Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 39:5
Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?
5 8. The wild ass. Who gave the wild ass his freedom and his indomitable love of liberty who scorns the noise of cities and laughs at the shouts of the driver, which his tame brother obeys? The point of the questions lies not only in the striking peculiarities of the beautiful creature itself, but in the strange contrast between it and the tame ass, which in external appearance it resembles.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Who hath sent out the wild ass free? – For a description of the wild ass, see the notes at Job 11:12. On the meaning of the word rendered free ( chophshy), see the notes at Isa 58:6. These animals commonly inhabit the dry and mountainous parts of the deserts of Great Tartary, but not higher than about latitude 48 degrees. They are migratory, and arrive in vast troops to feed, during the summer, on the tracts to the north and east of the sea of Aral. About autumn they collect in herds of hundreds, and even thousands, and direct their course southward toward India to enjoy a warm retreat during winter. But they more usually retire to Persia, where they are found in the mountains of Casbin; and where part of them remain during the whole year. They are also said to penetrate to the southern parts of India, to the mountains of Malabar and Gelconda. These animals were anciently found in Palestine, Syria, Arabia Deserta, Mesopotamia, Phrygia, and Lycaonia, but they rarely occur in those regions at the present time, and seem to be almost entirely confined to Tartary, some parts of Persia and India, and Africa. Their manners resemble those of the wild horse.
They assembIe in troops under the conduct of a leader or sentinel; and are extremely shy and vigilant. They will, however, stop in the midst of their course, and even suffer the approach of man for an instant, and then dart off with the utmost rapidity. They have been at all times celebrated for their swiftness. Their voice resembles that of the common ass, but is shriller. Rob. Calmet. The Onager or wild ass is doubtless the parent stock from which we have derived the useful domestic animal, which seems to have degenerated the further it has been removed from its parent seat in Central Asia. It is greatly distinguished in spirit and grace of form from the domestic ass. It is taller and more dignified; it holds the head higher, and the legs are more elegantly shaped. Even the head, though large in proportion to the body, has a finer appearance, from the forehead being more arched; the neck by which it is sustained is much longer, and has a more graceful bend. It has a short mane of dark and woolly hair; and a stripe of dark bushy hair also runs along the ridge of the back from the mane to the tail. The hair of the body is of a silver gray, inclining to flaxen color in some parts, and white under the belly.
The hair is soft and silken, similar in texture to that of the camel. – The Pictorial Bible. It is of this animal, so different in spirit, energy, agility, and appearance, from the domestic animal of that name, that we must think in order to understand this passage. We must think of them fleet as the wind, untamed and unbroken, wandering over vast plains in groups and herds, assembled by thousands under a leader or guide, and bounding off with uncontrollable rapidity on the approach of man, if we would feel the force of the appeal which is here made. God asks of Job whether he – who could not even subdue and tame this wild creature – had ordained the laws of its freedom; had held it as a captive, and then set it at liberty to exult over boundless plains in its conscious independence. The idea is, that it was one of the creatures of God, under no laws but such as he had been pleased to impose upon it, and wholly beyond the government of man.
Or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass? – As if he had been once a captive, and then set free. The illustration is derived from the feeling which attends a restoration to liberty. The freedom of this animal seems to be as productive of exhilaration as if it had been a prisoner or slave, and had been suddenly emancipated.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. Who hath sent out the wild ass free?] pere, which we translate wild ass, is the same as the of the Greeks, and the onager of the Latins; which must not, says Buffon, be confounded with the zebra, for this is an animal of a different species from the ass. The wild ass is not striped like the zebra, nor so elegantly shaped. There are many of those animals in the deserts of Libya and Numidia: they are of a gray colour; and run so swiftly that no horse but the Arab barbs can overtake them. Wild asses are found in considerable numbers in East and South Tartary, in Persia, Syria, the islands of the Archipelago, and throughout Mauritania. They differ from tame asses only in their independence and liberty, and in their being stronger and more nimble: but in their shape they are the same. See on Job 6:5.
