Job 39:22-28 | KingComments | STEP | God continues with the horse about which He again expresses Himself in question form to Job. The horse here is the warhorse. It is the only animal of all the animals God mentions that is in the service of man and is used by him. The aforementioned wild animals that proudly enjoy their freedom and strength are beyond the control of Job. But even a creature tamed by man can exhibit a frightening behavior from which we can get excited. The warhorse is such a creature. Characteristic is his fearlessness. Without any fear, he runs toward the enemy. Where does the horse’s strength, with which he plunges into battle, come from ( )? Did Job give it to him? No, God has equipped the horse like this. And who clothed his neck with a mane? Did Job? No, not Job, but God. The neck is connected with will-power. The willpower of the horse is adorned with a robe of manes. It gives the running horse an impressive appearance. His neck with manes also has a symbolic meaning. The neck is in many Scriptures a picture of one’s own will ( ; ; ; ; ). The covering with long hair or a veil speaks of a higher authority being acknowledged ( ; ; ). God created the horse in such a way that he does not use his strength for himself, but puts it at the service of his master. In addition to running, the horse can leap over obstacles ( ). He does so like a locust. He also looks like a locust ( ; cf. ). Locusts are also sometimes called ‘little horses’. When the horse plunges into battle, he lets hear a snort that is full of majesty and spreads horror around him. Before the horse rushes forward, he scrapes his paws in the valley, as it were to drop off and then gets out of the starting blocks ( ). He enjoys storming into the battleground. He knows his strength and despises the enemy. So “he goes out to meet the weapons”, without fear of them, because he trusts in his strength and is therefore certain of victory. He does not know fear, he laughs at it and is not dismayed ( ). The clatter of weapons doesn’t upset him, it doesn’t upset him or confuse him. There is no turning back because the enemy has drawn the sword. Fearless the horse rushes on, sword or no sword. With true contempt for death, he goes toward the sword. While he is running, the quiver of arrows hanging at his body rattles against him ( ). Other weapons it carries also rattle as he gallops forward. When he is at full speed, it is as if he is flying over the earth, so fast the legs go back and forth. While galloping, the horse trembles and roars ( ). Like an arrow he took off when the trumpet sounded. He was unstoppable. Every time the horse hears the sound of the trumpet, it responds with an excitement ( ). He feels that it is about to take part in a battle. There is nothing more beautiful for a warhorse. He scents the battle from afar and hears the thunder of the enemy’s captains and the cries of the enemy armies. It doesn’t matter. It only stimulates the horse more to get into battle.

‏ Job 39:22-28

The Horse

God continues with the horse about which He again expresses Himself in question form to Job. The horse here is the warhorse. It is the only animal of all the animals God mentions that is in the service of man and is used by him. The aforementioned wild animals that proudly enjoy their freedom and strength are beyond the control of Job. But even a creature tamed by man can exhibit a frightening behavior from which we can get excited. The warhorse is such a creature. Characteristic is his fearlessness. Without any fear, he runs toward the enemy.

Where does the horse’s strength, with which he plunges into battle, come from (Job 39:19)? Did Job give it to him? No, God has equipped the horse like this. And who clothed his neck with a mane? Did Job? No, not Job, but God. The neck is connected with will-power. The willpower of the horse is adorned with a robe of manes. It gives the running horse an impressive appearance.

His neck with manes also has a symbolic meaning. The neck is in many Scriptures a picture of one’s own will (Deu 31:27; 2Kgs 17:14; Neh 9:16; Job 15:26; Jer 7:26). The covering with long hair or a veil speaks of a higher authority being acknowledged (Gen 24:65; Num 6:5; 1Cor 11:15). God created the horse in such a way that he does not use his strength for himself, but puts it at the service of his master.

In addition to running, the horse can leap over obstacles (Job 39:20). He does so like a locust. He also looks like a locust (Rev 9:7a; cf. Joel 2:4). Locusts are also sometimes called ‘little horses’. When the horse plunges into battle, he lets hear a snort that is full of majesty and spreads horror around him.

Before the horse rushes forward, he scrapes his paws in the valley, as it were to drop off and then gets out of the starting blocks (Job 39:21). He enjoys storming into the battleground. He knows his strength and despises the enemy. So “he goes out to meet the weapons”, without fear of them, because he trusts in his strength and is therefore certain of victory.

He does not know fear, he laughs at it and is not dismayed (Job 39:22). The clatter of weapons doesn’t upset him, it doesn’t upset him or confuse him. There is no turning back because the enemy has drawn the sword. Fearless the horse rushes on, sword or no sword. With true contempt for death, he goes toward the sword.

While he is running, the quiver of arrows hanging at his body rattles against him (Job 39:23). Other weapons it carries also rattle as he gallops forward. When he is at full speed, it is as if he is flying over the earth, so fast the legs go back and forth. While galloping, the horse trembles and roars (Job 39:24). Like an arrow he took off when the trumpet sounded. He was unstoppable.

Every time the horse hears the sound of the trumpet, it responds with an excitement (Job 39:25). He feels that it is about to take part in a battle. There is nothing more beautiful for a warhorse. He scents the battle from afar and hears the thunder of the enemy’s captains and the cries of the enemy armies. It doesn’t matter. It only stimulates the horse more to get into battle.

The Hawk and the Eagle

The last two animals that God asks Job about are birds of prey: the hawk and the eagle. God points out to Job the wonder of the hawk’s migrating instinct. Did Job give this bird the instinct to spread its wings and soar toward the south at a certain time (Job 39:26)? The migratory instinct is still today a miracle that man looks at with amazement. The navigation of migratory birds is astonishing. They know exactly where to go and what route to follow. Who other than God has given the migratory birds this insight and equipped them with such a navigation system?

For the eagle – or probably better: vulture – the same applies. The astonishing thing about the eagle is not a migratory instinct, but its ability to rise to great heights and make a nest on high (Job 39:27). Does Job command the eagle to fly high up and make a nest there? He lives and spends the night at that height inaccessible to man (Job 39:28). No one can reach him there or disturb him. His dwelling on the tip of a rock offers the security of a fortress.

For his food supply he can rely on his phenomenal eyesight (Job 39:29). As soon as he sees prey from his place in the distance, he flies toward it like a thunderbolt. With the prey in his beak, he returns to his nest. There he gives his prey to his young who suck up its blood (Job 39:30). His food also consists of “the slain”, i.e. animals that are so badly injured that they no longer have the strength to bring themselves to safety. They may also be people who have been so badly injured in war that they are dying on the battlefield. The eagle awaits the moment when it can feast on them.