Иов 39:21 Комментарий

God proceeds here to show Job what little reason he had to charge him with unkindness who was so compassionate to the inferior creatures and took such a tender care of them, or to boast of himself, and his own good deeds before God, which were nothing to the divine mercies. He shows him also what great reason he had to be humble who knew so little of the nature of the creatures about him and had so little influence upon them, and to submit to that God on whom they all depend. He discourses particularly, I. Concerning the wild goats and hinds (Job 39:1-4). II. Concerning the wild ass (Job 39:5-8). III. Concerning the unicorn (Job 39:9-12). IV. Concerning the horse (Job 39:19-25). VII. Concerning the hawk and the eagle (Job 39:26-30).

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 39 This chapter treats of various creatures, beasts and birds, which Job had little knowledge of, had no concern in the making of them, and scarcely any power over them; as of the goats and hinds, Job 39:1; of the wild ass, Job 39:5; of the unicorn, Job 39:9; of the peacock and ostrich, Job 39:13; of the horse, Job 39:19; and of the hawk and eagle, Job 39:26.

He paweth in the valley,.... Where armies are usually pitched and set in battle army, and especially the cavalry, for which the valley is most convenient; and here the horse is impatient of engaging, cannot stand still, but rises up with his fore feet and paws and prances, and, as the word signifies, digs the earth and makes it hollow, by a continual striking upon it; so generally horses are commonly described in this manner (s); and rejoiceth in his strength; of which he is sensible, and glories in it; marches to the battle with pride and stateliness, defying, as it were, the enemy, and as if sure of victory, of which he has knowledge when obtained; for Lactantius says (t) of horses, when conquerors they exult, when conquered they grieve; it has its name in the Hebrew language from rejoicing (u); he goeth on to meet the armed men; without any fear or dread of them, as follows. (s) "Cavatque tellurem". Virgil. Georgic. l. 3. v. 87. (t) Institut. l. 3. c. 8. (u) "gavisus est". Vid. Buxtorf. in voce

