What Does Job 39:22 Mean in the King James?
He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The sword remains before the horse, yet fear meets him as laughter rather than retreat.
THE MEANING
You see the horse meet terror without being shattered: he laughs, remains unafraid, and does not turn from the sword. The danger is still there; what shifts is fear’s power to dictate his movement.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the assumption that fear’s presence makes retreat inevitable: the verse keeps fear and sword in view while denying them control of the horse’s movement.
THE ROOT
לִשְׂחוֹק
lischoq
GROWS FROM
שחק
sachaq
To laugh, play, or mock.
“mocketh” in this verse is lischoq. The root holds laughter and play alongside mockery, so the horse’s response is more vivid than simple fearlessness: terror meets laughter. The sword remains present while fear fails to command his movement.
ALSO GROWS
sechoq: Laughter.
שְׂחוֹק
This noun carries the same laugh-root heard in the horse’s response.
mischak: Play or a game.
מִשְׂחָק
Its place in the root’s family of play and laughter helps reveal the unexpected lightness in “mocketh at fear.”
יָשׁוּב
yashuv
GROWS FROM
שוב
shuv
To turn or return.
“turneth he back” in this verse is yashuv. The verb carries the basic motion of turning or returning. The horse’s fear does not send him back; the line makes his refusal to retreat a movement, not merely a feeling.
ALSO GROWS
teshuvah: A return or turning.
תְּשׁוּבָה
This branch makes the root’s motion of turning explicit, sharpening the force of the horse’s refusal to turn back.
meshubah: A turning away or backsliding.
מְשׁוּבָה
This branch shows the same root’s motion in retreat, the very movement the horse does not make.
THE PATTERN
The presence of danger does not by itself dictate retreat.
Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.THE THREAD
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.Psalm 2:4 uses the same laugh-root as Job’s “mocketh.” In Job, the horse meets the sword without turning back; in the psalm, rulers’ threats do not unsettle the one enthroned.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us