Job 39:5 — Word Study
WLCמִֽי־ שִׁלַּ֣ח פֶּ֣רֶא חָפְשִׁ֑י וּמֹסְר֥וֹת עָ֝ר֗וֹד מִ֣י פִתֵּֽחַ׃
BSAWhomîy [the one responsible] setshâlach■ the wild donkeypereʼ [a strong and fierce animal, onager] freechophshîy [exempt from slavery, unrestrained] Whomîy [the one with authority] releasedpâthach■ the swift donkeyʻârôwd△ [wild ass, loud-voiced beast] from the harnessmôwçêr [bonds, rope or halter]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מִֽי־ | who? | Pronoun |
| שִׁלַּ֣ח | did he let loose | Verb, Piel, perfect third person masculine singular |
| פֶּ֣רֶא | [the] wild donkey | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| חָפְשִׁ֑י | free | Adj |
| וּמֹסְר֥וֹת | and [the] fetters of | Conjunction, noun common feminine plural construct |
| עָ֝ר֗וֹד | [the] wild ass | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| מִ֣י | who? | Pronoun |
| פִתֵּֽחַ׃ | did he loosen | Verb, Piel, perfect third person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Who set the wild donkey free? Who released the swift donkey from the harness? |
| KJV | Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass? |
| ASV | Who hath sent out the wild ass free? Or who hath loosed the bonds of the swift ass, |
| YLT | Who hath sent forth the wild ass free? Yea, the bands of the wild ass who opened? |
| WEB | “Who has set the wild donkey free? Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey, |
| BBE | Who has let the ass of the fields go free? or made loose the bands of the loud-voiced beast? |
The translations agree on the meaning of שִׁלַּ֣ח — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of two main questions, each focusing on the act of liberation.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectמִי
verbשָׁלַח
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 8 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 39:5
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Job's Reflection on Creationgenerated
Job 39:5 presents a rhetorical question about the wild donkey, emphasizing its freedom and the divine authority behind its existence. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Job contemplates the natural world and God's role in creation, reflecting on the untamed aspects of life, as seen in the surrounding verses that describe the wild donkey's habitat and behavior.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 6:5 | Does a wild donkey bray over fresh grass, or an ox low over its fodder? |
| 2 | Job 11:12 | But a witless man can no more become wise than the colt of a wild donkey can be born a man! |
| 3 | Job 24:5 | Indeed, like wild donkeys in the desert, the poor go to work foraging for food; the wasteland is food for their children. |
| 4 | Genesis 16:12 | He will be a wild donkey of a man, and his hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him; he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.” |
| 5 | Psalm 104:11 | They give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שִׁלַּ֣ח, shi.Lachgenerated
The verb שָׁלַח (shalach) means 'to send' or 'to let loose'. It is a Piel form, indicating an active sense of sending away or releasing. In this context, it conveys the idea of liberating the wild donkey from constraints, emphasizing its untamed nature.
This word appears frequently in the Bible, often in contexts of sending away or allowing freedom. Here, it highlights the contrast between the wild donkey's freedom and the restraints typically imposed on domesticated animals.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the meaning of שִׁלַּ֣ח as 'set free' or 'let loose', reflecting the wild donkey's liberation.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of two main clauses, each beginning with the interrogative pronoun מִי (mi), 'who?'. Each clause presents a question about the act of setting free and releasing, with the verbs שִׁלַּ֣ח (shalach) and פִתֵּֽחַ (pathach) governing their respective subjects.
The structure emphasizes the rhetorical nature of the questions, inviting reflection on the divine authority behind the freedom of these animals.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שִׁלַּ֣ח as ἀφεὶς (apheis), meaning 'having released'. This choice suggests a focus on the act of release itself, aligning with the theme of liberation in the Hebrew text.
The use of ἔλυσεν (elysen) for פִתֵּֽחַ indicates a similar emphasis on loosening or opening, reinforcing the imagery of freedom from constraints.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 39:5 asks who is responsible for setting the wild donkey free and releasing the swift donkey from its harness. This verse reflects on the nature of these animals, symbolizing freedom and untamed life, and questions the divine authority behind their existence.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The wild donkey symbolizes freedom and untamed nature, representing a life unrestrained by human control.
Job's questions highlight the mystery of creation and God's sovereignty over nature, inviting reflection on the divine order.
The swift donkey, like the wild donkey, represents a creature that embodies freedom and independence, living outside human constraints.
This verse fits into a larger discourse about God's creation, where Job reflects on the wild animals and their untamed existence, contrasting them with human life.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does freedom mean in my life, and how can I embrace it like the wild donkey?
