Thematic Bible: Domestic Donkeys
Thematic Bible
Domestic Donkeys » Formed a part of patriarchal wealth
He also possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke (pairs) of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and a very great number of servants, so that this man was the greatest [and wealthiest and most respected] of all the men of the east (northern Arabia).
And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.
Therefore Pharaoh treated Abram well for her sake; he acquired sheep, oxen, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.
So Jacob became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks [of sheep and goats], and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.
Domestic Donkeys » Trusty persons appointed to take care of
These are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. This is the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness as he pastured the donkeys of Zibeon his father.
Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, had wandered off and were lost. Kish said to his son Saul, “Please take one of the servants with you and arise, go look for the donkeys.”
Obil the Ishmaelite was in charge of the camels; and Jehdeiah the Meronothite was in charge of the donkeys.
Domestic Donkeys » Often taken unlawfully by corrupt rulers
Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, “Pay no attention to their offering! I have not taken one donkey from them, nor have I harmed any one of them.”
He will take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work.
Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and [Saul] His anointed [if I have done someone wrong]. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I exploited? Whom have I oppressed or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes [to the truth]? [Tell me and] I will restore it to you.”
Domestic Donkeys » Unclean
Say to the Israelites: These are the animals which you may eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. Whatever parts the hoof and is cloven-footed and chews the cud, any of these animals you may eat.
Concerning all the animals which divide the hoof, but do not have a split hoof, or which do not chew the cud, they are unclean to you; whoever touches them becomes unclean.
Domestic Donkeys » Laws respecting » Astray, to be brought back to its owners
“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering off, you must bring it back to him.
“You shall not see your countryman’s ox or his sheep straying away or being stolen, and ignore [your duty to help] them; you shall certainly take them back to him.
Domestic Donkeys » Was used » For bearing burdens
Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two jugs of wine, five sheep already prepared [for roasting], five measures of roasted grain, a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and loaded them on donkeys.
Domestic Donkeys » Persons of rank rode on
After him arose Jair the Gileadite, and he judged Israel twenty-two years. And he had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts, and they had thirty towns called Havvoth-jair [towns of Jair] which to this day are in the land of Gilead.
The king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?” Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household (family) to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine is for anyone to drink who becomes weary in the wilderness.”
Domestic Donkeys » Urged on with a staff
When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way and His drawn sword in His hand, the donkey turned off the path and went into the field; but Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back toward the path.
When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam, so Balaam was angry and he struck the donkey [a third time] with his staff.
Domestic Donkeys » Women often rode on
Now it came about that when Achsah came to Othniel, she persuaded him [to allow her] to ask her father for a field. Then she [rode up to Caleb and] dismounted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?”
It happened that as she was riding on her donkey and coming down by [way of] the hidden part of the mountain, that suddenly David and his men were coming down toward her, and she met them.
Domestic Donkeys » Miracles connected with » Mouth of balaam's opened to speak
And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times?”
but he was rebuked for his own transgression: a mute donkey spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
Domestic Donkeys » Was used » For riding
So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and then he got up and went to the place of which God had told him.
So Balaam got up in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the leaders of Moab.
Domestic Donkeys » Laws respecting » First-born of, if not redeemed, to have its neck broken
Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem by [substituting] a lamb [as a sacrifice for it], but if you do not [wish to] redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and every firstborn among your sons you shall redeem [that is, “buy back” from God with a suitable sacrifice].
You shall redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb; but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. You shall redeem all the firstborn of your sons. None of you are to appear before Me empty-handed.
Domestic Donkeys » Was used » In agriculture
Also the oxen and the young donkeys that work the ground will eat salted fodder, which has been winnowed with shovel and pitchfork.
A [mournful, inspired] oracle (a burden to be carried) concerning the beasts of the Negev (the South):
Through a land of trouble and anguish,
Fromwhere come lioness and lion, viper and [fiery] flying serpent,
They carry their riches on the shoulders of young donkeys
And their treasures on the humps of camels,
To a people (Egyptians) who cannot benefit them.
From
They carry their riches on the shoulders of young donkeys
And their treasures on the humps of camels,
To a people (Egyptians) who cannot benefit them.
Domestic Donkeys » Was used » In war
So the Arameans set out and fled during the twilight, and left their tents, horses, and donkeys, even left the camp just as it was, and fled for their lives.
