Job 39:5
Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?
Original Language Analysis
מִֽי
H4310
מִֽי
Strong's:
H4310
Word #:
1 of 8
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
שִׁלַּ֣ח
Who hath sent out
H7971
שִׁלַּ֣ח
Who hath sent out
Strong's:
H7971
Word #:
2 of 8
to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)
וּמֹסְר֥וֹת
the bands
H4147
וּמֹסְר֥וֹת
the bands
Strong's:
H4147
Word #:
5 of 8
properly, chastisement, i.e., (by implication) a halter; figuratively, restraint
Cross References
Job 11:12For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.Job 6:5Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?Job 24:5Behold, 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.Psalms 104:11They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.
Historical Context
Domesticated donkeys were essential for ancient economies—burden-bearing, agriculture, transportation. Wild asses (pere, פֶּרֶא) lived free in deserts, beyond human control. This contrast would challenge anthropocentric views, showing that God values creation beyond its utility to humans.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's design of creatures living beyond human control challenge our need to control everything?
- What does the existence of wild, untamed creation teach about God's purposes beyond human understanding?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
"Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?" God asks who granted freedom to wild donkeys, using shaphar (שָׁפַר, "send out") and pathach (פָּתַח, "loose/open"). These animals live independently, untamed by humans. God designed some creatures for domestication, others for wildness. This demonstrates divine purpose in diversity—not all creation exists for human use. The wild ass's freedom glorifies God through living according to its created nature.