Job 39:27-28 | KingComments | STEP | 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 ( )? 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 ( ). 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 ( ). 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 ( ). 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 ( ). 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.

‏ Job 39:27-28

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.