He diggeth up the earth with his hoof. He exulteth boldly, he goeth on to meet the armed men. 53. By the 'hoof of the horse,' the strength of labour is usually understood. What then is designated by the 'hoof,' except the perfection of virtues in a holy preacher? And with this hoof he, in truth, digs up the earth, when, by the example of his own works, he ejects worldly thoughts from the heart of his hearers. With his hoof he digs up the earth, because, when a good teacher shews by his conduct that the world is despised, he empties the minds of his hearers of secular cares. Let us see Paul, with what hoof of displayed virtue he digs the soil of the hearts of his hearers. For he himself says to his disciples; Think on these things, which ye hate received, and heard, and seen in me, do these things; and the God of peace shall be with you. [Phil. 4, 8. 9.] And again; Brethren, be ye imitators of me, as I also am of Christ. [1 Cor. 11, 1] He therefore, who corrects others by the example of his own conduct, doubtless digs up the earth with his hoof. We have another point, to treat still more minutely, concerning the digging of this hoof. For though holy men watch with the eye of their mind intent on heavenly things, though they spurn with the foot of hard contempt all things, which flow by and sink beneath: yet from the corruption of the earthly flesh, to which they are still bound, they frequently endure in their heart a thick dust of thoughts. And when they persuade others without to seek for the things of heaven, they ever examine, with searching enquiry, themselves within, that they may not be polluted by any degrading thought long abiding in them. This horse, therefore, digs up the earth with his hoof, when every preacher examines with bold enquiry earthly thoughts within him. The horse digs up the earth with his hoof, when he, over whom the Lord now rules, considers the mass which is heaped on him from his former thoughts, and ceases not to empty himself of it by tears. Whence also Isaac is well described, as having dug wells in a strange nation. [Gen. 26, 18] By which example we learn, in truth, when dwelling in the sorrow of this pilgrimage, to penetrate the depths of our thoughts; and that, until the water of true wisdom comes in answer to our efforts, the hand of our enquiry should not desist from clearing away the soil of the heart. Yet the aliens lying in ambush, fill up these wells, because doubtless, when unclean spirits behold us studiously digging into our heart, they pile upon us the accumulated thoughts of temptations. Our mind must accordingly be always emptied out, and unceasingly dug up, lest the soil of our thoughts, if left undisturbed, should be heaped upon us, even to a mound of evil deeds. Hence it is said to Ezekiel; Son of man, dig in the wall: [Ez. 8, 8] that is, break through hardness of heart by frequent blows of examination. Hence the Lord says to Isaiah; Enter thou into the rock, hide thyself in a ditch in the ground, from the face of the fear of the Lord, and from the glory of His Majesty. [Is. 2, 10] For we enter the rock, in truth, when we penetrate the hardness of our heart; and we are hid in a ditch in the ground from the face of the fear of our Lord, if, casting out worldly thoughts, we are concealed from the wrath of the strict Judge in the humility of our mind. For the more the earth is thrown out by digging, the lower is the surface always laid open beneath. Whence also, if we carefully cast out from ourselves earthly thoughts, the humbler spot do we find, in which to lie hid within ourselves. 54. For behold, because the day of divine judgment is imminent, the very face of His fear is already visible; and it is the more necessary for every one to fear Him with greater dread, the more the glory of His Majesty is now approaching. What then must be done, or whither must we fly? For which way can any one be concealed from Him, Who is every where? But behold we are commanded to enter the rock, to be concealed in a ditch in the ground; in order, namely, that breaking through the hardness of our heart, we may escape the invisible anger, as we withdraw, in our heart within ourselves, from the love of visible objects: and that, when the soil of evil thought is cast out, our mind may be concealed within itself, the more safely, the lower it is. Hence the people of Israel were commanded by the Lord through Moses, to place a paddle in their belt, when they went out for the necessities of nature, and to cover in a ditch in the ground, whatever had been voided. For burdened as we are by the weight of a corruptible nature, certain superfluities of thought burst forth from the womb of our mind, like the heavy burden of the belly. But we ought to carry a paddle under our belt, in order, namely, that being always ready to reprehend ourselves, we may have about us the sharp sting of compunction, to pierce unceasingly the soil of our mind with the pain of penitence, and to conceal the fetidness which breaks forth from us. For the voidance of the belly is concealed by a paddle, in a ditch in the ground, when the superfluity of our mind, examined with minute conviction, is concealed, before the eyes of God, by the sting of its own compunction. Because, therefore, holy men cease not to blame, and to sentence whatever useless thoughts they entertain, let the Lord say of His horse; He diggeth up the earth with his hoof, that is, whatever earthly thought he beholds dwelling in his mind, he doubtless breaks, with the hard blows of superinduced penitence. But when they judge themselves within with strict minuteness, there is no longer any thing for them to fear without. For they are less alarmed at present evils, the more fully they provide themselves with future goods. Whence it is also added; He exulteth boldly, he goeth on to meet the armed men. 55. He exults boldly; because he is not broken by adversity, just as he is not elated by prosperity. For adversities cast not down him, whom no prosperities corrupt. This horse is, therefore, both bold and under the rein; he has the strength of boldness, so as not to be weighed down by adversity; he has the weight of a rider, so as not to be elevated by prosperity. For times pass on, but they are therefore unable to draw along the righteous man, because they cannot raise him up. They, doubtless, lead those along, whom they elevate: they cast down, in their wrath, those whom they exalt by their blandishments. But a man, who is thoroughly subject to God, knows how to remain fixed, among transient things, knows how to plant firmly the footsteps of his mind, amid the lapses of passing years, knows how to be neither elated at victories, nor to be afraid of opposition. But frequently, because he knows that he is more profitably exercised with the pains of his contrition, he is cheerful in adversity, and while he endures them with firmness, for the truth's sake, he rejoices that the merit of his virtue is increased. Hence it is that we read, that the Apostles then rejoiced, when it befel them to have endured scourges for Christ's sake, as it is written; They departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus. [Acts 5, 41] Hence, when Paul had been oppressed by hard persecutions in Macedonia, in insinuating that he had been afflicted, he proves that he had also been filled with joy, by saying; For when we had come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest. [2 Cor, 7, 5] As if he were plainly saying; because my spirit had rest, when my flesh endured the punishments of persecutions, through the advancement of the soul. Against this horse, therefore, there are prepared swords, by the adversaries of Holy Church, from the agony of punishments; there are prepared arms, from the patronage of secular powers. For heretics are wont to protect themselves, with the defences of the powerful of the world, as if by a kind of arms: all unbelievers are wont to impugn the preaching of the faith, by rousing also the powers of the world. But the horse of God exults boldly, and fears not outward torments, because he seeks inward delight; he dreads not the wrath of the powers of the world, because, by the rapture of his mind, he tramples down the desire even of the present life itself. Hence it is said by Solomon; Whatever shall befal the just, it will not make him sad. [Prov. 12, 21] Hence it is again written of him; The righteous, confident as a lion, will be without fear. [Prov. 28, 1] The lion is therefore not afraid in the onset of beasts, because he knows well that he is stronger than them all. Whence the fearlessness of a righteous man is rightly compared to a lion, because when he beholds any rising against him, he returns to the confidence of his mind; and knows that he overcomes all his adversaries, because he loves Him alone, Whom he cannot in any way lose against his will. For whoever seeks after outward things, which are taken from him even against his will, subjects himself, of his own accord, to outward fear. But unbroken virtue is the contempt of earthly desire, because the mind is both placed on high, when it is raised above the meanest objects, by the judgment of its hopes, and is the less affected by all adversities, the more safely it is fortified by being placed on things above. 56. This horse, therefore, not only fears not those who come against him, but even goes forth to meet them. Whence it is here properly added; He goeth on to meet the armed men. For we frequently are left in peace, and unassailed, if we are not eager to oppose the wicked in behalf of righteousness. But, if the mind has ever glowed with the desire of eternal life, if it beholds already the true light within, if it kindles in itself the flame of holy fervor; we ought, as far as the place admits, as far as the cause requires, to expose ourselves in defence of righteousness, and to oppose the wicked, who are breaking forth into deeds of unrighteousness, even when we are not sought after by them. For when they assail in others the righteousness which we ourselves love, they wound us equally with their assault, even if they seem to reverence us. Because then a holy man opposes himself to the wicked and evil doers, even when he is not sought after, it is rightly said of the horse of God; He goeth on to meet the armed men. 57. Let us behold him urged on, by the spurs of his rider, against the armed enemies; what fervour had inflamed Paul, when the flame of zeal was hurrying him on at Ephesus to break through the crowds of the theatre. For it is written, They were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians, and the city was filled with confusion; and having caught Caius and Aristarchus, Paul's companions, they rushed with one accord into the theatre. [Acts 19, 28. 29.] And it is immediately subjoined; And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. But some also of the chiefs of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre. [ib. 30. 31.] In which words we, doubtless, learn with what fury he would rush against the opposing array, unless the reins of love had restrained him, by means of his friends and disciples. 58. But if we ought to go to meet our enemies, of our own accord to seek the contest, and always to abandon ourselves in the course of our zeal, why is it that this same illustrious preacher confesses of himself, saying, At Damascus, the governor of the nation under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes, in order that he might apprehend me; and through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and so escaped his hands? [2 Cor. 11, 32. 33.] Why is it, that this horse attacks at one time, of his own accord, the ranks of armed men, and at another retires, as if through fear, from the armed enemies; except this, that it is necessary for us to learn, from his cunning valour, both at one time resolutely to seek for battle with our adversaries, and at another prudently to avoid it? For it is necessary for us, during every thing we do, to consider that there is placed in the balance of our mind on one side the weight, and on the other the fruit of our labour, and that when the weight outweighs the benefit, any one may innocently decline the labour; provided he employs himself on other pursuits in which the weight of the labour is outweighed by the gain of the benefits. But when the amount of labour is either equalled, or outweighed, by the subsequent amount of benefits, the labour is not avoided without great blame. Whence the holy preacher, when he perceived that the minds of his persecutors at Damascus were grievously obstinate, was unwilling to engage with their opposition; because he saw that he himself, who, he knew, would be profitable to many, could fall, and that he could be of use to none or but few there. He, therefore, sought for a retreat from the contest, and reserved himself for other battles, to fight with greater success. For courage was not wanting to the opportunity, but an opportunity for his courage; and therefore the most courageous soldier sought, from the closeness of the siege, the field of battle. But, wherever he beheld many necks of his adversaries to be brought into subjection to his own King, he feared not to engage in battle even with death, as he himself, (when he was going to Jerusalem, and the disciples were hindering him, having foreknown his suffering by prophecy,) witnesses to himself, saying, I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus. [Acts 21, 13] Neither count I my life dearer than myself. [ib. 20, 24] He therefore who sought undauntedly, in this place, the ranks of the enemy, even when he foreknew his suffering, taught in the other that it was of dispensation, not of fear, that he fled. 59. On which subject we must consider that he, who boldly endures other greater labours for God's sake, laudably declines certain labours, through the judgment of dispensation. For feeble fear is often called, by men, cautious dispensation; and they declare that they have avoided the onset as if through prudence, when, flying disgracefully, they are wounded in their backs. Whence it is necessary in a cause of God, when a question of dispensation is discussed, for the fear of the heart to be weighed most accurately in the balance; lest fear should steal in through infirmity, and feign itself to be reason, through a semblance of dispensation; lest a fault should term itself prudence, and the mind should return no more to penitence, when it calls that which it does wrong, a virtue. It remains, therefore, for every one involved in doubts, when any adversity hangs over him, to contend first within himself against fear and precipitation; in order that he may neither withdraw himself through fear, nor yet precipitately oppose himself. For he is very precipitate, who always opposes himself to adversities; and he is very cowardly, who always hides himself. 60. But we learn these things the better in contests of the spirit, if we adopt our form of exercise from contests of the body. For he is not a wise leader, who always precipitately advances his army against the ranks of the enemy; nor is he a bold leader, who always withdraws it, through caution, from the face of the enemy. For a general ought to know how, at one time carefully to withdraw his army from the assault of the enemy, and at another, to press him close by drawing his wings around him. And perfect preachers doubtless carefully exhibit this skill, when at one time, avoiding the rage of persecution, they know how to retire, wisely, but not weakly; and when at another, despising the assault of persecution, they know how to meet it boldly, but not precipitately. But, because a holy man, when he sees it fitting, exposes his breast to blows, and beats back, even when dying, the shafts that are coming against him, it is righty said, He goeth on to meet the armed men.