- In what ways do I feel constrained, and how can I seek liberation from those constraints?
- How does understanding God's authority over creation impact my view of the natural world?
- What lessons can I learn from the wild donkey about independence and living authentically?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators reflect on this verse to discuss the nature of freedom and God's role in creation, as seen in the quotations from John Chrysostom and Gregory the Dialogist.
Then he adds, “Who has let the wild ass go free?” “Who has disposed things in this manner?” he says. “Who has established the laws of nature?” These are, he says, permanent laws that never change. This animal is strong and untamed.Early Church Fathers on Job 39 →
Who hath sent out the wild ass free, and who hath loosed his bands? 50. Understand, Except Myself. For the wild ass, who dwells in solitude, signifies, not inaptly, the life of those who dwell far removed from the crowds of people.Early Church Fathers on Job 39 →
[ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION OF THE WILD ASS AS CHRIST] But all these things which have been said of the wild ass, can be understood in another way also.Early Church Fathers on Job 39 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 39:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWho hath sent out the wild ass free?.... Into the wide waste, where it is, ranges at pleasure, and is not under the restraint of any; a creature which, as it is naturally wild, is naturally averse to
Read John Gill on Job 39 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWho hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass? Wild ass.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 39 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWho hath sent out the wild ass free? who hath given him this disposition, that he loves freedom, and avoids and hates that subjection which other creatures quietly and contentedly endure? Who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass? which is not to be understood privatively, as if God took off the bands which men had put upon him; but negatively, that he keeps him from receiving the bands and submitting to the service of man. Who hath made him so untractable and unmanageable? Which is the more strange, because home-bred asses are so tame and tractable.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 39 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 39:5 Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?Ver. 5. Who hath sent out the wild ass free?] ôøà Phere, ferum animal (so Tremellius rendereth it), the wild creature. And it is not unlikely that the Latin word fera comes from this Hebrew word for a wild ass; which is a most untameable and untractable creature, Eo quod onager feritate antecellit (Piscat.). "Every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed by mankind," James 3:7. We read of Augustus Caesar that he had a tame tiger, but who ever heard of a wild ass tamed? Africa is said to have whole herds of them; and it is reported, that…
Read John Trapp on Job 39 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 5. Who hath sent out the wild ass free?] פרא pere, which we translate wild ass, is the same as the ονοςαγριος of the Greeks, and the onager of the Latins; which must not, says Buffon, be confounded with the zebra, for this is an animal of a different species from the ass. The wild ass is not striped like the zebra, nor so elegantly shaped. There are many of those animals in the deserts of Libya and Numidia: they are of a gray colour; and run so swiftly that no horse but the Arab barbs can overtake them. Wild asses are found in considerable numbers in East and South Tartary, in Persia, Syria, the islands of the Archipelago, and throughout Mauritania. They differ from tame asses only in…
Read AdamClarke on Job 39 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges5–8. The wild ass. Who gave the wild ass his freedom and his indomitable love of liberty—who scorns the noise of cities and laughs at the shouts of the driver, which his tame brother obeys? The point of the questions lies not only in the striking peculiarities of the beautiful creature itself, but in the strange contrast between it and the tame ass, which in external appearance it resembles.
Read Cambridge on Job 39 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleWho hath sent out the wild ass free? - For a description of the wild ass, see the notes at Job 11:12. On the meaning of the word rendered “free” (חפשׁי chophshı̂y), see the notes at Isaiah 58:6.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 39 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bibleγ. From animals who need no human care in the time of their extremity, the speaker now turns to creatures who despise man and rebel against all human interference.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 39 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Who set the wild donkey free? Who released the swift donkey from the harness?
“Who has set the wild donkey free? Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey,
Who set the wild donkey free? Who released the swift donkey from the harness?
Who let the wild donkey go free? Who released the bonds of the donkey,
Tyndale line
Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?
Who hath sent out the wild ass free? Or who hath loosed the bonds of the swift ass,
Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?
Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?
Canst thou nomber the moneths that they fulfill? or knowest thou the time when they bring foorth?
Strictly literal
Who hath sent out the wild ass free? and who hath loosed the bands of the onager,
Who hath sent forth the wild ass free? Yea, the bands of the wild ass who opened?
Who has sent forth the wild donkey free? Indeed, who opened the bands of the wild donkey?
Who sent out the wild ass free? or who loosened the bonds of the forest-ass?
Who let the wild donkey go free? Who has untied the bonds of the swift donkey,
From the Latin
Who hath sent out the wild ass free, and who hath loosed his bonds?
