Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Wilt thou trust him? - As thou dost the ox. In the domestic animals great confidence is of necessity placed, and the reliance on the fidelity of the ox and the horse is not usually misplaced. The idea here is, that the unicorn could not be so tamed that important interests could be safely entrusted to him.

Because his strength is great? - Wilt thou consider his strength as a reason why important interests might be entrusted to him? The strength of the ox, the camel, the horse, and the elephant was a reason why their aid was sought by man to do what he could not himself do. The idea is, that man could not make use of the same reason for employing the rhinoceros.

Wilt thou leave thy labour to him? - Or, rather, the avails of thy labor - the harvest.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great?.... No; tame oxen are employed because they are strong to labour, Psalm 144:14; and they are to be trusted, in ploughing or treading out the corn, under direction, because they are manageable, and will attend to business with constancy; but the wild ox, though stronger, and so fitter for labour, is yet not to be trusted, because unruly and unmanageable: if that sort of wild oxen called "uri" could be thought to be meant, for which Bootius^F8Animadvers. Sacr. l. 3. c. 1. s. 14. contends, Caesar's account of them would agree with this character of the "reem", as to his great strength: he says of them^F9Comment. de Bello Gall. l. 6. c. 27. , they are in size a little smaller than elephants, of the kind, colour, and shape of a bull; they are of great strength and of great swiftness, and not to be tamed;

or wilt thou leave thy labour to him? to plough thy fields, to harrow thy lands, and to bring home the ripe corn? as in Job 39:12; thou wilt not.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

thy labour — rustic work.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

Job 39:11 Wilt thou trust him, because his strength [is] great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?

Ver. 11. Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great?] Of the unicorn’s strength Balaam speaketh, Numbers 23:22. The Hebrew word signifieth such lustiness, courage, and prowess, as whereby one endureth labour without weariness or fainting. Such strength is required in ploughmen, whose work is never at an end; and hard fallow must have a strong team. But the unicorn will never fadge nor frame to such an employment. Free God hath made him; and rather than part with his freedom he will part with his life. Let men learn to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free, Galatians 5:1, and not be again entangled (as oxen tied to the yoke) with the yoke of spiritual bondage, worse than the Egyptian servitude.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Wilt thou trust him, to wit, for the doing of these works, because he is very able for thy work? And wilt thou by thy power make him willing, or force him, to put forth and spend his strength in thy service?

Thy labour; either,

1. Thy work of ploughing and harrowing. Or rather,

2. The fruit of thy labour, or the goods gotten by thy labour, as this word is oft used, as Deuteronomy 28:33 Job 20:18 Psalms 78:46 128:2 John 4:38, to wit, the fruits of the earth procured by God’s blessing upon thy industry.

To him; to be brought home by him into thy barns, as the next verse explains it.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

11.Because his strength is great — The greater wonder, then, that man cannot avail himself of this strength to do his work. Labour — Rather, in the sense of the fruit of one’s labour.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

trust = confide in. Hebrew. batah. App-69.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?

Thy labour - rustic work.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

trust

Psalms 20:7; 33:16,17; 147:10; Isaiah 30:16; 31:1-3

leave

Genesis 1:26,28; 9:2; 42:26; Psalms 144:14; Proverbs 14:4; Isaiah 30:6; 46:1