The bands of the wild ass?] arod, the brayer, the same animal, but called thus because of the frequent and peculiar noise he makes. But Mr. Good supposes this to be a different animal from the wild ass, (the jichta or equus hemionus,) which is distinguished by having solid hoofs, a uniform colour, no cross on the back, and the tail hairy only at the tip. The ears and tail resemble those of the zebra; the hoofs and body, those of the ass; and the limbs, those of the horse. It inhabits Arabia, China, Siberia, and Tartary, in glassy saline plains or salt wastes, as mentioned in the following verse.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Who hath sent out the wild ass free? who hath given him this disposition, that he loves freedom, and avoids and hates that subjection which other creatures quietly and contentedly endure?
Who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass? which is not to be understood privatively, as if God took off the bands which men had put upon him; but negatively, that he keeps him from receiving the bands and submitting to the service of man. Who hath made him so untractable and unmanageable? Which is the more strange, because home-bred asses are so tame and tractable.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. wild assTwo differentHebrew words are here used for the same animal, “the assof the woods” and “the wild ass.” (See on Job6:5; Job 11:12; Job24:5; and Jer 2:24).
loosed the bandsgivenits liberty to. Man can rob animals of freedom, but not, as God, givefreedom, combined with subordination to fixed laws.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Who hath sent out the wild ass free?…. Into the wide waste, where it is, ranges at pleasure, and is not under the restraint of any; a creature which, as it is naturally wild, is naturally averse to servitude, is desirous of liberty and maintains it: not but that it may be tamed, as Pliny m speaks of such as are; but it chooses to be free, and, agreeably to its nature, it is sent out into the wilderness as such: not that it is set free from bondage, for in that it never was until it is tamed; but its nature and inclination, and course it pursues, is to be free. And now the question is, who gave this creature such a nature, and desire after liberty? and such power to maintain it? and directs it to take such methods to secure it, and keep clear of bondage? It is of God;
or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass? not that it has any naturally upon it, and is loosed from them; but because it is as clear of them as such creatures are, which have been in bands and are freed from them: therefore this mode of expression is used, and which signifies the same as before.
m Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 44.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
5 Who hath sent forth the wild ass free,
And who loosed the bands of the wild ass,
6 Whose house I made the steppe,
And his dwelling the salt country?
7 He scorneth the tumult of the city,
He heareth not the noise of the driver.
8 That which is seen upon the mountains is his pasture,
And he sniffeth after every green thing.
On the wild ass (not: ass of the forest).
(Note: It is a dirty yellow with a white belly, single-hoofed and long-eared; its hornless head somewhat resembles that of the gazelle, but is much later; its hair has the dryness of the hair of the deer, and the animal forms the transition from the stag and deer genus to the ass. It is entirely distinct from the mah or baqar el-wahsh, wild ox, whose large soft eyes are so much celebrated by the poets of the steppe. This latter is horned and double-hoofed, and forms the transition from the stag to the ox distinct from the ri’m , , therefore perhaps an antelope of the kind of the Indian nlgau, blue ox, Portax tragocamelus . I have not seen both kinds of animals alive, but I have often seen their skins in the tents of the Ruwal. Both kinds are remarkable for their very swift running, and it is especially affirmed of the fer that no rider can overtake it. The poets compare a troop of horsemen that come rushing up and vanish in the next moment to a herd of fer. In spite of its difficulty and hazardousness, the nomads are passionately given to hunting the wild ass, and the proverb cited by the Kms: kull es – sed bigof el – fera (every hunt sticks in the belly of the fer, i.e., compared with that, every other hunt is nothing), is perfectly correct. When the approach of a herd, which always consists of several hundred, is betrayed by a cloud of dust which can be seen many miles off, so many horsemen rise up from all sides in pursuit that the animals are usually scattered, and single ones are obtained by the dogs and by shots. The herd is called gemle , and its leader is called anud ( ),as with gazelles. – Wetzst.)
