Job - 39:7



7 He scorns the tumult of the city, neither does he hear the shouting of the driver.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Job 39:7.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver.
He scorneth the tumult of the city, Neither heareth he the shoutings of the driver.
He scorneth the multitude of the city, he heareth not the cry of the driver.
He laugheth at the tumult of the city, and heareth not the shouts of the driver;
He doth laugh at the multitude of a city, The cries of an exactor he heareth not.
He scorns the multitude of the city, neither regards he the crying of the driver.
He makes sport of the noise of the town; the voice of the driver does not come to his ears;
He despises the crowded city; he does not pay attention to the bellow of the tax collector.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

He scorneth the multitude of the city - That is, he sets all this at defiance; he is not intimidated by it. He finds his home far away from the city in the wild freedom of the wilderness.
Neither regardeth he the crying of the driver - Margin, "exacter." The Hebrew word properly means a collector of taxes or revenue, and hence, an oppressor, and a driver of cattle. The allusion here is to a driver, and the meaning is, that he is not subject to restraint, but enjoys the most unlimited freedom.

He scorneth the multitude - He is so swift that he cannot be run or hunted down. See the description in Job 39:5 (note).

He scorneth the multitude of the city,.... Choosing rather to be alone in the wilderness and free than to be among a multitude of men in a city, and be a slave as the tame ass; or it despises and defies a multitude of men, that may come out of cities to take it, Leo Africanus says (r) it yields to none for swiftness but Barbary horses: according to Xenophon (s), it exceeds the horse in swiftness; and when pursued by horsemen, it will outrun them, and stand still and rest till they come near it, and then start again; so that there is no taking it, unless many are employed. Aristotle (t) says it excels in swiftness; and, according to Bochart (u), it has its name in Hebrew from the Chaldee word "to run". Or it may be rendered, "the noise of the city", so Cocceius; the stir and bustle in it, through a multiplicity of men in business;
neither regardeth he the crying of the driver; or "hears" (w): he neither feels his blows, nor hears his words; urging him to move faster and make quicker dispatch, as the tame ass does; he being neither ridden nor driven, nor drawing in a cart or plough.
(r) Ut supra. (Descriptio Africae, l. 9. p. 752.) (s) Ut supra. (De Expedition. Cyril, l. 1.) (t) Hist. Animal. l. 6. c. 36. (u) Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 1. c. 9. col. 63. (w) "non audiet", Pagninus, Montanus.

multitude--rather, "din"; he sets it at defiance, being far away from it in the freedom of the wilderness.
driver--who urges on the tame ass to work. The wild ass is the symbol of uncontrolled freedom in the East; even kings have, therefore, added its name to them.

Scorneth - He feareth them not when they pursue him, because he is swift, and can easily escape them. Driver - He will not be brought to receive his yoke, nor to do his drudgery.

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