Job 39:13–18

The Authorised Version is far from a correct representation. The peacock seems to have been first known, even to Israel, in the days of Solomon, and the name is an Indian word turned into Hebrew. It is the ostrich which is really in the first clause, contrasted with the stork in the second. "The wing of the ostrich flaps joyously: but has she the stork's pinion and plumage?" ... Certainly the peacock is not meant here. The peacock is more striking for its splendid tail when spread out, and that does not enter into the description given. The ostrich, unlike the stork, has no power of flight. It runs at the greatest speed, and it has none of that parental fondness which marks the stork.

notsah means "plumage," and it is translated ostrich in Job 39:13-18. Job 39:13, however, refers to the ostrich by the plural word renanim, which means "a crying or wailing." The Authorised Version translates that word "peacocks."

There is a contrast here between the ostrich and the stork. The ostrich makes a great fluttering, and it is also stupidly indifferent to its young. The stork is the most affectionate bird that God created. No other bird has such great care for its offspring.

The ostrich is another most interesting creature of God. It is a bird, but not a flying bird. It uses its wings only to help it run at a fast rate. Also, unlike other birds, she makes no comfortable nest to lay her eggs in and hide them from predators. She leaves them in the ground and warms them in the dust, in places where beasts or men may walk. She does not consider that these eggs can easily be broken.

God gives one bird its remarkable character of affection. From another bird He takes away even the most basic sense — a bird of immense power and great speed, so fast that an ostrich could outrun a racehorse for a while.

Job was to learn from the ostrich that God does not do what man might naturally expect, nor does God need to give us His reasons.

Here is a creature that God Himself has apparently deprived of the ordinary instincts of a mother. Yet Someone — Who? — cares for the helpless brood.

He dwells on two things in particular — His supremacy, and also His power, joined with the most tender care... In fact, Job was laid low on every point. A sense of his own ignorance overwhelmed him in every possible way. He had been presumptuous in talking about the far more wonderful ways of a God who deals with a man's heart, soul and circumstances now... It was God showing His majesty, power, wisdom and goodness in outward things. If that were true of God, how much more in spiritual things?

The ostrich is another most interesting creature of God — a bird, but not a flying bird, using its wings only to help it run at a fast rate. Also, unlike other birds, she makes no comfortable nest to lay her eggs in and hide them from predators. She leaves them in the ground and warms them in the dust, in places where animals or people may walk. She does not consider the danger: these eggs break easily.

There is nothing here about peacocks at all. It is a mistake. It should read, "The wing of the ostrich waves joyously; is it the pinion and plumage of the stork?" The first part of the verse is about the ostrich, and the second part about the stork. The ostrich, with its great fluttering and its stupid indifference to its young, stands in contrast to the stork. The stork is the most affectionate bird that God created. No bird has such great care for its offspring.

And who is to dispute with God? The God who gives one bird its remarkable character of affection takes the commonest sense away from another bird of immense power and great swiftness. An ostrich could outrun a racehorse for a while.

In the previous verse the ostrich is named by a word that means "a crying or wailing." The ostrich leaves its eggs in the sand, well covered up. The sun keeps them warm by day, and the parent sits upon them at night. The bird leaves other eggs unprotected nearby, to feed the young birds when they hatch, and these may be trampled on. As for the parents' indifference to their young, people say that when a hunter comes near, the birds leave their nests and often cannot find the place again in the wide desert. But dead jackals have been found near the nests, killed by the parent birds.

It would be amusing, if it were not so sad, when critics declare that the author of "the poem" made a mistake about the eggs of the ostrich. But it is not an "author" who speaks. It is the Creator Himself, and He knows more about His creatures than all the "scientists" in the world.

All things, however wild and seemingly senseless, are His creatures, and He does not forget them. Here is a creature that God Himself seems to have deprived of the ordinary mother's instincts. Yet some One — Who? — cares for the helpless brood.

As to the ostrich, let its wing speed ever so joyously, God is still sovereign here, whatever man may reason… But this is not without God, who takes in more than man can grasp. Let man then mark, learn, and worship, and not set up to judge God or to murmur.

It is significant that the series opens and closes with mention of beasts and birds of prey. They might seem worthless, or even harmful, and yet He cares for them with unerring wisdom. Shall He fail to watch over His child who knows and trusts Him?

She also treats her young harshly, as though they were not hers (v.16). How unlike most mother birds or animals! Why is this so? "Because God deprived her of wisdom, and did not endow her with understanding" (v.17). Sad to say, some human mothers act like the ostrich in this matter, but it is abnormal. But Job was to learn from the ostrich that God does not do what man might naturally expect. He does not need to give us His reasons.

The ostrich, on the contrary, leaves its young to get through as best they can. She leaves her eggs out in the sand, to come to maturity there or to be destroyed. She does not care about them... And who is to dispute with God? God gives one bird its remarkable character of affection. From another bird He takes away the commonest sense — a bird of immense power and great swiftness, able to outrun a racehorse for a while.

