Job 39:17

Amplified Bible

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Contextual Overview

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Job 17:4, Job 35:11, Deuteronomy 2:30, 2 Chronicles 32:31, Isaiah 19:11-14, Isaiah 57:17, James 1:17

Reciprocal: Job 12:20 - taketh Psalms 119:19 - hide Isaiah 28:26 - For his God Isaiah 30:28 - causing

Cross-References

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Gill's Notes on the Bible

Because God hath deprived her of wisdom,.... Or "made her to forget" d what she had; an instance of her forgetfulness is mentioned

Job 39:15; and so Leo Africanus e says of it, that it is of a very short memory, and presently forgets the place where its eggs are laid;

neither hath he imparted to her understanding; many instances are given of its stupidity by historians, as that it will take anything that is offered to it to eat, stones, iron, c. f that it will thrust its head and neck into a thicket, fancying: it is hid and covered, and that none can see it; which Pliny g remarks as an instance of its foolishness; though Diodorus Siculus h takes this to be a point of prudence, for the preservation of those parts of it which are weakest. Strabo gives i another instance of its stupidity, its being so easily deceived by sportsmen, who, by putting the skin of an ostrich on their hands, and reaching out fruits or seeds to it, it will receive them of them, and be taken. Others observe the smallness of their heads, and so of their brains, as an argument of their want of understanding; and it has been remarked, as a proof of their having but few brains, that Heliogabalus, the Roman emperor, had six hundred heads of ostriches dressed at once for his supper, for the sake of their brains k.

d השה "oblivisci fecit eum", Montanus, Mercerus, Drusius, Cocceius, Michaelis, Schultens. e Ut supra. (Desciptio. Africae, l. 9. p. 766.) f Aelian. ut supra. (de Animal. l. 5. c. 21.) Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 10. c. 1. g Ibid. (Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 10. c. 1.) h Ut supra. (Diodor. Sicul. Bibliothec. l. 2. p. 133.) i Geograph. l. 16. p. 531. k Lamprid. Vit. Heliogab. c. 20, 30.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Because God hath deprived her of wisdom ... - That is, he has not imparted to her the wisdom which has been conferred on other animals. The meaning is, that all this remarkable arrangement, which distinguished the ostrich so much from other animals was to be traced to God. It was not the result of chance; it could not be pretended that it was by a human arrangement, but it was the result of divine appointment. Even in this apparent destitution of wisdom, there were reasons which had led to this appointment, and the care and good providence of God could be seen in the preservation of the animal. Particularly, though apparently so weak, and timid, and unwise, the ostrich had a noble hearing Job 39:18, and when aroused, would scorn the fleetest horse in the pursuit, and show that she was distinguished for properties that were expressive of the goodness of God toward her, and of his care over her.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 39:17. God hath deprived her of wisdom — Of this foolishness we have an account from the ancients; and here follow two instances:

"1. It covers its head in the reeds, and thinks itself all out of sight because itself cannot see. So Claudian: -

____________ 'Stat lumine clauso

Ridendum revoluta caput: creditque latere

Quad non ipsa videt.'

"2. They who hunt them draw the skin of an ostrich's neck on one hand, which proves a sufficient lure to take them with the other. They have so little brain that Heliogabalus had six hundred heads for his supper. Here we may observe, that our judicious as well as sublime author just touches the great points of distinction in each creature, and then hastens to another. A description is exact when you cannot add but what is common to another thing; nor withdraw, but something peculiarly belonging to the thing described. A likeness is lost in too much description, as a meaning is often in too much illustration." - Dr. YOUNG.