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Selected Verse: Job 30:29 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Job 30:29 |
Strong Concordance |
I am a brother [0251] to dragons [08577], and a companion [07453] to owls [01323] [03284]. |
| |
King James |
I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
| dragons . . . owls--rather, "jackals," "ostriches," both of which utter dismal screams (Mic 1:8); in which respect, as also in their living amidst solitudes (the emblem of desolation), Job is their brother and companion; that is, resembles them. "Dragon," Hebrew, tannim, usually means the crocodile; so perhaps here, its open jaws lifted towards heaven, and its noise making it seem as if it mourned over its fate [BOCHART]. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
I am a brother to dragons - That is, my loud complaints and cries resemble the doleful screams of wild animals, or of the most frightful monsters. The word "brother" is often used in this sense, to denote similarity in any respect. The word "dragons" here (תנין tannı̂yn), denotes properly a sea-monster, a great fish, a crocodile; or the fancied animal with wings called a dragon; see the notes at Isa 13:22. Gesenius, Umbreit, and Noyes, render this word here jackals - an animal between a dog and a fox, or a wolf and a fox; an animal that abounds in deserts and solitudes, and that makes a doleful cry in the night. So the Syriac renders it an animal resembling a dog; a wild dog. Castell. This idea agrees with the scope of the passage better than the common reference to a sea-monster or a crocodile. "The Deeb, or Jackal," says Shaw, "is of a darker color than the fox, and about the same bigness. It yelps every night about the gardens and villages, feeding upon roots, fruit, and carrion." Travels, p. 247, Ed. Oxford, 1738. That some wild animal, distinguished for a mournful noise, or howl, is meant, is evident; and the passage better agrees with the description of a jackal than the hissing of a serpent or the noise of the crocodile. Bochart supposes that the allusion is to dragons, because they erect their heads, and their jaws are drawn open, and they seem to be complaining against God on account of their humble and miserable condition. Taylor (Concord.) supposes it means jackals or thoes, and refers to the following places where the word may be so used; Psa 44:19; Isa 13:22; Isa 34:13; Isa 35:7; Isa 43:20; Jer 11:11; Jer 10:22; Jer 49:33; Jer 51:37; Lam 4:3; Mic 1:8; Mal 1:3.
And a companion to owls - Margin, ostriches. The word companion here is used in a sense similar to brother in the other member of the parallelism, to denote resemblance. The Hebrew, here rendered owls, is, literally, daughters of answering, or clamor - יענה בנות benôth ya‛ănâh. The name is given on account of the plaintive and mournful cry which is made. Bochart. Gesenius supposes, however, that it is on account of its greediness and gluttony. The name "daughters of the ostrich." denotes properly the female ostrich. The phrase is, however, put for the ostrich of both sexes in many places; see Gesenius on the word יענה ya‛ănâh; compare the notes at Isa 13:21. For a full examination of the meaning of the phrase, see Bochart, Hieroz. P. ii. L. 2. cap. xiv. pp. 218-231; see also Job 39:13-17. There can be little doubt that the ostrich is here intended, and Job means to say that his mourning resembled the doleful noise made by the ostrich in the lonely desert. Shaw, in his Travels, says that during the night "they (the ostriches) make very doleful and hideous noises; which would sometimes be like the roaring of a lion; at other times it would bear a nearer resemblance to the hoarser voice of other quadrupeds, particularly of the bull and the ox. I have often heard them groan as if they were in the greatest agonies." |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| A brother - By imitation of their cries: persons of like qualities are often called brethren. Dragon - Which howl and wail mournfully in the deserts. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
I am a brother to dragons - By my mournful and continual cry I resemble תנים tannim, the jackals or hyenas.
And a companion to owls - בנות יענה benoth yaanah, to the daughters of howling: generally understood to be the ostrich; for both the jackal and the female ostrich are remarkable for their mournful cry, and for their attachment to desolate places - Dodd. |
8 Therefore I will wail [05594] and howl [03213], I will go [03212] stripped [07758] [07758] and naked [06174]: I will make [06213] a wailing [04553] like the dragons [08577], and mourning [060] as the owls [01323] [03284].