The passage speaks of the ostrich leaving her eggs unprotected and hardening herself against her young. The ostrich leaves its eggs in the sand, well covered up. The sun keeps them warm by day, and the parent sits on them at night. She leaves other eggs unprotected nearby as food for the chicks when they hatch, and these may get trampled. As to the indifference of the parents to their young, reports say that when a hunter approaches, they leave their nests. Often they cannot find the place again in the wide desert. Yet people have found dead jackals near the nests, killed by the parent birds. Some suppose that Job 39:16 refers to other birds laying eggs in the ostrich's nest, so that the chicks which hatch are "not hers."

All things, however wild and senseless they seem, are His creatures, and He does not forget them... Here is a creature God Himself seems to have deprived of the ordinary mother's instincts. Yet some One — Who? — cares for the helpless brood.

No wonder the Chaldean enemy was bitter in reproach and cruel in punishment. But, sad to say, the chosen nation's cup of indignity was not full until they themselves turned the most bitter of all against their own kin, out of sheer want and misery. "Even jackals offer the breast; they nurse their young; but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness."

But this is not without God. He takes in more than man can grasp, and it pleases Him, of His own will and wisdom, to deprive the ostrich of wisdom. Yet He has also given her a swiftness that mocks the swiftest horse with its rider. Let man then mark, learn, and worship, and not set himself up to judge God or to murmur. That would be folly more guilty than the desert racer's, as well as irreverence and rebellion.

The word notsah means "plumage," and it is translated ostrich in Job 39:13-18. But Job 39:13 calls the ostrich renanim, a plural word meaning "a crying or wailing." The King James Version translates it "peacocks." The passage is obscure. Job 39:13 may be better translated: "The wing of the ostrich beats joyously: but is it the stork's pinion and plumage?" The passage then speaks of the ostrich leaving its eggs unprotected, and being hard toward its young.

Also, she treats her young harshly, as though they were not hers (v.16). How unlike most mother birds or animals! Why is this so? "Because God deprived her of wisdom, and did not endow her with understanding" (v.17). Sad to say, some human mothers act like the ostrich in this matter, but it is abnormal. But Job was to learn from the ostrich that God does not do what man might naturally expect. Nor does God need to give us His reasons.

And who is to dispute with God? The God that gives one bird its remarkable character of affection takes away the commonest sense even from another bird of immense power and great swiftness, so that an ostrich could outrun a racehorse for a while — "she scorns the horse and his rider."

But this is not without God, who takes in more than man can grasp. So let man take note, learn, and worship. Let him not set himself up to judge God or to grumble. That would be folly more guilty than the desert racer's own, and irreverence and rebellion besides.

All things, however wild and seemingly senseless, are His creatures, and He has not forgotten them. Here is another one: the ostrich of the desert. Her wings vibrate as she races with the speed of the wind… Here is a creature whom God Himself seems to have deprived of the ordinary motherly instincts. Yet Someone — Who? — cares for the helpless brood.

Who is it? — was it you, Job, that managed all these things? Was it you that cared for them all, provided for them all? Were you born when they began? In fact, Job was laid low on every point. The sense of his own ignorance and presumption overwhelmed him in every possible way. He had been talking about the far more wonderful ways of a God who deals with a man's heart, a man's soul, a man's circumstances now… It was God showing His majesty, power, wisdom and goodness in outward things. If that were true of God, how much more in spiritual things?

The passage is obscure... Job 39:18 refers to the speed of the bird, which has often exceeded that of the best horses.

The ostrich is another most interesting creature of God. It is a bird, but not a flying bird. It uses its wings only to help it run fast.

The ostrich, by contrast, leaves its young to get through as best they can. It leaves its eggs exposed in the sand, to grow or to be destroyed. She does not care about them... "because God has deprived her of wisdom." And who is to dispute with God? The God who gives one bird its remarkable affection takes the commonest sense away from another bird of immense power and great speed. So an ostrich could outrun a racehorse for a while — "she scorns the horse and his rider."

But Job was to learn from the ostrich that God does not do what man expects. God does not need to give us His reasons. The speed of the ostrich also is amazing, far exceeding the speed of a horse (v.18). Why? Because God chose to make it this way.

Here is a creature that God Himself seems to have deprived of the ordinary instincts of a mother. Yet some One — Who? — cares for the helpless brood.

Does he see that prowling lioness? Who gives it food for its young? Who listens to the hungry croak of the raven? Who preserves the brilliant but stupid ostrich, the prancing battle-horse? Who guides the eagle, the king of birds, with its home high above? There is but one answer.

But this is not without God. He takes in more than man can grasp. Of His own will and wisdom, He is pleased to deprive the ostrich of wisdom. Yet He has also given her a swiftness which mocks the swiftest horse with its rider. Let man then mark, learn, and worship, and not set up to judge God or to murmur. This would be folly more guilty than that of the racer of the desert, as well as irreverence and rebellion.

The swiftness of the ostrich leads naturally to the next creature. Jehovah passes to the horse — swiftness, strength and grace in one body — and above all to the war-horse... What part has Job had in designing and creating so remarkable a creature?

It was God showing His majesty, power, wisdom and goodness in outward things. If that were true of God, how much more in spiritual things? And this is the great lesson of the Book that Job had to apply.