Ass, The Wild

• Inhabits wild and solitary places.

  Job 39:6 Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings.

  Isaiah 32:14 Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;

  Daniel 5:21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.

• Ranges the mountains for food.

  Job 39:8 The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.

⇒ass (KJV Dictionary)

• Brays when hungry.

  Job 6:5 Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?

• Suffers in time of scarcity.

  Jeremiah 14:6 And the wild asses did stand in the high places, they snuffed up the wind like dragons; their eyes did fail, because there was no grass.

• DESCRIBED AS

⇒See ASS in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.

• Fond of liberty.

  Job 39:5 Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?

• Intractable.

  Job 11:12 For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.

• Unsocial.

  Hosea 8:9 For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.

⇒See Ass in McClintock and Strong.

• Despises his pursuers.

  Job 39:7 He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver.

• Supported by God.

  Psalm 104:10-11 He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. 11 They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.

• ILLUSTRATIVE OF
• Intractableness of natural man.

  Job 11:12 For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.

• The wicked in their pursuit of sin.

  Job 24:5 Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children.

• Israel in their love of idols.

  Jeremiah 2:23-24 How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways; 24 A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.

• The Assyrian power.

  Hosea 8:9 For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.

• The Ishmaelites

  Genesis 16:12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

  (Hebrew.)