Unique Creations of God

Continuing a Bible study in Job, God is still speaking to Job in chapter 39:

(Job 39:1) "Do you know the time when the wild mountain goats bear young? Or can you mark when the deer gives birth? (2) Can you number the months that they fulfill? Or do you know the time when they bear young? (3) They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows."

Knowing the time alone that these animals take to deliver their young is nothing extraordinary in itself, but Adam Clarke points out something else is his "Commentary on the Bible".  There are some peculiarities surrounding the birth of especially "hinds", or deer.  "The hind with young is by instinct directed to a certain herb, named seselis, which facilitates the birth. Thunder, also, which looks like the more immediate hand of Providence, has the same effect."  Mr. Clarke then refers to Psalms 29:9, “The voice of the Lord makes the hinds to calve."  The word translated as "sorrows" is actually one meaning "cords, bands, or rope"; it was used to mean the placenta or umbilical cord.  "Sorrows" was a nice way of expressing the pangs of birth.

(4) "Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they go forth, and do not return to them."

To be in good liking is to be plump or healthy.  The word translated as corn can actually mean any grain or even open field or country.  The fawns and the young goats leave their mothers early.  I believe the idea is that even though most baby animals need considerable attention and care from their mothers for a time, the young of the mountain goats and deer are protected by God alone.  These young animals are exposed to so many dangers and predators in their young lives that if it weren't for the protection of God, none would make it to adulthood.

(5) "Who has sent out the wild ass free? Or who has loosed the bands of the wild ass, (6) Whose home I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings? (7) He scorns the multitude of the city; neither does he regard the crying of the driver. (8) The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searches after every green thing."

There are two different words both translated as "wild ass' in verse 5.  The first, "pereh" refers to "running wild" or the "onager" or "wild ass".  The second, "arod" is said to mean "onager" or "wild ass", but is only used once in the Bible here.  Perhaps there are two different types of wild animals discussed here, but the point is that the wild ass is untamed and unsubdued, and who has made him that way?  He doesn't regard any man and the vast wilderness and desert are his home. 

(9) "Will the unicorn be willing to serve you? Or abide by your crib? (10) Can you bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after you? (11) Will you trust him because his strength is great? Or will you leave your labor to him? (12) Will you believe him, that he will bring home your seed, and gather it into your barn?"

The word translated as "unicorn" was used several times in the Bible, but no one knows exactly what animal to which the word refers.  It may have been a type of wild bull now extinct, or some even wonder if it was a rhinoceros.  The image of the unicorn works just fine here.  Is it possible to tame the wild unicorn and train him to work for you and that you trust him to do your work? 

(13) "Did you give the goodly wings to the peacocks, or wings and feathers to the ostrich?"

The word translated as "peacocks" is used only once in the Bible, so speculation was probably used.  Most scholars think it refers to the ostrich.  However, the word that is translated as "ostrich" is a different word.  It is only translated as "ostrich" in this one verse, and is translated as "feathers" in three other places in the Bible.  Some scholars think the word should be "storks", but the next verse seems to describe an ostrich.  The word translated as "feathers" here is another word.  AND the two words translated as "wings" above are two different words!  Whew!  This is a tough one to translate certainly, but let's take it one word at a time and see if we can come up with the right context.

To begin with, "Did you give" was added by the KJV translators; actually their words were "Gavest thou".  So taking that out, we begin with "goodly".  That word is said to mean "to rejoice, to exult, to leap for joy, to wave or flap joyously, to delight oneself, to solace oneself".  When the word was used in the only two other times it occurred in the Bible, it was translated as "rejoice" and "solace".  The original word for the first "wings" above does seem to mean "wings" as it is used frequently that way.  Then we come to the word that is only used once and is said to mean "peacocks", however Strong's and Brown-Driver-Briggs both define it as something with a piercing cry or wail.  The KJV translators obviously connected goodly feathers and wails to the peacock. The second word that was translated as "wings" is not used nearly so often as the first "wings", but it does seem to mean "feathers" or "wings".  Interestingly, the word translated as "feather(s)" is most often translated as "stork".  The only place in the Bible it was ever used as "feathers" was here.  Finally is the word translated as "ostrich", which is more often translated as "feathers" or "plumage"; it is only translated as "ostrich" here.  Whew!

So with the translations above, we have something along the order of, "rejoicing wailing bird, feathers or wings and a stork and feathers or plumage".  Considering the next verses do seem to describe an ostrich, perhaps God is asking if Job created the ostrich in such a unique way; she cries and seems to flap joyously and has the feathers of the stork, but....

(14) "Which leaves her eggs in the earth, and warms them in dust; (15) And forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them. (16) She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers; her labor is in vain without fear; (17) Because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has He imparted to her understanding. (18) When she lifts herself on high, she scorns the horse and its rider."

I do believe the point is that the ostrich is such a unique creation of God with its appearance and flapping wings and stature that makes it appear as if it thinks it can rival the horse and rider.  Yet it doesn't have the wisdom, concern, or maternal instincts to care for its eggs or its young.

(19) "Have you given the horse strength? Have you clothed his neck with thunder? (20) Can you make him afraid as a grasshopper? The glory of his nostrils is terrible. (21) He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength; he goes on to meet the armed men. (22) He mocks at fear, and is not frightened; neither does he turn back from the sword. (23) The quiver rattles against him, the glittering spear and the shield. (24) He swallows the ground with fierceness and rage; neither does he believe that it is the sound of the trumpet. (25) He says among the trumpets, 'Ha ha!'; and he smells the battle from afar, the thunder of the captains and the shouting."

Here is another poetic description of a unique creation of God, the strong horse with its blazing mane, here pictured as a warhorse with no fear, snorting fiercely and pawing the earth, undeterred by the sounds of war, but ready to charge.  Did Job create him this way?

(26) "Does the hawk fly by your wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south? (27) Does the eagle mount up at your command, and make her nest on high? (28) She dwells and abides on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. (29) From there she seeks the prey, and her eyes behold from afar. (30) Her young ones also suck up blood, and where the slain are, there is she."

Here are two more awesome and unique creations of God, the hawk and the eagle.  Does Job manage them?