Job 38:13

38:13 that it might seize the corners of the earth, ¹ 

and shake the wicked out of it?

Job 39:26

39:26 “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars, ² 

and spreads its wings toward the south?

Job 37:3

37:3 Under the whole heaven he lets it go,

even his lightning to the far corners ³  of the earth.

Job 39:13

39:13 ⁴ “The wings of the ostrich ⁵  flap with joy, ⁶ 

but are they the pinions and plumage of a stork? ⁷ 

[38:13]  ¹ sn The poetic image is that darkness or night is like a blanket that covers the earth, and at dawn it is taken by the edges and shaken out. Since the wicked function under the cover of night, they are included in the shaking when the dawn comes up.

[39:26]  ² tn This word occurs only here. It is connected to “pinions” in v. 13. Dhorme suggests “clad with feathers,” but the line suggests more the use of the wings.

[37:3]  ³ tn Heb “wings,” and then figuratively for the extremities of garments, of land, etc.

[39:13]  ⁴ tc This whole section on the ostrich is not included in the LXX. Many feel it is an interpolation and should therefore be deleted. The pattern of the chapter changes from the questions being asked to observations being made.

[39:13]  ⁵ tn The word occurs only here and means “shrill cries.” If the MT is correct, this is a poetic name for the ostrich (see Lam 4:3).

[39:13]  ⁶ tn Many proposals have been made here. The MT has a verb, “exult.” Strahan had “flap joyously,” a rendering followed by the NIV. The RSV uses “wave proudly.”

[39:13]  ⁷ tn The point of this statement would be that the ostrich cannot compare to the stork. But there are many other proposals for this line – just about every commentator has a different explanation for it. Of the three words here, the first means “pinion,” the third “plumage,” and the second probably “stork,” although the LXX has “heron.” The point of this whole section is that the ostrich is totally lacking in parental care, whereas the stork is characterized by it. The Hebrew word for “stork” is the same word for “love”: חֲסִידָה (khasidah), an interpretation followed by the NASB. The most likely reading is “or are they the pinions and plumage of the stork?” The ostrich may flap about, but cannot fly and does not care for its young.