Original Word: יָרוֹק
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: yarowq
Pronunciation: yah-roke
Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-roke')
KJV: green thing
NASB: green thing
Word Origin: [from H3417 (יָרַק - spit)]

1. green, i.e. an herb

green thing

From yaraq; green, i.e. An herb -- green thing.

see HEBREW yaraq

Word Origin
from the same as yereq
Definition
a green thing
NASB Translation
green thing (1).

יָרוֺק noun [masculine] green thing (= יָרָק), only as food of wild ass Job 39:8.

General Overview

The word יָרוֹק (Strong’s Hebrew 3387) conveys the idea of fresh, living greenness—verdure that flourishes where God supplies water and light. Though it appears only once in the Old Testament, its placement in Job 39:8 invites reflection on the wider biblical motif of greenness as a sign of divine provision, vitality, and hope.

Contextual Usage in Job 39:8

Job 39 presents a series of divine questions highlighting God’s sovereign care over creation. Concerning the wild donkey, the Lord declares, “He roams the mountains for pasture, searching for every green thing” (Job 39:8). The solitary occurrence of יָרוֹק emphasizes that even an untamed creature, far from human oversight, finds sustenance in the verdant growth God brings forth. The color term thus serves to underscore:
• God’s meticulous providence in remote places (Job 38:25–27).
• The independence of wild creatures from human cultivation (Job 39:5–7).
• The reliability of creation’s cycles as testimony to the Creator’s faithfulness (Genesis 8:22).

Symbolism of Greenness in Scripture

Although Job 39:8 is the sole occurrence of יָרוֹק, Scripture frequently uses “green” imagery to portray:

1. Life and fruitfulness—Jeremiah 17:8 compares the righteous to “a tree planted by the waters” whose leaves remain green.
2. Restoration—Isaiah 35:1 foresees deserts blossoming when the Lord redeems His people.
3. Contrast with judgment—Isaiah 15:6 laments that “the grass is withered, the new growth has failed.”
4. Eternal flourishing—Psalm 92:14 declares that the righteous “still bring forth fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green.”

Theological Implications

1. Providence: The single, vivid instance in Job illustrates that God’s care extends to the margins of human awareness. Creation itself depends on His ongoing word (Psalm 147:8–9).
2. Dependence: Humanity, like the wild donkey, is ultimately reliant on God’s “green” provision (Acts 17:25).
3. Hope: Greenness anticipates new life after seasons of drought, echoing the promise of resurrection (1 Peter 1:3).

Historical Background

In the Ancient Near East, green pastures signified security and prosperity amid largely arid landscapes. For nomadic peoples, the sight of fresh forage meant survival for their flocks. Job, set in a patriarchal milieu, draws on that shared understanding: verdure equals divine blessing.

Practical Ministry Applications

• Shepherding Care: Pastors may emulate the Lord’s concern by leading congregations to “green pastures” of sound doctrine (Psalm 23:2; John 21:15–17).
• Encouragement in Trials: As God supplies the wild donkey, He sustains believers during spiritual wilderness (Philippians 4:19).
• Environmental Stewardship: Recognition that God delights in verdant life summons responsible use of creation (Genesis 2:15).

Christological Reflections

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, fulfills the imagery by guiding His sheep to lasting nourishment: “I came that they may have life, and have it in abundance” (John 10:10). The earthly picture of every “green thing” foreshadows the eternal “river of the water of life” flanked by the tree whose leaves are “for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:1–2).

Homiletical Insights

A sermon from Job 39:8 can:

1. Highlight God’s unseen mercies in daily provision.
2. Contrast the restlessness of the wild donkey with the believer’s rest in Christ (Hebrews 4:9–11).
3. Call hearers to trust the One who causes deserts—literal and spiritual—to bloom (Isaiah 41:18–20).

In summary, יָרוֹק, though a single brushstroke in Scripture’s vast canvas, adds vibrant color to the portrait of a Creator who sustains life, refreshes the weary, and promises an unending verdant future to all who trust in Him.

יָר֣וֹק ירוק yā·rō·wq yaRok yārōwqInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts