Ass, the Domestic.

From: The New Topical Textbook By: Reuben Archer Torrey

• 1 min. read • grade level: 10

Unclean. Lev. 11:2, 3, 26²Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. ³Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. (Leviticus 11:2‑3)
²⁶The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean. (Leviticus 11:26), with Exo. 13:13¹³And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. (Exodus 13:13).

DESCRIBED AS

Not devoid of instinct. Isa. 1:3³The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. (Isaiah 1:3).

Strong. Gen. 49:14¹⁴Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: (Genesis 49:14).

Fond of ease. Gen. 49:14, 15¹⁴Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: ¹⁵And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute. (Genesis 49:14‑15).

Often fed on vine-leaves. Gen. 49:11¹¹Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: (Genesis 49:11)

Formed a part of patriarchal wealth. Gen. 12:16¹⁶And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels. (Genesis 12:16). Gen. 30:43⁴³And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses. (Genesis 30:43). Job 42:12¹²So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. (Job 42:12).

WAS USED

In agriculture. Isa. 30:6, 24⁶The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them. (Isaiah 30:6)
²⁴The oxen likewise and the young asses that ear the ground shall eat clean provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan. (Isaiah 30:24).

For bearing burdens. Gen. 42:26²⁶And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence. (Genesis 42:26) 1 Sam. 25:18¹⁸Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. (1 Samuel 25:18).

For riding. Gen. 22:3³And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. (Genesis 22:3). Num. 22: 21.

In harness. Isa. 21:7⁷And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed: (Isaiah 21:7).

In war. 2 Kin. 7:7, 10.

Governed by a bridle. Pro. 26:3³A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back. (Proverbs 26:3).

Urged on with a staff. Num. 22:23, 27²³And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. (Numbers 22:23)
²⁷And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. (Numbers 22:27).

Women often rode on. Jos. 15:18¹⁸And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou? (Joshua 15:18). 1 Sam. 25:20²⁰And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them. (1 Samuel 25:20).

Persons of rank rode on. Jud. 10:3, 4. 2 Sam. 16:2²And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink. (2 Samuel 16:2).

Judges of Israel rode on white. Jud. 5:10.

Young, most valued for labor. Isa. 30:6, 24⁶The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them. (Isaiah 30:6)
²⁴The oxen likewise and the young asses that ear the ground shall eat clean provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan. (Isaiah 30:24).

Trusty persons appointed to take care of. Gen. 36:24²⁴And these are the children of Zibeon; both Ajah, and Anah: this was that Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father. (Genesis 36:24). 1 Sam. 9:3³And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses. (1 Samuel 9:3), 1 Chr. 27:30³⁰Over the camels also was Obil the Ishmaelite: and over the asses was Jehdeiah the Meronothite: (1 Chronicles 27:30).

Often taken unlawfully by corrupt rulers. Num. 16:15¹⁵And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the Lord, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them. (Numbers 16:15), 1 Sam. 8:16¹⁶And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. (1 Samuel 8:16). 1 Sam. 12:3³Behold, here I am: witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. (1 Samuel 12:3).

Latterly counted an ignoble creature. Jer. 22:19¹⁹He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 22:19).

LAWS RESPECTING

Not to be coveted. Exo. 20:17¹⁷Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's. (Exodus 20:17). Fallen under a burden, to be assisted. Exo. 23:5⁵If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him. (Exodus 23:5).

Astray, to be brought back to its owner. Exo. 23:4⁴If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. (Exodus 23:4). Deu. 22:1.

Astray, to be taken care of till its owner appeared. Deu. 22:2, 3.

Not to be yoked with an ox. Den. 22:10.

To enjoy the rest of the Sabbath. Deu. 5:14.

First-born of, if not redeemed, to have its neck broken. Exo. 13:13¹³And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. (Exodus 13:13). Exo. 34:20²⁰But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty. (Exodus 34:20).

Christ entered Jerusalem on. Zec. 9:9⁹Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. (Zechariah 9:9). John. 12:14.

MIRACLES CONNECTED WITH

Mouth of Balaam's opened to speak. Num. 22:28²⁸And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? (Numbers 22:28). 2 Pet. 2:16¹⁶But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. (2 Peter 2:16).

A thousand men slain by Samson with a jaw-bone of. Jud. 15:19.

Water brought from the jaw-bone of. Jud. 15:19.

Not torn by a lion. 1 Kin. 13:28. Eaten during famine in Samaria. 2 Kin. 6:25.

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• Ark of the Covenant, the.

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• Armies of Israel, the.

• Arms, Military.

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• Ascension of Christ, the.

• Asher, the Tribe of.

• Ass, the Domestic.

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• Atonement, Under the Law.

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• Benjamin, Tribe of.

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