) is corn (grain); but in Chaldee it has the sense of open fields, or country. The same idea is found in the Arabic, and this sense seems to be required by the connection.

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