Job 38 41

Job 38:41 kjv

Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

Job 38:41 nkjv

Who provides food for the raven, When its young ones cry to God, And wander about for lack of food?

Job 38:41 niv

Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?

Job 38:41 esv

Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God for help, and wander about for lack of food?

Job 38:41 nlt

Who provides food for the ravens
when their young cry out to God
and wander about in hunger?

Job 38 verses

Job 38 41 Meaning

Job 38:41 is part of God's majestic address to Job from the whirlwind, asserting His infinite wisdom and power over creation. The verse questions Job, "Who provides for the raven its prey when its young ones cry to God and wander about for lack of food?" It emphasizes God's comprehensive, providential care, which extends even to the most unexpected or seemingly insignificant creatures like the raven, ensuring their survival. It highlights God's immediate response to the cry of His creation, demonstrating His sustained provision for all living things.

Job 38 41 Context

Job 38:41 is part of a series of rhetorical questions posed by God to Job, beginning in Job 38:1. After enduring profound suffering and debating his plight with his friends, Job demands an audience with God to defend his righteousness. God answers from a whirlwind, not by directly addressing Job's suffering, but by humbling him with questions about the vastness and complexity of the created order, which Job cannot fathom or control.

This verse specifically draws Job's attention to God's precise and universal providence. Following questions about the earth's foundations, the sea, light, darkness, and weather phenomena, God turns to the animal kingdom. The mention of the raven, often considered an unclean bird in Mosaic law (Lev 11:15), is significant. It demonstrates that God's meticulous care extends even to creatures that humans might deem lowly or undesirable, emphasizing the boundlessness of His concern. The question directly challenges Job's understanding and capability, highlighting God's incomparable power and intricate involvement in the sustenance of every living thing, in contrast to Job's limited perspective. This context serves to dismantle Job's self-righteous claims and his questioning of divine justice, bringing him to a place of awe and humility before the Creator.

Job 38 41 Word analysis

• Who: Hebrew, Mi (מִי). This is a rhetorical interrogative, implicitly suggesting "No one but Me." It challenges Job directly, forcing him to acknowledge his own powerlessness and limited knowledge.

• provides: Hebrew, yakhin (יָכִין). From the root kun, meaning to "establish, prepare, fix, set up." It denotes not merely accidental provision but an active, purposeful, and sustained action of establishment and furnishing. This implies careful planning and ordered sustenance from God, not a random occurrence.

• for the raven: Hebrew, la'orev (לָעֹרֵב).

  • ‘ōrēḇ (עֹרֵב) means "raven," a common black bird. In many cultures and sometimes within Israelite culture, ravens were associated with darkness, scavenging, or ritual impurity (Lev 11:15; Deut 14:14 lists them among unclean birds). By explicitly mentioning the raven, God underscores the comprehensive nature of His care—He provides even for creatures not held in high regard or considered outside human economy. This is a subtle polemic against any notion that God's care is selective based on human categories of clean/unclean or valuable/worthless, demonstrating His universal and impartial provision for all creation.

• its prey: Hebrew, tzēdāh (צֵידָה). Means "provision, food, sustenance," specifically hunted food. It highlights the raven's natural way of acquiring food as part of God's design, emphasizing God's role in equipping creatures to find their own sustenance.

• when its young ones: Hebrew, biy’lāḏāyū (בְּיְלָדָיו). Literally "in his children/offspring." Focusing on the "young ones" heightens the sense of vulnerability, helplessness, and acute need. This magnifies the tenderness of God's provision for the most defenseless.

• cry to God: Hebrew, el ‘El (אֶל־אֵל). Literally "unto God." This phrase suggests an innate, instinctual appeal from the creatures directly to their Creator, showcasing their dependence. It does not imply a conscious, prayerful cry in the human sense, but an involuntary utterance of need that God, in His omniscience, hears and responds to.

• and wander about: Hebrew, yəthā‘ū (יְתָעוּ). From a root meaning "to stray, wander, roam." It vividly paints a picture of the young ravens restlessly moving, desperately searching for food, indicative of acute hunger and lack of sustenance.

• for lack of food: Hebrew, bibli-‘ōkhel (בִּבְלִי אֹכֶל). Literally "without food" or "perishing from lack of food." This strongly emphasizes the dire need and starvation the young ravens face, making God's intervention all the more striking.

• "Who provides for the raven its prey?": This phrase emphasizes the unique and sovereign power of God as the sole provider for even the seemingly most insignificant of creatures. It serves as a stark contrast to Job's human limitations.

• "when its young ones cry to God and wander about for lack of food": This section powerfully portrays the desperation of the raven's offspring. It signifies not just general sustenance but God's specific response to their critical and urgent need, underlining His attentive care to every detail of creation. The "cry to God" indicates that even instinctual needs are heard by the Creator.

Job 38 41 Bonus section

The rhetorical question form characteristic of Job 38-41 serves not to elicit an answer from Job, but to emphasize God's infinite wisdom and Job's finite understanding. It’s a pedagogical strategy that leads Job from a state of questioning God to one of awe and humility. The mention of the raven also subtly prepares for other formidable creatures like Behemoth and Leviathan (Job 40-41), showing God's dominion extends over every type of creature, from the small and common to the massive and terrifying. This holistic portrayal of God's reign over nature encourages utter reliance on Him during times of severe trial, as God who sustains ravens certainly cares for His children in their deepest distress.

Job 38 41 Commentary

Job 38:41 stands as a powerful testament to the limitless scope and detailed nature of God's providence. In His grand interrogation of Job, God strategically highlights His intimate involvement in the seemingly mundane aspects of creation. The choice of the raven is profoundly significant; often deemed an unclean scavenger, it underscores that God's care is not limited by human judgments of worth or aesthetic appeal. He cares for all He has made, irrespective of its perceived status.

The verse illustrates that God hears even the instinctive cries of desperate, helpless young creatures facing starvation. Their "cry to God" is not a theological prayer but an inarticulate expression of raw need, which the Creator unerringly perceives and provides for. This reveals God's meticulous attention to sustaining the life He created, showcasing a care that is both universal and deeply personal. For Job, it was a profound lesson in humility and trust: if God diligently provides for a common, unclean bird's vulnerable young, how much more will He attend to the needs of His image-bearing children who are suffering? The verse serves as a foundational declaration of God's absolute sovereignty and unerring faithfulness in nurturing all life, compelling Job—and by extension, the reader—to acknowledge His unparalleled wisdom and loving oversight in the world.