Job 30:29 — Word Study
WLCאָ֭ח הָיִ֣יתִי לְתַנִּ֑ים וְ֝רֵ֗עַ לִבְנ֥וֹת יַעֲנָֽה׃
BSAI have becomehâyâh■ [like] ◂a brotherʼâch [close relative, friend] of jackalstannîyn [dragons, monsters] a companionrêaʻ [neighbor, friend] of ostrichesyaʻănâh [daughters of the ostrich, possibly other birds]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אָ֭ח | a brother | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| הָיִ֣יתִי | I have become | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common singular |
| לְתַנִּ֑ים | of jackals | Preposition, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| וְ֝רֵ֗עַ | and a companion | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| לִבְנ֥וֹת | of daughters of | Preposition, noun common feminine plural construct |
| יַעֲנָֽה׃ | an ostrich | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I have become a brother of jackals, a companion of ostriches. |
| KJV | I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls. |
| ASV | I am a brother to jackals, And a companion to ostriches. |
| YLT | A brother I have been to dragons, And a companion to daughters of the ostrich. |
| WEB | I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches. |
| BBE | I have become a brother to the jackals, and go about in the company of ostriches. |
The translations agree on the core meaning of the verse, maintaining the metaphorical use of 'brother' in relation to jackals and ostriches.
The sentence consists of a main clause and two noun phrases connected by a conjunction, emphasizing Job's transformation and sense of companionship with wild creatures.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָיָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 30:29
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Job's Lamentgenerated
Job 30:29 reveals Job's profound sense of alienation and despair. In this passage, he compares himself to jackals and ostriches, creatures often associated with desolation and wilderness. This imagery emphasizes his feelings of abandonment and loss, as he grapples with his suffering and isolation. The surrounding verses further illustrate his deteriorating condition and his cries for help, painting a vivid picture of his emotional turmoil.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 17:14 | and say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ or ‘My sister,’ |
| 2 | Psalm 102:6 | I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins. |
| 3 | Isaiah 13:21–22 | But desert creatures will lie down there, and howling creatures will fill her houses. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about. |
| 4 | Isaiah 38:14 | I chirp like a swallow or crane; I moan like a dove. My eyes grow weak as I look upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my security.” |
| 5 | Micah 1:8 | Because of this I will lament and wail; I will walk barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and mourn like an ostrich. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אָח, 'achgenerated
The word אָח (ach) means 'brother' and can refer to a male sibling or a close relative. In this context, Job uses it to express a figurative kinship with jackals, indicating a deep sense of loneliness and estrangement from human companionship.
The parsing as a masculine singular noun highlights its role as a subject in the sentence. Job's identification as a 'brother of jackals' suggests a transformation in his social standing, reflecting his feelings of being cast out from society.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the core meaning of Job's statement, with all versions recognizing the metaphorical use of 'brother' in relation to jackals and ostriches.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb הָיִ֣יתִי, I have become, governs the entire verse, with two noun phrases serving as objects: אָח (brother) and רֵעַ (companion). The structure emphasizes Job's transformation and his identification with these creatures.
The Hebrew word order places Job's state of being first, followed by the nouns that describe his new companions, highlighting his profound sense of loss and the nature of his relationships.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אָח as ἀδελφὸς (adelphos), maintaining the familial connotation. This choice reinforces the idea of kinship, even in the context of wild animals, suggesting a deep sense of alienation.
The LXX uses σειρήνων for תַּן, which broadens the scope to include mythical creatures, reflecting a different interpretation that emphasizes the monstrous aspect of Job's companions.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 30:29 shows Job's deep feelings of loneliness and despair. He compares himself to jackals and ostriches, animals that symbolize desolation. This imagery highlights his sense of abandonment and his emotional pain, as he feels disconnected from human companionship.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job is expressing his profound loneliness and isolation by identifying with creatures that are often seen as desolate and abandoned.