He diggeth up the earth with his hoof. He exulteth boldly, he goeth on to meet the armed men. [MORAL INTERPRETATION] 77. For to dig the earth with the hoof, is to tame the flesh by strict abstinence. But the more the flesh is kept down, the more fearlessly does the mind rejoice, from the hope of heaven. And hence, when the earth has been dug out, it is fitly subjoined; He exulteth boldly. For since he firmly represses that which contends against him, he exults boldly at those things, which he longs for in everlasting peace; and his mind is the better disposed to seek for heavenly objects, the more strictly the body is restrained from unlawful pursuits. Whence it is rightly said by Solomon, Diligently cultivate thy field, that thou mayest afterwards build thine house. [Prov. 24, 27] For he rightly builds the house of his mind, who first cleanses the field of his body from the thorns of vices; that the whole fabric of virtues may not be destroyed within, as the famine of good works increases, if the thorns of desires make head in the field of the flesh. But any one, who is engaged in the very height of the battle, discerns more skilfully the fraud of the enemies, the more strictly also he keeps under his own body, as though it were a confederate of the foe. Whence also after the bruising of the body, after the joy of the heart, it is rightly subjoined; He goeth on to meet the armed men. 78. Armed enemies are unclean spirits, girded with countless frauds against us. For, when they cannot persuade us to what is wrong, they present it to our sight under the guise of virtues, and cover themselves, as it were, under certain arms, that they may not appear before us in their own naked wickedness. And we proceed to meet these armed men, when we foresee their stratagems afar off. To go forth, therefore, to meet the armed enemies, after the earth has been dug up, is, after the pride of the flesh has been tamed, to search out wonderfully the crafts of unclean spirits. To go forth to meet the armed enemies, after the earth has been dug up, is, after the wickedness of the flesh has been overcome, to engage in contest with spiritual vices. For he, who as yet contends but feebly with himself, vainly rouses against himself contests from without. For how does he, who subjugates himself to sins of the flesh, contend against those of the spirit? Or how does he seek to triumph from the labour of an outward contest, who still gives way in himself to the inward battle with lust? 79. Or certainly we go out to meet armed enemies, when, by zeal of exhortation, we prevent their stratagems even in the heart of another. For we go, as it were, from the place in which we were, to another place, to meet our enemies, when we put aside the care of ourselves in regular course, and keep off the approach of evil spirits from the mind of our neighbour. Whence it is frequently the case, that crafty enemies tempt the more terribly, concerning himself, the soldier of God, who is already victorious in the contest within, the more they see that he is mightily prevailing against them even in the heart of another; in order that, when they call him back to defend himself, they may the more freely attack the hearts of others, which were protected by his exhortation. And since they cannot overcome, they endeavour, at least, to employ him, so that, while the soldier of God is staggered about himself, not he himself, but he, whom he had been wont to defend, may perish. But his mind, immovably fixed on God, despises the darts of temptations, and fears not the shafts of any terror. For, relying on the aid of grace from above, he so tends the wounds of his own infirmity, as not to neglect those of others.