So they came and called to the gatekeepers of the city. They told them, “We went to the camp of the Arameans (Syrians), and behold, there was no one there, nor the sound of man there—only the horses and donkeys tied up, and the tents [had been left] just as they were.”
Domestic Donkeys » Young, most valued for labor
Also the oxen and the young donkeys that work the ground will eat salted fodder, which has been winnowed with shovel and pitchfork.
A [mournful, inspired] oracle (a burden to be carried) concerning the beasts of the Negev (the South):
Through a land of trouble and anguish,
Fromwhere come lioness and lion, viper and [fiery] flying serpent,
They carry their riches on the shoulders of young donkeys
And their treasures on the humps of camels,
To a people (Egyptians) who cannot benefit them.
From
They carry their riches on the shoulders of young donkeys
And their treasures on the humps of camels,
To a people (Egyptians) who cannot benefit them.
Domestic Donkeys » Christ entered jerusalem on
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O Daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King (Messianic King) is coming to you;
He is righteous and endowed with salvation,
Upon a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Domestic Donkeys » Laws respecting » Astray, to be taken care of till its owner appeared
And if your brother [the owner] is not near you or if you do not know who he is, you shall bring the animal to your house and it shall be with you until your brother comes looking for it; then you shall restore it to him. And so shall you do with his donkey or his garment or with anything which your brother has lost and you have found. You shall not hide from [your duty concerning] them.
Domestic Donkeys » Laws respecting » Not to be yoked with an ox
“You shall not plow with an ox [a clean animal] and a donkey [an unclean animal] together.
Domestic Donkeys » Laws respecting » To enjoy the rest of the sabbath
but the seventh day is a Sabbath [a day of rest dedicated] to the Lord your God; on that day you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock or the stranger who stays inside your [city] gates, so that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.
Domestic Donkeys » Described as » Fond of ease
Issachar is a strong-boned donkey crouching down between the sheepfolds. And he saw that rest was good and that the land was pleasant; and he bowed his shoulder to bear [his burdens] and became a servant to tribute [subjected to forced labor].
Domestic Donkeys » Latterly counted as an ignoble creature
“
Dragged off and thrown out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
Domestic Donkeys » Miracles connected with » Not torn by a lion
And he went and found the body thrown on the road, and the donkey and the lion standing beside the body; the lion [miraculously] had not eaten the body or attacked the donkey.
Domestic Donkeys » Described as » Strong
Domestic Donkeys » Often fed on vine-leaves
“Tying
And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,
He washes his clothing in wine [because the grapevine produces abundantly],
And his robes in the blood of grapes.
Domestic Donkeys » Governed by a bridle
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
And a rod for the backs of fools [who refuse to learn].
Domestic Donkeys » Miracles connected with » A thousand men slain by samson with a jaw-bone of
So God split open the hollow place that was at Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his spirit (strength) returned and he was revived. Therefore he named it En-hakkore (spring which is calling), which is at Lehi to this day.
Domestic Donkeys » Miracles connected with » Water brought from the jaw-bone of
So God split open the hollow place that was at Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his spirit (strength) returned and he was revived. Therefore he named it En-hakkore (spring which is calling), which is at Lehi to this day.
Domestic Donkeys » Laws respecting » Not to be coveted
“You shall not covet [that is, selfishly desire and attempt to acquire] your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Domestic Donkeys » Eaten during famine in samaria
Now there was a great famine in Samaria; and they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a fourth of a kab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver.
Domestic Donkeys » Laws respecting » Fallen under a burden, to be assisted
If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless under its load, you shall not leave the man to deal with it [alone]; you must help him release the animal [from its burden].
Domestic Donkeys » Was used » In harness
“When he sees a chariot, horsemen in pairs,
A train of donkeys and a train of camels,
Let him pay attention and listen closely, very closely.”
Domestic Donkeys » Judges of israel rode on white
“Sing of it, you who ride on white donkeys,
You who sit on rich carpets,
And you who walk by the way.
Domestic Donkeys » Described as » Not devoid of instinct
“The ox [instinctively] knows its owner,
And the donkey its master’s feeding trough,
But Israel does not know [Me as Lord],
My people do not understand.”