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Job 39:9-12
9 Will the unicorn [ra'em] be willing ['abah] to serve [`abad] thee, or abide [luwn] by thy crib ['ebuwc]?
10 Canst thou bind [qashar] the unicorn [ra'em] with his band [`aboth] in the furrow [telem]? or will he harrow [sadad] the valleys [`emeq] after ['achar] thee?
11 Wilt thou trust [batach] him, because his strength [koach] is great [rab]? or wilt thou leave [`azab] thy labour [yagiya`] to him?
12 Wilt thou believe ['aman] him, that he will bring home [shuwb] [shuwb] thy seed [zera`], and gather ['acaph] it into thy barn [goren]? KJV-Interlinear
9 'Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Or will he spend the night at your manger? 10 'Can you bind the wild ox in a furrow with ropes? Or will he harrow the valleys after you? 11 'Will you trust him because his strength is great And leave your labor to him? 12 'Will you have faith in him that he will return your grain, And gather it from your threshing floor? NASB
Here God describes a large animal possessing great strength, having a horn or horns which are prominent on its head, capable of great speed and agility, and commanding the greatest of respect and awe by people who have had the opportunity to see it.
This animal is probably a large wild bull, similar in size to an elephant, strong as a rhinoceros, swift like a large horse, and totally wild and independent.
Man cannot catch it, nor tame it, nor even trust it in performing domestic agricultural work, or in hauling freight, or in doing heavy pulling or lifting.
Whatever the animal was, it is the description of its attributes that are in view here. The animal, which we will call a wild bull, just for convenience, is totally independent, totally stubborn, and yet possesses many valuable attributes and abilities. Yet none of them may be captured and converted into useful domestic activities. And even if it could be captured, it could never be made reliable or trustworthy.
It is obvious that since God is describing this animal, that Job and the others present, were well familiar with it.
Thus far God has made reference to the lion, the raven, the mountain goat, the deer, the wild horse and in these animals types, God showed great wisdom in giving them special instincts for survival.
Here God describes yet another animal with its great strength and potentially useful abilities, and yet man has never been able to subject it for domestic purposes.
So how is it that man, who presumes himself the master of his own fate, cannot seem to subject some of the many facets of nature, things which are simple or fundamental to life?