The sign of this appears immediately in him, which the text describes next, "he paws the ground with his hoof," to prepare himself to fight. He rejoices interiorly to perceive the coming battle, and so he says, "he exults," because he senses the opportunity to fight, and he shows this exultation by effect when he says, "he proceeds audaciously to the clash of arms."

Several animals described: the wild goats and hinds, Job 39:1-4. The wild ass, Job 39:5-8. The unicorn, Job 39:9-12. The peacock and ostrich, Job 39:13-18. The war-horse, Job 39:19-25. The hawk, Job 39:26. And the eagle and her brood, Job 39:27-30.

He paweth in the valley - יחפרו yachperu, "they dig in the valley," i.e., in his violent galloping, in every pitch of his body, he scoops up sods out of the earth. Virgil has seized this idea also, in his cavat tellurem; "he scoops out the ground." See before.

(Job 39:1-30) Even wild beasts, cut off from all care of man, are cared for by God at their seasons of greatest need. Their instinct comes direct from God and guides them to help themselves in parturition; the very time when the herdsman is most anxious for his herds. wild goats--ibex (Psa 104:18; Sa1 24:2). hinds--fawns; most timid and defenseless animals, yet cared for by God.

valley--where the battle is joined. goeth on--goeth forth (Num 1:3; Num 21:23).