13 Gavest thou the goodly [07443] wings [03671] unto the peacocks [05965]? or wings [084] and feathers [02624] unto the ostrich [05133]?
14 Which leaveth [05800] her eggs [01000] in the earth [0776], and warmeth [02552] them in dust [06083],
15 And forgetteth [07911] that the foot [07272] may crush [02115] them, or that the wild [07704] beast [02416] may break [01758] them.
16 She is hardened [07188] against her young ones [01121], as though they were not [03808] hers: her labour [03018] is in vain [07385] without fear [06343];
17 Because God [0433] hath deprived [05382] her of wisdom [02451], neither hath he imparted [02505] to her understanding [0998].
21 But wild beasts of the desert [06728] shall lie [07257] there; and their houses [01004] shall be full [04390] of doleful creatures [0255]; and owls [01323] [03284] shall dwell [07931] there, and satyrs [08163] shall dance [07540] there.
3 And I hated [08130] Esau [06215], and laid [07760] his mountains [02022] and his heritage [05159] waste [08077] for the dragons [08568] of the wilderness [04057].
8 Therefore I will wail [05594] and howl [03213], I will go [03212] stripped [07758] [07758] and naked [06174]: I will make [06213] a wailing [04553] like the dragons [08577], and mourning [060] as the owls [01323] [03284].
3 Even the sea monsters [08577] draw out [02502] the breast [07699], they give suck [03243] to their young ones [01482]: the daughter [01323] of my people [05971] is become cruel [0393], like the ostriches [03283] in the wilderness [04057].
37 And Babylon [0894] shall become heaps [01530], a dwellingplace [04583] for dragons [08577], an astonishment [08047], and an hissing [08322], without an inhabitant [03427].
33 And Hazor [02674] shall be a dwelling [04583] for dragons [08577], and a desolation [08077] for [05704] ever [05769]: there shall no man [0376] abide [03427] there, nor any son [01121] of man [0120] dwell [01481] in it.
22 Behold, the noise [06963] of the bruit [08052] is come [0935], and a great [01419] commotion [07494] out of the north [06828] country [0776], to make [07760] the cities [05892] of Judah [03063] desolate [08077], and a den [04583] of dragons [08577].
11 Therefore thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068], Behold, I will bring [0935] evil [07451] upon them, which they shall not be able [03201] to escape [03318]; and though they shall cry [02199] unto me, I will not hearken [08085] unto them.
20 The beast [02416] of the field [07704] shall honour [03513] me, the dragons [08577] and the owls [01323] [03284]: because I give [05414] waters [04325] in the wilderness [04057], and rivers [05104] in the desert [03452], to give drink [08248] to my people [05971], my chosen [0972].
7 And the parched ground [08273] shall become a pool [098], and the thirsty land [06774] springs [04002] of water [04325]: in the habitation [05116] of dragons [08577], where each lay [07258], shall be grass [02682] with reeds [07070] and rushes [01573].
13 And thorns [05518] shall come up [05927] in her palaces [0759], nettles [07057] and brambles [02336] in the fortresses [04013] thereof: and it shall be an habitation [05116] of dragons [08577], and a court [02681] for owls [01323] [03284].
22 And the wild beasts of the islands [0338] shall cry [06030] in their desolate houses [0490], and dragons [08577] in their pleasant [06027] palaces [01964]: and her time [06256] is near [07138] to come [0935], and her days [03117] shall not be prolonged [04900].
19 Though thou hast sore broken [01794] us in the place [04725] of dragons [08577], and covered [03680] us with the shadow of death [06757].
22 And the wild beasts of the islands [0338] shall cry [06030] in their desolate houses [0490], and dragons [08577] in their pleasant [06027] palaces [01964]: and her time [06256] is near [07138] to come [0935], and her days [03117] shall not be prolonged [04900].