He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.
Parallel translations
- WEB He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength. He goes out to meet the armed men.
- BSB He paws in the valley and rejoices in his strength; he charges into battle.
- NKJV He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength; He gallops into the clash of arms.
- NASB “He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength; He goes out to meet the battle.
- NLT It paws the earth and rejoices in its strength when it charges out to battle.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The horse paws the ground eagerly and charges joyfully into the fray. God displays a creature delighting in the very work for which he made it.
Overview
The war-horse rejoices in its strength, pawing the valley floor and rushing to meet armed men without hesitation. This eager courage is part of the animal's God-given nature. The scene underscores that God has equipped each creature perfectly for its calling, a wisdom Job is invited to admire rather than to question.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Jer 8:6I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.
- Prov 21:31The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.
- 1 Sam 17:4–10And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
- Judg 5:22Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.
- 1 Sam 17:42And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.
- Ps 19:5Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
- Jer 9:23Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 39:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.