Ostriches are also associated with desolation; by mentioning them, Job emphasizes his feelings of being outcast and alone.
The imagery of wild animals underscores Job's emotional state and his sense of being cut off from human relationships.
In the verses before and after, Job laments his suffering and isolation, making this metaphor of animal companionship particularly poignant.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I feel isolated or disconnected from others, similar to Job's feelings?
- How can I find comfort in my relationships when I feel abandoned or alone?
- What do the animals mentioned in this verse symbolize for me in my own experiences?
- How does understanding Job's emotional state help me relate to my own struggles?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The verse has been commented on by early Church Fathers. Gregory the Dialogist uses it to illustrate the spiritual implications of Job's comparisons, highlighting the nature of his suffering.
I was a brother to dragons, and a companion to ostriches. The term 'dragons' is used to denote the cruel spirits who plot our destruction, or those persons who in the Holy Church imitate those spirits by living corruptly.Early Church Fathers on Job 30 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 30:29 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls. Or ostriches, as the Targum, Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions; either he was obliged to dwell with such persons as were
Read John Gill on Job 30 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls. Dragons ... owls - rather, jackals, ostriches, both of which utter dismal screams (Micah 1:8); in which respect, as also in their living amidst
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 30 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleA brother, to wit, by imitation of their cries: persons of like qualities are oft called brethren, as . To dragons; which howl and wail mournfully in the deserts, , either through hunger or thirst, or when he fights with and is beaten by the elephant. To owls; whose sad and mournful noises are known. Or, ostriches; which also is noted to make lamentable outcries.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 30 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 30:29 I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.Ver. 29. I am a brother to dragons, &c.] i.e. I utter a very lamentable voice, or rather noise, like dragons, which sucking the elephant’ s blood till he fall down dead upon them, and quell them with his huge bulk, make a horrible howling; so horrible and hideous, say some, that they amaze, yea, kill those that hear it (Plin. Solin.). And a companion to owls] I give forth rude and confused cries, as if I howled with owls, or grunted with ostriches. We use to say of such, that they roar like bears and bellow like bulls, filling the air with their outcries. Young ostriches cast off by their dams, Job 39:14 Lamentations 4:3, make a…
Read John Trapp on Job 30 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(29) Dragons and owls are, according to some moderns, jackals and ostriches.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 30 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 29. I am a brother to dragons] By my mournful and continual cry I resemble תנים tannim, the jackals or hyenas. And a companion to owls.] בנות יענה benoth yaanah, to the daughters of howling: generally understood to be the ostrich; for both the jackal and the female ostrich are remarkable for their mournful cry, and for their attachment to desolate places.-Dodd.
Read AdamClarke on Job 30 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges29. The verse expands the words “I cry” in Job 30:28, I am a brother to the jackals, And a companion to the ostriches. The mournful howl of the jackals is elsewhere referred to, Micah 1:8; the ostrich also sends forth a weird, melancholy cry, particularly by night; hence in ch. Job 39:13 the female ostrich receives the name of “wailer.”
Read Cambridge on Job 30 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleI am a brother to dragons - That is, my loud complaints and cries resemble the doleful screams of wild animals, or of the most frightful monsters.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 30 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
I have become a brother of jackals, a companion of ostriches.
I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.
I have become a brother of jackals, a companion of ostriches.
I have become a brother to jackals and a companion of ostriches.
Tyndale line
I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.
I am a brother to jackals, And a companion to ostriches.
I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.
I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.
I am a brother to the dragons, and a companion to the ostriches.
Strictly literal
I am become a brother to jackals, and a companion of ostriches.
A brother I have been to dragons, And a companion to daughters of the ostrich.
I have been a brother to dragons, || And a companion to daughters of the ostrich.
I am a brother to [howling] monsters, and a companion to ostriches.
I am a brother to jackals, a companion of ostriches.
From the Latin
I was the brother of dragons, and companion of ostriches.