In Hebr. and Arab. it is ( fera or himar el – wahsh , i.e., asinus ferus ), and Aram. ; the former describes it as a swift-footed animal, the latter as an animal shy and difficult to be tamed by the hand of man; “Kulan” is its Eastern Asiatic name. lxx correctly translates: . is the acc. of the predicate (comp. Gen 33:2; Jer 22:30). Parallel with (according to its etymon perhaps, land of darkness, terra incognita ) is , salt adj. or (sc. ) a salt land, i.e., therefore unfruitful and incapable of culture, as the country round the Salt Sea of Palestine: that the wild ass even gladly licks the salt or natron of the desert, is a matter of fact, and may be assumed, since all wild animals that feed on plants have a partiality, which is based on chemical laws of life, for licking slat. On Job 39:8 Ew. observes, to render as “what is espied” is insecure, “on account of the structure of the verse” ( Gramm. S. 419, Anm.). This reason is unintelligible; and in general there is no reason for rendering , after lxx, Targ., Jer., and others, as an Aramaic 3 fut. with a mere half vowel instead of Kametz before the tone = , which is without example in Old Testament Hebrew (for , Ecc 11:3, follows the analogy of ), but signifies either abundantia (after the form , Job 20:23, from , Arab. wtr , p. 571) or investigabile , what can be searched out (after the form , that which exists, from , Arab. tar , to go about, look about), which, with Olsh. 212, and most expositors, we prefer.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
. From animals who need no human care in the time of their extremity, the speaker now turns to creatures who despise man and rebel against all human interference. Various views (5-18) are presented of the same general truth; viz., the wondrous difference of dispositions which prevails among animals who, in other respects, bear to each other a resemblance more or less close. Job may first account for the difference between the wild and tame ass, Job 39:5-8.
5. Wild ass . See note on Job 24:5. Two different Hebrew names are given for “wild ass,” the one, as some suppose, pointing to its swiftness, the other to its shyness, two marked traits of the animal. Layard says, “In fleetness they equal the gazelle; and to overtake them is a feat which only one or two of the most celebrated mares have been known to accomplish,” (i, 325.) “It is almost impossible to take them when full grown,” (iii, 270.) This agrees with the observation of Xenophon, that his horsemen could overtake them by no other means than by dividing themselves into relays, and succeeding one another in the chase.” Anab., Job 1:5. The wild ass, which both Martial and Oppian call beautiful, so differs from the stupid tame ass, his congener, as to call forth the humiliating question concerning this wonderful distinction between members of the same species. None but God, who “loosed the bands,” gave freedom to this child of the desert. On the other hand, the ancient Egyptians “regarded the ass as unclean and impure, merely on account of the resemblance which they conceive it bears to Typho; and in consequence of this notion, those cakes which they offer with their sacrifices during the two months Pauni and Phaophi, have the impression of an ass, bound, stamped upon them.” De Iside, etc., section 30. Wild ass, . Hitzig infers from the Aramaic colouring of this word that it stood for an Aramaic variety of the ass.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(5) Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass? (6) Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings. (7) He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver. (8) The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.
The LORD next calls Job’s attention to the wild ass, who, without owner, without house or home, is yet provided for, and not suffered to want. And can a soul, in the redemption of JESUS, who hath both house and home in Him, be suffered to be less provided for?
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Job 39:5 Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?
