Job 39:8
Job 39:8 in Multiple Translations
He roams the mountains for pasture, searching for any green thing.
The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.
The range of the mountains is his pasture, And he searcheth after every green thing.
He goes looking for his grass-lands in the mountains, searching out every green thing.
It hunts in the mountains for pastureland, searching for all kinds of green plants to eat.
Who hath set the wilde asse at libertie? or who hath loosed the bondes of the wilde asse?
The range of mountains [is] his pasture, And after every green thing he seeketh.
The range of the mountains is his pasture. He searches after every green thing.
The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.
He looketh round about the mountains of his pasture, and seeketh for every green thing.
They go to the hills to find food; there they search for grass to eat.
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 39:8
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Job 39:8 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
יְת֣וּר
הָרִ֣ים
מִרְעֵ֑/הוּ
וְ/אַחַ֖ר
כָּל
יָר֣וֹק
יִדְרֽוֹשׁ
יְת֣וּר
yâthûwr
H3491
remainder
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
הָרִ֣ים
har
H2022
mountain
N-mp
מִרְעֵ֑/הוּ
mirʻeh
H4829
pasture
N-ms | Suff
וְ/אַחַ֖ר
ʼachar
H310
after
Conj | Prep
כָּל
kôl
H3605
all
N-ms
יָר֣וֹק
yârôwq
H3387
green
N-ms
יִדְרֽוֹשׁ
dârash
H1875
to seek
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Job 39:8
יְת֣וּר
yâthûwr
H3491
"remainder"
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
This word means 'what is left' or 'a remainder', like in Leviticus where it describes the leftover grain after a harvest.
Definition: 1) to remain over, leave, range over 2) (BDB) a searching (n m)
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: range. See also: Job 39:8.
הָרִ֣ים
har
H2022
"mountain"
N-mp
A mountain or hill, sometimes used to describe a spiritual high point. In the Bible, it can refer to a real mountain or a figurative one. The word is often translated as hill or mount.
Definition: : mount/hill hill, mountain, hill country, mount
Usage: Occurs in 486 OT verses. KJV: hill (country), mount(-ain), [idiom] promotion. See also: Genesis 7:19; Deuteronomy 3:12; Judges 18:13.
מִרְעֵ֑/הוּ
mirʻeh
H4829
"pasture"
N-ms | Suff
Pasture refers to a place where animals graze, like a feeding ground. It can also describe the act of grazing itself. In the Bible, pasture is often used to describe the care of sheep by a shepherd.
Definition: pasture, pasturage
Usage: Occurs in 11 OT verses. KJV: feeding place, pasture. See also: Genesis 47:4; Isaiah 32:14; Nahum 2:12.
וְ/אַחַ֖ר
ʼachar
H310
"after"
Conj | Prep
Achar means backwards or after, used to describe something that happens later or in the rear. It is used in various senses in the Bible, including in 1 Kings 12:18.
Definition: 1) after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time) 1a) as an adverb 1a1) behind (of place) 1a2) afterwards (of time) 1b) as a preposition 1b1) behind, after (of place) 1b2) after (of time) 1b3) besides 1c) as a conjunction 1c) after that 1d) as a substantive 1d1) hinder part 1e) with other prepositions 1e1) from behind 1e2) from following after
Usage: Occurs in 664 OT verses. KJV: after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, [phrase] out (over) live, [phrase] persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth), when, with. See also: Genesis 5:4; Exodus 18:2; Joshua 8:14.
כָּל
kôl
H3605
"all"
N-ms
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.
יָר֣וֹק
yârôwq
H3387
"green"
N-ms
This word means green or an herb, referring to green plants or things. It is used to describe lush vegetation in the Bible.
Definition: greens, green plants, green thing
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: green thing. See also: Job 39:8.
יִדְרֽוֹשׁ
dârash
H1875
"to seek"
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
To seek or ask is the meaning of this Hebrew word, often used to describe seeking God or worshiping him. It can also mean to investigate or enquire about something.