Simplified
I am like a brother to the jackals, a companion to owls.
I have become a brother to the jackals, and go about in the company of ostriches.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in content, with four of the six words matched. The Septuagint's translation choices reflect a slightly different emphasis, particularly in the rendering of 'jackals' as 'dragons', which may suggest a more metaphorical interpretation.
אָ֭ח הָיִ֣יתִי לְתַנִּ֑ים וְ֝רֵ֗עַ לִבְנ֥וֹת יַעֲנָֽה׃
4 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 30:29
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אָח (ach) means 'brother' and encompasses a broad range of relationships, including literal siblings, half-brothers, and metaphorical kinship. It can refer to any male relative or compatriot, and it may also imply resemblance or reciprocal relationships. The term is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, highlighting both familial and figurative connections.
אָח 630 n.m. brother
brother, born of same mother (& father)
indef. = relative
fig. of resemblance
in phr. one … another
base
H251 אָח brother
251 'ach awkh
a primitive word; a brother (used in the widest sense of
literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance
(like 1)):--another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other.
Compare also the proper names beginning with "Ah-" or "Ahi-".
see HEBREW for 01
אָח (ach) — brother: male-sibling.
: male-sibling
1) brother
1a) brother of same parents
1b) half-brother (same father)
1c) relative, kinship, same tribe
1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)
1e) (fig.) of resemblance
אָח (ach) — brother: male-relative.
: male-relative
1) brother
1a) brother of same parents
1b) half-brother (same father)
1c) relative, kinship, same tribe
1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)
1e) (fig.) of resemblance
אָח (ach) — brother: compatriot.
: compatriot
1) brother
1a) brother of same parents
1b) half-brother (same father)
1c) relative, kinship, same tribe
1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)
1e) (fig.) of resemblance
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
bruth'-er ('ach; adelphos = kin by birth, from the same parents or parent): Used extensively in both Old Testament and New Testament of other relations and relationships, and expanding under Christ's teaching to include the universal brotherhood of man. Chiefly employed in the natural sense, as of Cain and Abel (Ge 4:8); of Joseph and his brethren (Ge 42:3); of Peter and Andrew, of James and John (Mt 10:2). Of other relationships:
(1) Abram's nephew, Lot, is termed "brother" (Ge 14:14);
(2) Moses' fellow-countrymen are "brethren" (Ex 2:11; Ac 3:22; compare
Brother
(1.) In the natural and common sense (Matt. 1:2; Luke 3:1, 19).
(2.) A near relation, a cousin (Gen. 13:8; 14:16; Matt. 12:46; John 7:3; Acts 1:14; Gal. 1:19).
(3.) Simply a fellow-countryman (Matt. 5:47; Acts 3:22; Heb. 7:5).
The Hebrew word is used in various senses in the Old Testament, as, Any kinsman, and not a mere brother; e.g. nephew, (Genesis 13:8; 14:16) husband, (Solomon 4:9) One of the same tribe. (2 Samuel 19:13) Of the same people, (Exodus 2:11) or even of a cognate people. (Numbers 20:14) An ally. (Amos 1:9) Any friend, (Job 5:15) One of the same office. (1 Kings 9:13) A fellow man. (Leviticus 19:17) Metaphorically of any similarity, as in (
Signifies in Scripture the son of the same parent or parents, Mt 1:2 Lu 6:14; a cousin or near kinsman, Ge 13:8 14:16 Joh 7:3 Ac 1:14; one of the same stock or country, Mt 5:47 Ac 3:22 Heb 7:5; a fellow-man, and equal, Mt 5:23 7:3; one beloved, 2Sa 1:26; Christians, as sons of God, Ac 9:30 11:29. In
The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singularHVqp1cs
be-kum':
(1) Greek ginomai, used in New Testament for a change of state, corresponding to Hebrew hayah of Old Testament. Compare Mt 18:3 with De 27:9.
