John Gill Commentary Job 39:3

John Gill Commentary

Job 39:3

1697–1771
Reformed Baptist
John Gill
John Gill

John Gill Commentary

Job 39:3

1697–1771
Reformed Baptist
SCRIPTURE

"They bow themselves, they bring forth their young, They cast out their pains." — Job 39:3 (ASV)

They bow themselves
That they may bring forth their young with greater ease and more safety: for it seems the hinds has great difficulty; and there are provisions in nature made to lessen it;

as thunder, before observed, which causes them to bring forth the sooner; and there is an herb called "seselis", which it is said F9 they feed upon before birth, to make it the easier; as well as they use that, and another called "aros", after the birth, to ease them of their later pains;

they bring forth their young ones ;
renting and cleaving asunder the membrane, as the word signifies, in which their young is wrapped;

they cast out their sorrows ;
either their young, which they bring forth in pains and which then cease; or the secundines, or afterbirth, in which the young is wrapped, and which the philosopher says F11 they eat, and is supposed to be medical to them. None but a woman seems to bring forth with more pain than this creature; and a wife is compared to it, (Proverbs 5:19) .


FOOTNOTES:

  • F9: Cicero de Natura Deoram, l. 2. Plin. Nat. Hist. c. 8. 32. Aristot. Hist. Animal. l. 9. c. 5.
  • F11: Aristot. ib.