Definition: 1) to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to resort to, frequent (a place), (tread a place) 1a2) to consult, enquire of, seek 1a2a) of God 1a2b) of heathen gods, necromancers 1a3) to seek deity in prayer and worship 1a3a) God 1a3b) heathen deities 1a4) to seek (with a demand), demand, require 1a5) to investigate, enquire 1a6) to ask for, require, demand 1a7) to practice, study, follow, seek with application 1a8) to seek with care, care for 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to allow oneself to be enquired of, consulted (only of God) 1b2) to be sought, be sought out 1b3) to be required (of blood)
Usage: Occurs in 152 OT verses. KJV: ask, [idiom] at all, care for, [idiom] diligently, inquire, make inquisition, (necro-) mancer, question, require, search, seek (for, out), [idiom] surely. See also: Genesis 9:5; Ezra 10:16; Psalms 9:11.
Study Notes — Job 39:8
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 39:8 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 39:8
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 39:8
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 39:8
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 39:8
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 39:8
- Cambridge Bible on Job 39:8
- Barnes' Notes on Job 39:8
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 39:8
- Sermons on Job 39:8
Context — The LORD Speaks of His Creation
6I made the wilderness his home and the salt flats his dwelling.
7He scorns the tumult of the city and never hears the shouts of a driver.
8He roams the mountains for pasture, searching for any green thing.
9Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Will he stay by your manger at night? 10Can you hold him to the furrow with a harness? Will he plow the valleys behind you?Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalms 104:27–28 | All creatures look to You to give them their food in due season. When You give it to them, they gather it up; when You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good things. |
| 2 | Psalms 145:15–16 | The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in season. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. |
| 3 | Job 40:15 | Look at Behemoth, which I made along with you. He feeds on grass like an ox. |
| 4 | Genesis 1:29–30 | Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food. And to every beast of the earth and every bird of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth—everything that has the breath of life in it—I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. |
| 5 | Job 40:20–22 | The hills yield him their produce, while all the beasts of the field play nearby. He lies under the lotus plants, hidden among the reeds of the marsh. The lotus plants conceal him in their shade; the willows of the brook surround him. |
Job 39:8 Summary
The wild ox in Job 39:8 is a powerful animal that roams the mountains, searching for food to eat. This shows us that God created all living things with unique instincts and purposes, and we can learn from this by trusting in His provision and guidance (Psalms 23:1-4). Just like the wild ox, we need to seek out nourishment and sustenance, not just physically, but also spiritually (Matthew 4:4). By looking to God as our Shepherd and Provider, we can find fulfillment and purpose in life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of animal is being described in Job 39:8?
The animal being described is the wild ox, which is a powerful and untamed creature, as seen in the context of Job 39:9-10, where it is asked if the wild ox will consent to serve or be harnessed for labor, similar to the description in Psalms 92:10, which speaks of the horn of the righteous being lifted high like the wild ox.
Why is the wild ox roaming the mountains for pasture?
The wild ox is roaming the mountains for pasture because it is searching for any green thing to eat, as stated in Job 39:8, which shows its natural instinct to find food and survive, much like the instinct of other creatures in Psalms 104:27-28, which describes how God provides for all creatures.
What does this verse reveal about God's creation?
This verse reveals that God's creation is full of amazing and powerful creatures, like the wild ox, which are designed to thrive in their natural habitats, as seen in Job 39:6-7, where the wild ox is said to have the wilderness as its home, and in Genesis 1:25, where God creates the beasts of the earth according to their kind.
How does this verse relate to our lives as believers?
This verse reminds us that, just like the wild ox, we have been created by God with unique purposes and instincts, and we should seek to fulfill our God-given roles, as stated in Ephesians 2:10, which says we are created in Christ Jesus for good works, and in Colossians 1:16, which says all things were created for God's pleasure.
Reflection Questions
- What does the image of the wild ox roaming the mountains for pasture evoke in my heart, and how can I apply this to my own search for spiritual nourishment?
- In what ways am I like the wild ox, searching for sustenance and purpose in life, and how can I surrender to God's leading and provision?
- How can I learn to trust in God's sovereignty and provision, just like the wild ox trusts its instincts to find food and survive?
