Job 39:20
Do you make him leap like the locust? His majestic snorting is terrifying.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Job 39:20
Do you make him leap like the locust? His majestic snorting is terrifying.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse highlights how the war-horse, usually described by its power, is compared to a locust – not for weakness, but for its sudden, explosive leaps and the terrifying "glory" (majesty) of its snorting nostrils as it charges. This imagery points to a divine power that can impart incredible, even surprising, agility and fierceness to such a formidable creature.
In this section of Job, God is questioning Job's understanding and ability to control the natural world, using the example of the powerful warhorse. These verses describe the horse's incredible strength, agility, and terrifying presence in battle, emphasizing that these are divine gifts, not something humans can bestow or control. God's point is that if Job cannot even comprehend or command such magnificent creatures, how can he possibly understand or challenge the Creator's wisdom and justice in his own suffering?
Ever seen a horse bound forward with such power and agility it looks almost unreal? Job 39:20 points to this incredible sight.
God is asking Job if he can command the war-horse to move with the same startling energy as a locust. The original language suggests not just making the horse leap, but causing it to leap, to spring forward.
A Striking Comparison
Scholars note that the comparison here isn't necessarily about the horse being afraid like a locust, but about its movement. The way a war-horse surges forward, covering ground with incredible speed and power, is likened to the way locusts move, especially when they appear in vast swarms. It's a picture of unstoppable momentum.
Beyond Human Control
This isn't about taming or training the horse; it's about the inherent, God-given ability to move with such force. It highlights that even these powerful creatures possess abilities far beyond what humans can orchestrate or replicate.
What's more terrifying than the sound of a powerful horse ready for battle? Job 39:20 captures this visceral fear.
The verse doesn't just describe a horse; it describes a war-horse in action. The 'majestic snorting' isn't just noise; it's a sound that strikes terror into enemies.
More Than Just Breath
The 'glory of his nostrils' refers to the powerful exhalation, the snorting, and perhaps even the smoke-like steam from the nostrils when the horse is agitated and preparing for combat. It's a display of raw power and barely contained energy.
Divine Power on Display
This terrifying sound and sight are not something humans can create or control. It's a testament to God's design and power, instilling fear and awe in those who witness it. It reminds us that God's creation, in its ferocity and majesty, points to His own overwhelming might.
Understand the original words
eimah · Hebrew Noun
In biblical imagery, terror or being 'terrifying' often refers to the overwhelming awe or dread inspired by God's creation or His own presence. It signifies a power so great that it commands respect, fear, and submissiveness.
This passage also compares locusts to horses, highlighting their similar appearance and rapid, terrifying advance, which echoes the imagery of the war-horse's power in Job 39.
Jeremiah 8:16This verse speaks of the terrifying sound of horses snorting, directly paralleling the 'majestic snorting' described as terrifying in Job 39, emphasizing the awe-inspiring power of these animals.
Revelation 9:7This apocalyptic passage describes locusts that appear like horses prepared for battle, further illustrating the ancient cultural connection between the visual and auditory aspects of locusts and war-horses.
Job 40:10-14Immediately following the description of the horse, God challenges Job with the mighty hippopotamus (Behemoth), continuing the theme of showcasing His power through immense creatures that humans cannot control or subdue.
jfbJob 39:20: "Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible."
- make … afraid—rather, "canst thou (as I do) make him spring as the locust?" So in Joe 2:4, the comparison is between locusts and war-horses. The heads of the two are so similar that the Italians call the locusts cavaletta, "little horse."nostrils—snorting furiously.
pooleJob 39:20: "Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible."
As a grasshopper; which is easily affrighted, and chased away by the least noise of a man. Or, as divers others render the place, Didst thou make him to move like a grasshopper , skipping and leaping as he goes? So he describes the posture of a gallant and generous horse, who curvets, and pranceth, and as it were danceth as he walks. The glory of his nostrils; that snorting, or sound, and smoke whic…
This verse highlights how the war-horse, usually described by its power, is compared to a locust – not for weakness, but for its sudden, explosive leaps and the terrifying "glory" (majesty) of its snorting nostrils as it charges. This imagery points to a divine power that can impart incredible, even surprising, agility and fierceness to such a formidable creature.
In this section of Job, God is questioning Job's understanding and ability to control the natural world, using the example of the powerful warhorse. These verses describe the horse's incredible strength, agility, and terrifying presence in battle, emphasizing that these are divine gifts, not something humans can bestow or control. God's point is that if Job cannot even comprehend or command such magnificent creatures, how can he possibly understand or challenge the Creator's wisdom and justice in his own suffering?
In this section of Job, God is questioning Job's understanding and ability to control the natural world, using the example of the powerful warhorse. These verses describe the horse's incredible strength, agility, and terrifying presence in battle, emphasizing that these are divine gifts, not something humans can bestow or control. God's point is that if Job cannot even comprehend or command such magnificent creatures, how can he possibly understand or challenge the Creator's wisdom and justice in his own suffering?
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"Do you make him leap like the locust? His majestic snorting is terrifying." — This verse highlights how the war-horse, usually described by its power, is compared to a locust – not for weakness, but for its sudden, explosive leaps and the terrifying "glory" (majesty) of its sn…