An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…

The Lord speaks thus, because the Lion is a beast of prey, he liveth by hunting, by hunting, catching, and seeding upon other beasts; the Lion is a Nimrod in the world, a mighty Hunter: Naturalists say, he is so curious in his diet, that he scorns to feed upon any carcass that he hath not hunted and killed himself, or that hath not been hunted by a Lion. He will not touch a carcass that lies dead in the field; but what he feeds upon, is what he conquers and kills, and that therefore it is here said, Wilt thou hunt the prey for the Lion? thou needst not, he is able enough to hunt for himself.

The Lord speaks thus, because the Lion is a beast of prey, he liveth by hunting, by hunting, catching, and seeding upon other beasts; the Lion is a Nimrod in the world, a mighty Hunter: Naturalists say, he is so curious in his diet, that he scorns to feed upon any carcase that he hath not hunted and killed himself, or that hath not been hunted by a Lion. He will not touch a carcase that lies dead in the field; but what he feeds upon, is what he conquers and kills, and that therefore it is here said, Wilt thou hunt the prey for the Lion? thou needst not, he is able enough to hunt for himself.

Yet some Travellers report, that there is a little beast called Jackal, somewhat bigger than a Fox, who usually doth that service for the Lion, to hunt the prey for him, and may be called the Lions Hunter.¹ Mr. Purchas, in that Book called his Pilgrimage, •••s us this relation; The Lion (saith he) hath the Jackal for ⟨p. 281⟩his Usher, which is a little black shag-haired beast, about the bigness of a Spaniel, which when the evening comes, hunts for his prey, and coming on the foot, follows the scent with open cry, to which the Lion as chief hunter gives diligent ear, following for his advantage. If the Jackal set up his chase before the Lion comes in, he howls out mainly, and then the Lion seizeth on it, making a grumbling noise, whilst his servant stands by barking; and when the Lion hath done, the Jackal feeds on the relics. Thus far that industrious collector of observations from most of the remote parts of the world. And though neither Pliny, nor any natural Historian, no nor any Interpreter upon this Text (that ever I met with) have given any intimation that the Lion hath such a servant to hunt the prey for him; yet the testimony of those ingenious Travellers or Navigators, upon whose report of what they have seen or heard in those Countries, the worthy Author above-named makes this relation (this testimony I say) may be a probable ground for such an Exposition of the Text, that the Lord had in his wise providence provided one to hunt the prey for the Lion. Though I conceive the sense of the place to be moe general, namely, that the Lord himself hath one way or other taken care, that even the Lion shall have his prey, and that neither Job then nor any one else needed take care in that matter. How great an argument that might be, both for Jobs conviction and consolation, will appear afterwards. Wilt thou hunt the prey For the Lion?