- What are some 'green things' in my life that bring me joy and satisfaction, and how can I cultivate these things to honor God?
Gill's Exposition on Job 39:8
The range of the mountains [is] his pasture,.... It ranges about the mountains for food; it looks about for it, as the word signifies, and tries first one place and then another to get some, it
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 39:8
The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing. The range , [ yªtuwr (H3491)] - literally, searching: 'that which it finds by searching is,' etc.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 39:8
The range of the mountains; that which he searcheth out or findeth in the mountains. He prefers that mean provision and hardship with his freedom, before the fattest pastures with servitude. Why so weak and harmless a creature as the wild ass should be untamable, when the most savage lions and tigers have been tamed, and how there comes to be so vast a difference between the tame and the wild ass, thou canst give no reason, but must refer it wholly to my good pleasure; to which also thou shouldst upon the same grounds refer all the various methods of my providence and dealings with thee, and with other men, and not so boldly censure what thou dost not understand.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 39:8
Job 39:8 The range of the mountains [is] his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.Ver. 8. The range of the mountains is his pasture] There he keeps, probably, for fear of lions and other fierce creatures; and there he finds food and forage, such as doth not only appease his hunger, but excite his appetite; as if he were in some fat pasture. And he searcheth out every green thing] Speeding better in his search than those asses of Hetruria, which, feeding upon green hemlock, are thereby laid for dead for three days; till half hileded by the countrymen, who take them for dead, they start up, and with a horrible noise run away in that pickle.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 39:8
Verse 8. The range of the mountains] The mountains and desert places are his peculiar places of pasture; and he lives on any thing that is green, or any kind of vegetable production.
Cambridge Bible on Job 39:8
5–8. The wild ass. Who gave the wild ass his freedom and his indomitable love of liberty—who scorns the noise of cities and laughs at the shouts of the driver, which his tame brother obeys? The point of the questions lies not only in the striking peculiarities of the beautiful creature itself, but in the strange contrast between it and the tame ass, which in external appearance it resembles.
Barnes' Notes on Job 39:8
The range of the mountains is his pasture - The word rendered “range” יתור yâthûr, means properly a “searching out,” and then that which is obtained by search. The word “range” expresses the idea with sufficient exactness.
Whedon's Commentary on Job 39:8
8. Range of the mountains — éúåø, rendered “range,” if a verbal noun may mean “that which is seen,” (on the mountain:) so Delitzsch and Umbreit. If a verb, it signifies, “He spies through the mountain,” as his pasturage.
Sermons on Job 39:8
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Luke 12:22-34. Christ Warns His Disciples Against Worldly Carefulness. by Favell Lee Mortimer | Favell Lee Mortimer preaches about the dangers of covetousness and the importance of trusting in God's provision, highlighting how both the rich and the poor can fall into the trap |
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Harmony of the Universe by Clement of Rome | Clement of Rome preaches about the divine order and harmony established by God in the heavens, the earth, and all of creation. He emphasizes how everything in the universe, from th |
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Of the Providence of God. by John Gill | John Gill expounds on the providence of God, emphasizing that it is the divine governance and care over all creation. He explains that God's providence is distinct from foreknowled |
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God's Faithfulness in Providing by George Mueller | George Mueller shares powerful testimonies of God's faithfulness in providing for orphans through prayer, illustrating how God tested his faith but always came through at the right |
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F. Arguments in Prayer for the Orphan Work by A.T. Pierson | A.T. Pierson passionately pleads with God in his sermon, presenting 11 powerful arguments to seek divine provision for the orphans under his care. He emphasizes the importance of d |
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The Alphabetical Scriptures; or the Divine Acrostics by H.J. Vine | H.J. Vine preaches about the divine design and inspiration of Scripture, highlighting the intricate structure of the Alphabetical Scriptures, such as the Divine Acrostics, which po |
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Seminar 3 - Dinosaurs and the Bible by Kent Hovind | This seminar addresses the perceived conflict between dinosaur fossils and the biblical account of creation, exploring the field of cryptozoology to shed light on hidden animals li |