Job 39:17 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

Because God didn't give her wisdom, and He didn't share understanding with her.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

God is explaining that He chose not to give certain creatures wisdom or understanding as part of His design.

📚 Historical Context

This verse is part of God's response to Job from a whirlwind, where God describes various animals to demonstrate His sovereign power in creation. The verse specifically refers to the ostrich, which God describes as appearing foolish in its behavior - like abandoning its eggs or running frantically. This speech comes after Job's intense suffering and his friends' failed attempts to explain his pain.

Explore Similar Verses

Luke 2:47

Everyone who heard him speak was completely blown away by how deep his understanding was and how perfectly he answered every question.

Revelation 13:18

Here's where you need some serious wisdom. If you've got the understanding to figure it out, calculate the beast's number — because it represents a human being, and that number is 666.

Colossians 1:9

That's exactly why we haven't stopped praying for you since we first heard about your faith. We're constantly asking God to fill you up with understanding of what he actually wants for your life — not just head knowledge, but the kind of wisdom that comes from really knowing him.

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📚 Historical Context

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