Job 39:1
New International Version
“Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn?

New Living Translation
“Do you know when the wild goats give birth? Have you watched as deer are born in the wild?

English Standard Version
“Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the does?

Berean Standard Bible
“Do you know when mountain goats give birth? Have you watched the doe bear her fawn?

King James Bible
Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?

New King James Version
“Do you know the time when the wild mountain goats bear young? Or can you mark when the deer gives birth?

New American Standard Bible
“Do you know the time the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the deer?

NASB 1995
“Do you know the time the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the deer?

NASB 1977
“Do you know the time the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the deer?

Legacy Standard Bible
“Do you know the time the mountain goats give birth? Do you keep watch over the calving of the deer?

Amplified Bible
“Do you know the time when the wild goats of the rock give birth [to their young]? Do you observe the calving of the deer?

Christian Standard Bible
Do you know when mountain goats give birth? Have you watched the deer in labor?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Do you know when mountain goats give birth? Have you watched the deer in labor?

American Standard Version
Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?

Contemporary English Version
When do mountain goats and deer give birth? Have you been there when their young are born? *

English Revised Version
Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch the does when they are in labor?

Good News Translation
Do you know when mountain goats are born? Have you watched wild deer give birth?

International Standard Version
"Do you know when the mountain goat gives birth? Do you watch the doe as it calves its young?

Majority Standard Bible
“Do you know when mountain goats give birth? Have you watched the doe bear her fawn?

NET Bible
"Are you acquainted with the way the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch as the wild deer give birth to their young?

New Heart English Bible
"Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears fawns?

Webster's Bible Translation
Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?

World English Bible
“Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears fawns?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“Have you known the time of "" The bearing of the wild goats of the rock? Do you mark the bringing forth of does?

Young's Literal Translation
Hast thou known the time of The bearing of the wild goats of the rock? The bringing forth of hinds thou dost mark!

Smith's Literal Translation
Knewest thou the time of the bringing forth of the wild goats of the rock? and wilt thou watch the bearing of the hinds?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Knowest thou the time when the wild goats bring forth among the rocks, or hast thou observed the hinds when they fawn?

Catholic Public Domain Version
Do you know at what time the wild goats have given birth among the rocks, or do you observe the deer when they go into labor?

New American Bible
Do you know when mountain goats are born, or watch for the birth pangs of deer,

New Revised Standard Version
“Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the deer?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
DO you know the time when wild goats bring forth in the steep rocks? Or can you watch the calving of hinds?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Do you know the time that the wild goats on a cliff bear young, and the bearing of the hinds?
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Say if thou knowest the time of the bringing forth of the wild goats of the rock, and if thou hast marked the calving of the hinds:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God Speaks of His Creation
1“Do you know when mountain goats give birth? Have you watched the doe bear her fawn? 2Can you count the months they are pregnant? Do you know the time they give birth?…

Cross References
Psalm 104:18
The high mountains are for the wild goats, the cliffs a refuge for the rock badgers.

Psalm 29:9
The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in His temple all cry, “Glory!”

Isaiah 34:14
The desert creatures will meet with hyenas, and one wild goat will call to another. There the night creature will settle and find her place of repose.

Proverbs 30:29-31
There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk: / a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything; / a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.

Jeremiah 14:5-6
Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn because there is no grass. / Wild donkeys stand on barren heights; they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail for lack of pasture.”

Psalm 147:9
He provides food for the animals, and for the young ravens when they call.

Isaiah 35:6-7
Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. / The parched ground will become a pool, the thirsty land springs of water. In the haunt where jackals once lay, there will be grass and reeds and papyrus.

Genesis 21:20
And God was with the boy, and he grew up and settled in the wilderness and became a great archer.

1 Samuel 24:2
So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

2 Samuel 2:18
The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle,

Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Luke 12:24
Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!

Matthew 10:29-31
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. / And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. / So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Luke 12:6-7
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. / And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Matthew 6:28-30
And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin. / Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these. / If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?


Treasury of Scripture

Know you the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or can you mark when the hinds do calve?

the wild

1 Samuel 24:2
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.

Psalm 104:18
The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.

when

Psalm 29:9
The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.

Jeremiah 14:5
Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook it, because there was no grass.

