What is the meaning of Job 39:4? Their young ones “ Their young ones ” spotlights the offspring of the wild animals God is describing (vv. 1-3). By drawing our eyes to the vulnerable stage of life, the Lord reminds Job that He, not Job, oversees every birth in creation. Cross references underscore this truth: Psalm 104:21 notes that even “the young lions roar for prey and seek their food from God,” while Matthew 6:26 assures us that our heavenly Father feeds the birds. If He lovingly manages the infancy of beasts and birds, Job can trust Him with human concerns he does not yet understand (cf. Job 38:41). thrive The phrase “thrive” (BSB: “Their young ones thrive”) pictures healthy, vigorous growth supplied by divine provision. No human steward nurses these creatures; God alone ensures they flourish. Consider Psalm 147:9, “He provides food for the animals and for the young ravens when they call.” Job had questioned God’s justice, but the prospering of even untended offspring proves the Creator’s unfailing, attentive care. and grow up in the open field Wild animals “grow up in the open field” without barns, fences, or caretakers. This detail highlights God’s sovereign ordering of what seems chaotic to us. Psalm 104:14 celebrates that He “makes grass grow for the livestock,” and Isaiah 40:26 invites us to lift our eyes and see how He marshals every star without missing one. If the wilderness is a well-ordered nursery under His hand, the unexplained trials in Job’s life are also under control. they leave Once strong, the young “leave.” Independence is a built-in stage God intends. Parents step back, and the creatures move into their ordained roles. Deuteronomy 32:11 portrays an eagle “stirring up its nest” so the eaglets learn to fly. The same pattern in nature assures us that God’s timing—whether of release, change, or growth—is perfect. and do not return “They… do not return” finalizes the picture of complete self-sufficiency orchestrated by God. There is no circle back to dependence. Psalm 104:23 parallels this rhythm for people: “Man goes forth to his work and to his labor until evening.” The verse invites Job (and us) to rest in God’s comprehensive governance: He starts, sustains, and settles every life journey. summary Job 39:4 uses the simple scene of wild youngsters maturing without human aid to show God’s meticulous rule over creation. From birth to independence, He meets every need, proving that nothing in the universe—least of all Job’s suffering—lies outside His wise, caring control. |
    |