(2) For what is fitting, suitable, proper, in New Testament: "prepei" (Mt 3:15; Eph 5:3; 1Ti 2:10); in Old Testament, na'awah, na'ah, Ps 93:5: "Holiness becometh thy house." in this sense, the adverb "becomingly" must be interpreted: "Walk becomingly toward them that are without" (1Th 4:12), i.e. in a way that is consistent with your profession.
תַּן (tan) means jackal, while תַּנִּין (tan.nin) refers to a serpent, dragon, or sea monster. The entries suggest that the word can denote both land and marine creatures, including dragons and venomous snakes. Ezekiel 29:3 is specifically mentioned in relation to the term.
[תַּן] n.[m. et] f. jackal
base
תַּנִּין (erron. תַּנִּים) n.m. serpent, dragon, sea-monster
base
H8577a [תַּן] jackal H8577b תַּנִּין (erron. תַּנִּים) serpent, dragon, sea-monster
8577 tanniyn tan-neen'
or tanniym (Ezek. 29:3) {tan-neem'}; intensive from the same
as 8565; a marine or land monster, i.e. sea-serpent or
jackal:--dragon, sea-monster, serpent, whale.
see HEBREW for 08565
תַּן (tan) — jackal.
jackal
Also means: tan.nah (תַּנָּה "dragon" H8568)
תַּנִּין (tan.nin) — Dragon.
This name means dragon, serpent, sea monster
תַּנִּין (tan.nin) — serpent: snake.
1) dragon, serpent, sea monster
1a) dragon or dinosaur
1b) sea or river monster
1c) serpent, venomous snake
Also means: tan.nin (תַּנִּין ": monster" H8577N)
תַּנִּין (tan.nin) — serpent: monster.
1) dragon, serpent, sea monster
1a) dragon or dinosaur
1b) sea or river monster
1c) serpent, venomous snake
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absoluteHR/Ncmpa
רֵעַ (rea`) refers to a friend, companion, or fellow, emphasizing close associations such as brotherhood or intimacy. It can also denote a neighbor or another person in a broader sense. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to associate.'
רֵעַ 187 n.m. friend, companion, fellow
base
H7453 רֵעַ friend, companion, fellow
7453 rea` ray'-ah
or reya2 {ray'-ah}; from 7462; an associate (more or less
close):--brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover,
neighbour, X (an-)other.
see HEBREW for 0reya2
see HEBREW for 07462
רֵעַ (re.a) — neighbor.
1) friend, companion, fellow, another person
1a) friend, intimate
1b) fellow, fellow-citizen, another person (weaker sense)
1c) other, another (reciprocal phrase)
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
בַּת (bat) means 'daughter' and encompasses a range of meanings including female child, young women, and even personifications of cities or inhabitants. It can also refer to villages in certain contexts. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and is used in various figurative senses, such as 'branch' or 'apple of the eye.'
בַּת 587 n.f. daughter
daughter, female child
young women, women
with name of city, land, or people, poet. personif. of that city or inhabitants
pl. = villages, after name of city
in phrases denoting character, quality, etc.
ostrich
fig.
of vine = branch
as n. relat.
base
H1323 בַּת daughter . daughter, female child
. young women, women
. with name of city, land, or people, poet. personif. of that city or inhabitants
. pl. = villages, after name of city
. in phrases denoting character, quality, etc.
. ostrich
. fig.
. of vine = branch
. as n. relat.
1323 bath bath
from 1129 (as feminine of 1121); a daughter (used in the same
wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and
figuratively):--apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter,
X first, X old, + owl, town, village.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01121
בַּת (bat) — daughter.
: daughter
1) daughter
1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin
1a1) as polite address
1a2) as designation of women of a particular place
2) young women, women
1a3) as personification
1a4) daughter-villages
1a5) description of character
Also means: bat (בַּת ": village" H1323H)
בַּת (bat) — daughter: village.
: village
1) daughter
1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin
1a1) as polite address
1a2) as designation of women of a particular place
2) young women, women
1a3) as personification
1a4) daughter-villages
1a5) description of character
בַּת (bat) — Bath (Shua).
A woman living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.38.2;
daughter of: Shua (H7770); married to Judah (H3063);
mother of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209) and Shelah (H7956)
HR/Ncfpc — Preposition · noun common feminine plural constructHR/Ncfpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
יַעֲנָה (ya`anah) refers to an ostrich, and is noted as an unclean bird. It may also imply an owl, with some sources suggesting it could represent an extinct bird, though its exact meaning is uncertain. The word is derived from יַעֲנָה’s root, יַעֲנָה (ya`anah), which carries similar meanings.
יַעֲנָה n.f. greed (?);—ostrich
base
H3284 יַעֲנָה greed (?);—ostrich
3284 ya`anah yah-an-aw'
feminine of 3283, and meaning the same:--+ owl.
see HEBREW for 03283
יַעֲנָה (ya.a.nah) — ostrich.
1) an unclean bird
1a) owl, ostrich, literally translated as "daughters of the owl"
1b) perhaps an extinct bird, exact meaning unknown
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
os'-trich (ya`anah; strouthos; Latin Struthio camelus): The largest bird now living. The Hebrew words ya`anah, which means "greediness," and bath ha-ya`anah, "daughter of greediness," are made to refer to the indiscriminate diet of the ostrich, to which bird they apply; and again to the owl, with no applicability. The owl at times has a struggle to swallow whole prey it has taken, but the mere fact that it is a night hunter forever shuts it from the class of greedy and promiscuous feeders. The bodies of owls are proverbially lean like eagles. Neither did the owl frequent several places where older versions of Jer and Isa place it; so the translations are now correctly rendered "ostrich." These birds came into the Bible because of their desert life, the companions they lived among there, and because of their night cries that were guttural, terrifying groans, like the roaring of lions.…
Ostrich
(Lam. 4:3), the rendering of Hebrew pl. enim; so called from its greediness and gluttony. The allusion here is to the habit of the ostrich with reference to its eggs, which is thus described: “The outer layer of eggs is generally so ill covered that they are destroyed in quantities by jackals, wild-cats, etc., and that the natives carry them away, only taking care not to leave the marks of their footsteps, since, when the ostrich comes and finds that her nest is discovered, she crushes the whole brood, and builds a nest elsewhere.” In Job 39:13 this word in the Authorized Version is the rendering of a Hebrew word (notsah) which means “feathers,” as in the Revised Version. In the same verse the word “peacocks” of the Authorized Version is the rendering of the Hebrew pl.…
a large bird, native of African and Arabia, nearly ten feet high, having s long neck and short wings. It seeks retired places, (Job 30:29; Lamentations 4:13) and has a peculiar mournful cry that is sometimes mistaken by the Arabs for that of the lion. (Micah 1:8) In (Job 39:13-18) will be found a description of the bird’s habits. Ostriches are polygamous; the hens lay their eggs promiscuously in one nest, which is merely a hole scratched in the sand; the eggs are then covered over to the depth of about a foot, and are, in the case of those birds which are found within the tropics, generally left for the greater part of the day to the heat of the sun, the parent-birds taking…
The largest of birds, and a sort of connecting link between fowls and quadrupeds, termed by the Persians, Arabs, and by Greeks, the "camel-bird." It is a native of the dry and torrid regions of Africa and western Asia. The gray ostrich is seven feet high and its neck three feet long; it weighs nearly eighty pounds, and is strong enough to carry two men. The other species, with glossy black wings and white tail, is sometimes ten feet high. The beautiful plumes so highly valued are found on the wings, about twenty on each, those of the tail being usually broken and worn. There are no feathers on the thighs, or under the wings; and the neck is but scantily clothed with thin whitish hairs. The weight of the body and the size and structure of the wings show that the animal is formed for running rather than flying.