Job 39:5 · Bible study
Job 39:5 Commentary: The Wild Donkey's Untamed Freedom
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore why God highlights the wild donkey's untamed freedom in Job 39:5, revealing His sovereignty over creatures beyond human control.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God alone grants the wild donkey its freedom and untamed nature, demonstrating his sovereign design.
- Key words: mi (who), shillach (let loose), pere (wild donkey), chophshi (free), moserot (fetters), arod (wild ass), patach (loosen).
- Main debate: Whether the two Hebrew terms refer to the same animal (most commentators) or to two distinct species (Clarke referencing Mr. Good).
- Theological theme: God's sovereignty extends to creatures beyond human control, highlighting human limitation and divine wisdom.
- Best use: As a reminder of God's creative freedom and our need for humility before his works.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Who set the wild donkey free? Who released the swift donkey from the harness?
WEB World English Bible 2000
“Who has set the wild donkey free? Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey,
KJV King James Version 1769
Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Who hath sent out the wild ass free? Or who hath loosed the bonds of the swift ass,
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Who hath sent forth the wild ass free? Yea, the bands of the wild ass who opened?
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Who hath sent out the wild ass free? and who hath loosed the bands of the onager,
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Who hath sent out the wild ass free, and who hath loosed his bonds?
Translations in other languages (10 available)
¿ Contaste tú los meses de su preñez, y sabes el tiempo cuando han de parir?
Quem despediu livre ao asno montês? E quem ao asno selvagem soltou das ataduras?
Comptes-tu les mois pendant lesquels elles portent,
Wer hat den Wildesel so frei lassen gehen, wer hat die Bande des Flüchtigen gelöst,
Wie heeft den woudezel vrij henengezonden, en wie heeft de banden des wilden ezels gelost?
Chi manda libero l’onàgro, e chi scioglie i legami all’asino salvatico,
Możeszże zliczyć miesiące, jako długo płód noszą? a czas rodzenia ich wieszże?
Кто пустил дикого осла на свободу, и кто разрешил узы онагру,
誰 放野驢 出去 自由？誰 解開 快驢 的繩索？
Who has let the ass of the fields go free? or made loose the bands of the loud-voiced beast?
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Job 39:5
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse underscores God's sovereign role in granting the wild donkey its freedom and untamed nature. Adam Clarke identifies the wild ass (פרא pere) as a distinct animal from the zebra, known for its speed and independence. Barnes notes that the word 'free' (חפשׁי chophshı̂y) conveys liberation from obligation, and that God alone sets this animal apart from its domesticated relatives. The Cambridge Bible highlights the stark contrast between the wild and tame ass, stressing that the wild donkey's love of liberty comes from its Creator. Gill observes that the creature's nature is naturally averse to servitude, and God gives it the disposition to maintain that freedom. Keil and Delitzsch add that the two Hebrew terms (פרא and ערוד) emphasize swiftness and untameability. The core agreement: God's design includes creatures that exist beyond human control, displaying his wisdom and power in creation's wildness.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Single animal with two descriptive names: Gill, Cambridge, Keil & Delitzsch treat פרא and ערוד as poetic synonyms for the same creature, emphasizing swiftness and untameability.
- Two distinct species: Clarke references Mr. Good's claim that ערוד refers to the equus hemionus (half-ass), a different animal from the common wild ass.
What is clear: Regardless of species identification, the verse teaches that God alone gives the wild donkey its freedom and places it beyond human control.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the two Hebrew terms (pere and arod) | Both terms refer to a wild, untamed donkey-like animal. | Most commentators treat them as poetic synonyms for the same creature, while Clarke references Mr. Good's claim that arod is the equus hemionus (half-ass), a different species. |
| Meaning of 'free' (chophshi) | The word indicates liberty from servitude or obligation. | Gill argues the donkey was never in literal bondage, so 'free' describes its inherent nature; Barnes and Wesley see it as a gift of freedom from God rather than a release from prior captivity. |
| Purpose in God's speech | The verse shows God's sovereignty over untamed creation and humbles Job. | Some emphasize God's delight in the creature's wildness (Cambridge Bible), while others stress the lesson of human limitation (Matthew Henry, Wesley). |
| Contrast with the tame ass | The wild donkey's freedom stands in sharp contrast to the domesticated ass that serves humans. | Keil and Delitzsch focus on the wild ass's untameability; Clarke notes that the wild ass can be tamed but chooses freedom. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The wild donkey (פרא pere; also ערוד arod) was a well-known animal in the ancient Near East, found in the deserts of Arabia, Syria, and Persia. Clarke describes its gray color, swift running, and independence. Barnes cites Calmet's description of vast herds migrating across Central Asia, led by a sentinel. This animal was never truly domesticated; its 'bonds' (מֹסְרוֹת, fetters) are figuratively loosed by God, not by human hands. Keil and Delitzsch compare the Hebrew words: פרא emphasizes swiftness, while ערוד points to its shy, untameable nature. The surrounding context (v. 6-8) shows God making the wilderness its home, where it scorns city noise and the driver's shouts. This reflects the ancient pastoral economy where the tame ass served humans, but the wild ass remained outside that sphere. The questions in vv. 1-4 about mountain goats and does already demonstrated Job's ignorance of animal reproduction; now the wild donkey illustrates freedom as a divine gift. God's speech challenges Job's assumption that he can grasp the workings of creation. Ancient readers would recognize the wild donkey as a symbol of untamed life, beyond the reach of even the most powerful kings. By pointing to this creature, God affirms that he alone sets the boundaries of liberty and wildness. The verse thus functions as a theological claim about creation's order: some creatures are designed to live outside human control, revealing a Creator who delights in variety and independence.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Masoretic Text is stable across Hebrew manuscripts, and ancient versions (LXX, Syriac, Vulgate) agree in meaning.
