Why does God deprive the ostrich of wisdom in Job 39:17? Text and Immediate Context “Yet she leaves her eggs on the ground and lets them warm in the dust; she forgets that a foot may crush them or a wild beast may break them. She treats her young harshly, as if they were not her own; she is unconcerned that her labor was in vain, for God has deprived her of wisdom; He has not endowed her with understanding. Yet when she proudly spreads her wings, she laughs at the horse and its rider.” (Job 39:14-18) The ostrich passage is embedded in Yahweh’s whirlwind address (Job 38–41). God is refuting Job’s demand for an explanation of suffering by unfolding facets of His creation that man neither designed nor controls. The ostrich serves as a vivid case study in “selective endowment”: remarkable strengths paired with conspicuous deficiencies. Original Hebrew Insights 1. ḥāk͟mâ (“wisdom”)—practical sagacity, shrewdness in caring for offspring. 2. tābūnâ (“understanding”)—discernment, insight, prudence. 3. ʿāḍar (“deprive”)—refuse, withhold; a volitional act of God. The language does not imply accident or evolutionary mishap. It states deliberate divine choice. Natural History of the Ostrich • Largest living bird (Struthio camelus); wingspan up to 2.1 m, yet flightless. • Brain weight ≈ 40 g, small relative to 100-kg mass. • Exceptional speed (up to 70 km/h) due to elastic tendons and pneumatic bones—an engineering showcase. • Nesting: communal scrape in open sand, eggs often left exposed at mid-day to avoid overheating. Modern ethologists confirm the very traits Job observed: minimal maternal vigilance paired with unmatched terrestrial speed. The biblical depiction is scientifically precise long before formal zoology. Divine Sovereignty and Selective Endowments God’s rhetorical point is not ridicule but contrast. He crafts each creature to display a unique slice of His glory (Psalm 104:24). The ostrich’s seeming folly accentuates other species’ parental instincts (e.g., stork, v. 13). By withholding nurturing wisdom yet equipping her with fleetness, God shows that no single creature embodies all perfections; only the Creator does. Theological Implications 1. Creator’s prerogative—Romans 9:20: “Who are you, O man, to answer back to God?” 2. Human limitation—Job’s epistemic horizon is smaller than the bird’s range; therefore, he cannot indict God’s governance. 3. Moral lesson—Wisdom is God-given (James 1:5). Any lack in creature or man is permitted to draw dependence upon Yahweh. Archaeological and Historical Corroboration Ostrich eggshells, used as canteens and canvases, surface in Near-Eastern sites from Ubaid (~4000 BC, conventional dating) downward. Job, living in the post-Flood Patriarchal era (~2000 BC on a Usshurian chronology), easily observed ostriches roaming Arabia. Such finds corroborate the text’s historical plausibility. Lessons for Job and All Readers • God’s goodness is not measured by distributing every “advantage” uniformly. • Apparent deficiencies highlight a larger ecosystemic balance. • Human suffering, like ostrich folly, may conceal purposes beyond immediate perception. Christological and Redemptive Echo The ostrich, seemingly forsaking her young, stands in stark contrast to the covenant promise: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). In Christ’s resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:4-8) God showcases ultimate power fused with ultimate wisdom—rectifying the limits seen in creatures. Practical Application 1. Humility—Acknowledge selective gifts and limits in your own life. 2. Stewardship—Respect created kinds; conservation of ostrich habitats honors the Designer. 3. Worship—Let every quirky creature, ostrich included, prompt awe toward the perfect wisdom of God (Revelation 4:11). Conclusion God “deprived” the ostrich of maternal prudence to exemplify His sovereign distribution of attributes, to humble human pretensions, and to remind us that true wisdom comes only from Him. The text stands vindicated by zoology, archaeology, and coherent theism, pointing ultimately to the One who lacks no wisdom—Jesus Christ, risen Lord. |
    |