Ver. 5. Who hath sent out the wild ass free? ] Phere, ferum animal (so Tremellius rendereth it), the wild creature. And it is not unlikely that the Latin word fera comes from this Hebrew word for a wild ass; which is a most untameable and untractable creature, Eo quod onager feritate antecellit (Piscat.). “Every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed by mankind,” Jas 3:7 . We read of Augustus Caesar that he had a tame tiger, but who ever heard of a wild ass tamed? Africa is said to have whole herds of them; and it is reported, that when they see a man they stand stock still, and kick with their hinder feet, braying aloud. And when the hunter comes so near to them that he could touch them almost, they snuff up the wind, kick up their heels, and run quite away; so nimble they are, that they can hardly be taken, much less tamed? To the colt of this wild creature is a natural man compared by Zophar, Job 11:12 , for his extreme rudeness and unruliness. The prophet Jeremiah hath the like of the idolaters of his time, Jer 2:24 , who were lawless and lewd losels, obstinate, and refractory; such as multo facilius fregeris quam flexeris, will sooner break than bend: with these froward God will wrestle, Psa 18:26 ; with these antipodes God will walk contrary, Lev 26:41 , and be as cross as they are for the hearts of them. His law hath four teeth to taw and tame these masterless monsters: viz. 1. Irritation, Rom 7:7 Rom 7:2 . Induration, Isa 6:10 Isa 6:3 . Obsignation, Gen 4:7 Gen 4:4 . Execration, Deu 28:16-17 , &c. Obeyed he will be of them, either actively or passively; and sanctified he will be, either by them or upon them, Lev 10:3 . Wild asses are free from men; but so are not wild Ishmaelites from God. Who hath ever loosed the bands of the wild ass? but God will hamper his rebels, and certainly subdue them; all his foes shall become his footstool. Be instructed therefore, O Jerusalem, Jer 6:8 . Be not as horse and mule that have no understanding, &c., for many sorrows shall be to such wicked, Psa 32:9-10 , and it is too hard for them to kick against the pricks, Act 9:5 , to push back upon the goad, as untamed heifers use to do, but to their further sorrow and sufferance.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
ass. Probably = mule.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Job 39:5-12
Job 39:5-12
QUESTIONS REGARDING THE WILD-ASS AND THE WILD-OX
“Who hath sent out the wild-ass free?
Or who hath loosed the bands of the wild-ass,
Whose home I have made the wilderness,
And the salt land his dwelling place?
He scorneth the tumult of the city,
Neither heareth he the shoutings of the driver.
The range of the mountains is his pasture,
And he searcheth after every green thing.
Will the wild-ox be content to serve thee?
Or will he abide by thy crib?
Canst thou bind the wild-ox with his band in the furrow?
Or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
Wilt thou trust him because his strength is great?
Or wilt thou leave to him thy labor?
Wilt thou confide in him, that he will bring home thy seed,
And gather the grain of thy threshing floor?”
The animals mentioned here are the wild-ass, which is, “The onager of central Asia,” and the wild-ox, identified by Pope in the Anchor Bible as, “the buffalo.”
The wild-ass, of course, is similar to the common donkey; and the mystery of these animals in some particulars is still incredibly arcane. Why, for example, has it been impossible to domesticate the buffalo? And regarding the ass, why cannot mules be produced by the breeding of the female donkey with a stallion? whereas, they are produced only by the breeding of mares with the male ass. We mention these things merely to suggest that, although men have learned many things, there are yet many incomprehensible mysteries in the natural creation that surrounds us.
E.M. Zerr:
Job 39:1-8. Much of the argument of God’s speech to Job is based on the perfection of creation over which man knows he has no power. This paragraph cites a number of items along the above line.
Job 39:9-12. This unicorn was a wild beast at strength and ferocity. Man has been able to bring him under subjection by using his superior intelligence, but he was not able to create him with the disposition to serve man.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
the wild: Job 6:5, Job 11:12, Job 24:5, Gen 16:12, Psa 104:11, Isa 32:14, Jer 2:24, Jer 14:6, Dan 5:21, Hos 8:9
who hath loosed: Gen 49:14
Reciprocal: Gen 1:24 – Let Job 39:10 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 39:5. Who hath sent out the wild ass free? Who hath given him this disposition, that he loves freedom, and hates that subjection which other creatures quietly endure. Compare Job 11:12; Hos 8:9; in which, and other places of Scripture, the wild ass is described as delighting in the wilderness; perverse and obstinate in his behaviour; running with great swiftness whither his lust, hunger, thirst, or other desires draw him. Who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass? That is, who keeps him from receiving the bands, and submitting to the service of man? Who hath made him so untractable and unmanageable? Which is the more strange because home-bred asses are so tame and tractable. The word , gnarod, here translated wild ass, is not the same with that used in the former clause, which is , pere; and Rabbi Levi makes this difference between them, that the former means an animal found in the wilderness, which eateth herbs, and the latter, asinus agri vel sylvestris, the ass which frequents the cultivated grounds and woods, and is supported by their produce. Bochart, however, thinks they ought not to be distinguished, and that one and the same animal is meant in both places.