John Gill Commentary Job 39:7

"He scorneth the tumult of the city, Neither heareth he the shoutings of the driver." — Job 39:7 (ASV)

He scorns 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 ^F18 it yields to none for swiftness but Barbary horses: according to Xenophon ^F19 , 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 ^F20 says it excels in swiftness; and, according to Bochart ^F21 , it has its name in Hebrew from the Chaldee word (adp) , "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 does he regard the crying of the driver ;
or "hears" ^F23 : 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F18: Ut supra. (Descriptio Africae, l. 9. p. 752.)
• F19: Ut supra. (De Expedition. Cyril, l. 1.)
• F20: Hist. Animal. l. 6. c. 36.
• F21: Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 1. c. 9. col. 63.
• F23: (emvy al) "non audiet", Pagninus, Montanus.