Job 39:9

The Hebrew word is reem. The Septuagint translated it by two Greek words, hadros and monokeros, and from the second of these the Authorised Version took the word 'unicorn.' Nothing in Scripture suggests that the animal had only one horn. In fact Deuteronomy 33:17 speaks of 'the horns of a unicorn' (see margin). It must have been an animal the Israelites knew well. Its great strength and wildness are its main features: it cannot be put to use, like the tame ox, for farm work.

There is only one animal with a single horn, the Indian rhinoceros, and it is found only in southern Asia. Here the word should be the wild ox. We have the wild goat (v. 1), the wild donkey (v. 5), and now the wild ox (v. 9). They follow one after another. This is a more powerful animal than either of the others. There is a rising in the scale.

The wild ox is understood to be a large antelope that cannot be tamed. Can its will be broken by men as domesticated cattle are, so that it willingly serves the authority of man? (v. 9). Would it willingly lie down in a manger where cattle are quite content? Could Job make it plod along a furrow, pulling a plough as oxen were taught to do? (v. 10). The strength of the antelope was more than enough for this, but how could man make use of such strength? Could he trust such an animal to bring home grain from the field? (v. 12). Of course the answer to all these questions is no. But this teaches us that God's creation holds much variety that man cannot even understand. It also shows up man's limits against God's unlimited resources.

Job cannot pretend — and neither can anyone else, whatever they think or say — that he can bring the wild ox down to the ordinary work of man. No one can make him submit quietly to his control or care. His strength might be priceless. But God made all things, and He gave Adam dominion over fish and bird, cattle, every creeping thing, and all the earth. Even so, He did not tie the wild ox to the furrow with a cord, or make him harrow behind Job. Nor did He ask Job to leave the work of the field in his hands, at the beginning or at the end.

But what is the Lord's aim in putting these questions? To show that God is greater than man and to humble man, to bring Job to the true knowledge of himself that he needed, and to deliver him from the pride of his heart.

God is still speaking about wild creatures. He asks if Job can control the great wild ox and make it serve him, or the wild antelope of the plains. Will it plough and carry the loads of farm work like the ox? That wild, untamed nature yields to One only. Can Job doubt that He will control all things, even the wild powers of evil, and make them the obedient servants of His will? So God will take the wild, wandering thoughts of His poor servant captive. He will bring a rich harvest of blessing out of his bitter experiences.