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Ass

From: Concise Bible Dictionary: A By: George A. Morrish

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Equus Heminus

In the East the ass takes the place which the horse has among European nations. It is there a much more noble animal, and is declared to be a very intelligent one (compare 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)). It is highly valued there and is well treated. It was used for riding both by men and women, and for carrying burdens. Among a man’s property the asses are often enumerated (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); Job 1:3³His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. (Job 1:3); 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); Ezra 2:67⁶⁷Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty. (Ezra 2:67); Neh. 7:69⁶⁹Their camels, four hundred thirty and five: six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses. (Nehemiah 7:69)). There are five Hebrew words used for the domestic and the wild ass, referring to its strength or to its color.

The “white asses” mentioned in Judges 5:10¹⁰Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way. (Judges 5:10) are still greatly prized in the East. In some parts the flesh of the ass is highly esteemed for food, but it was forbidden as unclean to the Jews: was however eaten in the dire famine at the siege of Samaria (2 Kings 6:25²⁵And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver. (2 Kings 6:25)).

THE WILD Ass is very wild and very swift. It is seldom tamed. It is thus a fit emblem of man’s natural birth (Job 11:12¹²For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt. (Job 11:12)). Jehovah demanded of Job “Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?” (Job 39:5⁵Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass? (Job 39:5); compare Jer. 2:24²⁴A 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. (Jeremiah 2:24); Dan. 5:21²¹And 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. (Daniel 5:21)).

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Concise Bible Dictionary: A

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