Jump to Previous
Bearing Bears Birth Calve Deer Doe Fawn Fawns Forth Goats Hinds Mark Mountain Observe Rock Roes Time Watch Wild Young
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Bearing Bears Birth Calve Deer Doe Fawn Fawns Forth Goats Hinds Mark Mountain Observe Rock Roes Time Watch Wild Young
Job 39
1. Of the wild goats and hinds
5. Of the wild donkey
9. The unicorn
13. The peacock, stork, and ostrich
19. The horse
26. The hawk
27. The eagle














Do you know
This phrase challenges human understanding and knowledge, emphasizing the limitations of human wisdom compared to God's omniscience. In the Hebrew text, the word used for "know" is "יָדַע" (yada), which implies an intimate, experiential knowledge. This rhetorical question serves to remind Job—and the reader—of the vastness of God's creation and the depth of His understanding, which far surpasses human comprehension.

when the mountain goats give birth?
The mountain goats, or "יָעֵל" (yael) in Hebrew, are creatures that inhabit remote and rugged terrains. Their birthing process is hidden from human eyes, symbolizing the mysteries of nature that God alone fully comprehends. The reference to mountain goats highlights God's care and provision for all creatures, even those in the most inaccessible places. This imagery serves to illustrate God's sovereignty and meticulous attention to detail in His creation.

Have you watched
The Hebrew root "רָאָה" (ra'ah) means to see or observe. This word underscores the idea of witnessing or understanding events as they unfold. The question implies that Job, and by extension humanity, lacks the ability to observe and understand the intricate processes of life that God oversees. It is a call to recognize the limitations of human perception and the need to trust in God's perfect vision and plan.

the doe bear her fawn?
The doe, or "אַיָּלָה" (ayalah) in Hebrew, represents gentleness and vulnerability. The birthing of a fawn is a delicate and hidden event, further emphasizing the theme of God's intimate involvement in the natural world. This phrase invites reflection on the nurturing aspect of God's character, as He watches over and sustains life in all its forms. It serves as a reminder of the Creator's ongoing role in the cycle of life, reinforcing the message of divine providence and care.

Verses 1-30. - This chapter completes the survey of animate nature begun at Job 38:39. The habits and instincts of the wild goat, the wild ass, and wild cattle are first noticed (vers. 1-12); then a transition is made to the most remarkable of birds, the ostrich (vers. 13-18). Next, the horse is described, and, as it were, depicted, in a passage of extraordinary fire and brilliancy (vers. 19-25). Finally, a return is made to remarkable birds, and the habits of the hawk and eagle obtain mention (vers. 26-30). Throughout, the object is to show the infinite wisdom of God, and the utter incompetence of man to explain the mysteries of nature. Verse 1. - Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? The wild goats of Western Asia are of two kinds, the Capra segagrus, and the Asiatic ibex, or Capra Sinaitica. The latter is probably the animal here intended, which is called yael sela, "the wild goat of the rocks," and was known to the Assyrians as ya-e-li. It is an animal with large rough horns curving backwards, closely allied to the steinbock, or bouquetin, of the Swiss and Tyrolian Alps. It is very shy and wild, difficult of approach, and inhabiting only the most rocky and desolate tracts of Syria and Arabia. Representations of the animal, which was hunted by the Assyrian kings, are common upon the Ninevite monuments (see 'Ancient Monarchies,' vol. 2. p. 140. Or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve? "The hinds" here are probably the females of the species of ibex intended. The clause is therefore a mere repetition, in other words, of the preceding one.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Do you know
הֲיָדַ֗עְתָּ (hă·yā·ḏa‘·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

when
עֵ֭ת (‘êṯ)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 6256: Time, now, when

mountain
סָ֑לַע (sā·la‘)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5553: A craggy rock

goats
יַעֲלֵי־ (ya·‘ă·lê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3277: Mountain goat

give birth?
לֶ֣דֶת (le·ḏeṯ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage

Have you watched
תִּשְׁמֹֽר׃ (tiš·mōr)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

the doe
אַיָּל֣וֹת (’ay·yā·lō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 355: A doe, female deer

bear her fawn?
חֹלֵ֖ל (ḥō·lêl)
Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2342: To twist, whirl, to dance, to writhe in pain, fear, to wait, to pervert


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OT Poetry: Job 39:1 Do you know the time when (Jb)
Job 38:41
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