Reception History
Reformed and Protestant commentators like Matthew Henry and Wesley saw the wild donkey as a lesson in God's providence over untamed creatures, contrasting human inability with divine wisdom. Adam Clarke, with his natural history focus, emphasized the animal's distinct species. Keil and Delitzsch offered detailed zoological identification, while the Geneva Bible gave a short note reinforcing human ignorance. Across traditions, this verse has been read as a call to humility before God's creative variety, and as a reminder that some aspects of creation remain beyond human mastery. The wild donkey's freedom becomes a picture of God's generous and purposeful ordering of the world.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God as the Giver of Freedom. The verse opens with "Who has set the wild donkey free?" The implied answer is God alone. He grants the creature its nature and independence.
- The Wild Donkey's Untamed Nature as Divine Design. The parallel question "Who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey?" emphasizes that this freedom is not accidental. The creature's home is the wilderness (v. 6), and it scorns human control (v. 7). God designed it this way.
- Human Limitation in Creation. God's words humble Job, showing that human power cannot tame or even understand all of God's creatures. The wild donkey stands as a living lesson in divine sovereignty.
Five-point outline
- God's Question Exposes Human Ignorance. The "who" questions demand an answer that only God can give.
- The Wild Donkey's Freedom Is a Gift. Not a result of human activity but a divine assignment.
- The Contrast with the Tame Ass. The wild donkey is not a ruined domestic animal; it is a distinct creation with its own purpose.
- The Wilderness as God's Provision. The salt land and steppe (v. 6) are not harsh accidents but the creature's proper home.
- The Call to Humility. Job is invited to see a world where God's ways surpass human understanding.
Illustration hooks
- A stray cat that refuses to be housebroken; its wildness is not a defect but part of its nature.
- A child's pet hamster that escapes and is found living in the walls, its instinct to be free was there all along.
- Watching a flock of birds take flight without any human command; their freedom reminds us of a Creator who loves independence.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God gives freedom to wild animals, why do we struggle to find freedom in our own lives?
- Does the wild donkey's untamed nature mean God approves of wild, uncontrolled behavior?
- How does this verse help me trust God when I feel out of control?
Leading a Discussion
This verse appears in God's speech from the whirlwind, where he questions Job about the natural world. God points to the wild donkey, a creature no human can tame or control, to show that his sovereignty extends to every corner of creation. As you discuss, consider how this shapes our understanding of God's wisdom and our own limits.
Discussion questions
- What do you notice about the way God frames his question? Why does he use "who" twice?
- How does the wild donkey's freedom compare to the tame ass that serves humans? What does this contrast reveal?
- Why might God choose a creature that no one can domesticate as an example in his speech?
- What does the word "free" (חפשׁי chophshı̂y) mean in this context? Does it imply that the donkey was ever bound?
- How do the surrounding verses (6-8) fill out the picture of this animal's life? What do they say about God's care for it?
- In what ways do we try to control things that God has kept beyond our reach? How should we respond?
- How might recognizing God's delight in untamed creation change how you view your own limitations?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 16:12 | He will be like a wild donkey among men. His hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. He will live opposed to all of his brothers.” |
| Genesis 49:14 | “Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the saddlebags. |
| Job 6:5 | Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass? Or does the ox low over his fodder? |
| Job 11:12 | An empty-headed man becomes wise when a man is born as a wild donkey’s colt. |
| Job 24:5 | Behold, as wild donkeys in the desert, they go out to their work, seeking diligently for food. The wilderness yields them bread for their children. |
| Psalms 104:11 | They give drink to every animal of the field. The wild donkeys quench their thirst. |
| Isaiah 32:14 | For the palace will be forsaken. The populous city will be deserted. The hill and the watchtower will be for dens forever, a delight for wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks, |
| Jeremiah 2:24 | a wild donkey used to the wilderness, that sniffs the wind in her craving. When she is in heat, who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not weary themselves. In her month, they will find her. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the wild ass and the animal called arod are the same creature. He explains the name arod comes from the loud noise the animal makes.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights the contrast between the untamed wild ass and the familiar domestic donkey. God's point is that Job cannot control this spirited, swift creature that roams free in herds. Its freedom comes from God alone, who set its bounds and loosed it from human mastery, revealing a power far beyond Job's reach.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges notes that the wild ass shows a strong love for freedom by ignoring city noise and refusing to obey its driver, unlike its tamed brother. This contrast highlights the animal’s unique nature.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes draw attention to the limits of human knowledge by pointing to the hidden timing of animal births. Only God knows the precise months and seasons when creatures bring forth their young, a fact that underscores humanity's dependence on divine wisdom rather than our own understanding.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill argues that the wild ass's fierce love of freedom is not accidental but given by God. The creature's natural aversion to servitude and its ability to remain unbound are direct divine gifts, not mere happenstance. God alone formed this instinct for liberty.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes that two different Hebrew words describe the wild ass here. He also says God gives animals liberty along with fixed laws.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch identifies the wild ass by its Hebrew name פּרא as a swift, shy animal that cannot be tamed by human hands. They emphasize that God made the salt steppe its fitting home precisely because it thrives in barren, uninhabitable land. Their distinctive point comes in verse eight, where they read יתוּר as "what can be searched out" rather than "abundance," highlighting the animal's instinctive searching for every green thing.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange notes that the long description of various creatures serves both to show God’s great power and to humble Job by making his
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that people do not know when wild animals give birth. He says these creatures are kept alive by God’s care even though humans have no understanding of their breeding cycles.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley draws attention to the wild donkey's unique refusal to be tamed, unlike other animals that submit quietly. He asks who gave it this love of freedom and who prevents it from accepting human control, pointing to God as the direct cause of its untamed nature.