I am a brother of jackals and a companion of ostriches.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job isn't just saying he's lonely; he's describing his cries as matching the desolate, mournful sounds of creatures found in the emptiest, most ruined places. It's a profound expression of how his suffering has stripped him down to a primal, almost animalistic grief.
I am a brother of jackals and a companion of ostriches.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job feels utterly abandoned and physically degraded, lamenting how his suffering has made him cry out like desolate wild animals. He describes himself as akin to jackals and ostriches, creatures known for their mournful howls and association with barren wastelands, emphasizing his complete isolation and despair. This cry is a continuation of his deep anguish expressed in the previous verse, painting a vivid picture of his wretched state.
Job feels so utterly abandoned that he identifies with the loneliest, most mournful creatures of the wilderness. What does this say about his inner state?
Job declares, "I am a brother of jackals and a companion of ostriches." This isn't just a random comparison; it's a powerful expression of his profound suffering and isolation.
Cries in the Desert
Ancient commentators noted that both jackals and ostriches are known for their mournful, wailing cries. These animals are often found in desolate, empty places, far from human company.
Shared Sorrow
By calling these creatures his "brothers" and "companions," Job is saying that his own cries of anguish are like theirs. His suffering is so intense and his isolation so complete that he feels a kinship with these wild, solitary animals. He's not just sad; he's become a creature of the wasteland, singing its desolate song.
Job's suffering isn't just physical torment; it's a deep spiritual and emotional desolation. How do the animals he mentions symbolize this inner state?
Job’s self-description as a "brother of jackals" and "companion of ostriches" points to a spiritual and emotional landscape of utter emptiness.
Emblems of Desolation
Jackals and ostriches aren't just noisy; they are creatures associated with ruins, deserts, and places forsaken by humanity. Their cries are heard in the night, in lonely places, amplifying the sense of abandonment.
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The Soul's Cry
Job’s cries aren’t simply expressions of pain; they are the sounds of a soul lost in a spiritual wilderness. He feels as forsaken and outcast as these creatures of the wild. His suffering has driven him out of the community of people and into a shared existence with the most solitary and lamenting animals.
Understand the original words
ach · Hebrew Noun
In biblical imagery, the 'brother' of animals signifies a state of total social alienation and abandonment. It indicates that the person has been cast out of human society and is left to dwell among the desolate and wild things.
This verse directly connects the mourning cries of the prophet to the howling of jackals, just as Job relates his own cries to these desolate creatures.
Psalm 44:19This Psalm describes a people who have been crushed and forgotten by God, comparing their state to the desolate lairs of wild animals, echoing Job's deep despair and alienation.
Job 39:13-18This passage describes the ostrich, highlighting its foolishness and its lonely cries in the desert, drawing a parallel to Job's own feelings of abandonment and his lamenting voice.
Lamentations 4:3The book of Lamentations uses the imagery of desert creatures, specifically sea monsters (often translated as jackals or dragons), to express the profound grief and desolation of Jerusalem after its fall, much like Job's personal desolation.
wesleyJob 30:29: "I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls."
30:29 A brother - By imitation of their cries: persons of like qualities are often called brethren. Dragon - Which howl and wail mournfully in the deserts.
ellicottJob 30:29: "I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls."
(29) Dragons and owls are, according to some moderns, jackals and ostriches.
Job isn't just saying he's lonely; he's describing his cries as matching the desolate, mournful sounds of creatures found in the emptiest, most ruined places. It's a profound expression of how his suffering has stripped him down to a primal, almost animalistic grief.
Job feels utterly abandoned and physically degraded, lamenting how his suffering has made him cry out like desolate wild animals. He describes himself as akin to jackals and ostriches, creatures known for their mournful howls and association with barren wastelands, emphasizing his complete isolation and despair. This cry is a continuation of his deep anguish expressed in the previous verse, painting a vivid picture of his wretched state.
Job feels utterly abandoned and physically degraded, lamenting how his suffering has made him cry out like desolate wild animals. He describes himself as akin to jackals and ostriches, creatures known for their mournful howls and association with barren wastelands, emphasizing his complete isolation and despair. This cry is a continuation of his deep anguish expressed in the previous verse, painting a vivid picture of his wretched state.
"I am a brother of jackals and a companion of ostriches." — Job isn't just saying he's lonely; he's describing his cries as matching the desolate, mournful sounds of creatures found in the emptiest, most ruined places. It's a profound expression of how his su…
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Last reviewed October 2026