Simplified
Who gave the wild donkey its freedom? Who set it free from its bonds?
Who has let the ass of the fields go free? or made loose the bands of the loud-voiced beast?
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with six of the eight Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. This correspondence highlights the shared understanding of the themes of freedom and divine authority in both texts.
מִֽי־ שִׁלַּ֣ח פֶּ֣רֶא חָפְשִׁ֑י וּמֹסְר֥וֹת עָ֝ר֗וֹד מִ֣י פִתֵּֽחַ׃
6 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 39:5
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
מִי (mi) is an interrogative pronoun primarily used to ask about persons, meaning 'who?' or 'whose?'. It can also appear in rhetorical questions and has some idiomatic uses, such as 'who among...?' or 'whosoever'. The word is rarely applied to things, and its forms can vary in emphasis.
מִי 423 pron.interrog. who? of persons
מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied
in the gen. whose
in an indirect qu.
מִי ב׳ who among … ?
strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.
various rhetorical uses whose
מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it
once, following a verb, any one
base
H4310 מִי who? of persons . מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied
. in the gen. whose
. in an indirect qu.
. מִי ב׳ who among … ?
. strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.
. various rhetorical uses whose
. מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it
. once, following a verb, any one
4310 miy me
an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things,
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also
(indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction
with prefix or suffix:--any (man), X he, X him, + O that!
what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.
see HEBREW for 04100
מִי (mi) — who?.
who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever
Part — PronounHPi
The Hebrew word שָׁלַח (shalach) is a primitive root meaning 'to send' with a wide range of applications. It can refer to sending away, stretching out (especially a hand), or letting go. The entries indicate various forms, including sending off, casting out, and setting free. Notably, it can also imply divorce or being sent away in a marital context.
שָׁלַח 814 vb. send
Qal
send: human subj.
send: subj. י׳ (God)
stretch out, esp. acc. hand
rarely send away: human subj.
let loose
Niph. letters were sent
Pi.
send off, away, human subj.
send away, subj. י׳
give over
cast out
send out, forth
let go, set free
shoot forth branches
let down
shoot
Phrases
Pu. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)
Hiph. and I (י׳) will send
base
H7971 שָׁלַח send .. send: human subj.
. send: subj. י׳ (God)
. stretch out, esp. acc. hand
. rarely send away: human subj.
. let loose
. letters were sent
. . send off, away, human subj.
. . send away, subj. י׳
. give over
. cast out
. send out, forth
. let go, set free
. shoot forth branches
. let down
. shoot
. Phrases
. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)
. and I (י׳) will send
7971 shalach shaw-lakh'
a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great
variety of applications):--X any wise, appoint, bring (on the
way), cast (away, out), conduct, X earnestly, forsake, give
(up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose),
push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send
(away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread,
stretch forth (out).
שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: depart.
: depart/send
1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to send
1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct
1a3) to send away
1a4) to let loose
1b) (Niphal) to be sent
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out
1c2) to let go, set free
1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)
1c4) to let down
1c5) to shoot
1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled
1e) (Hiphil) to send
שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: let go.
: let_go/free
1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to send
1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct
1a3) to send away
1a4) to let loose
1b) (Niphal) to be sent
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out
1c2) to let go, set free
1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)
1c4) to let down
1c5) to shoot
V-Piel-Perf-3ms — Verb · Piel · perfect third person masculine singularHVpp3ms
פֶּ֫רֶא (pere') refers to a wild ass or wild donkey. It is derived from a root meaning to run wild, indicating its untamed nature. This term appears in the context of the Old Testament, specifically noted in Jeremiah 2:24.
פֶּ֫רֶא n.m. wild ass
base
H6501 פֶּ֫רֶא wild ass
6501 pere' peh'-reh
or pereh (Jeremiah 2:24) {peh'-reh}; from 6500 in the
secondary sense of running wild; the onager:--wild (ass).
see HEBREW for 06500
פֶּ֫רֶא (pe.re) — wild donkey.
wild ass
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
חָפְשִׁי (chophshiy) means 'free,' indicating a state of exemption from bondage, taxes, or obligations. It is derived from the root word for freedom (H2666). The term is used in contexts relating to liberty, particularly in reference to freedom from slavery or financial burdens.
חָפְשִׁי adj. free
base
H2670 חָפְשִׁי free
2670 chophshiy khof-shee'
from 2666; exempt (from bondage, tax or care):--free,
liberty.
see HEBREW for 02666
חׇפְשִׁי (choph.shi) — free.
1) free
1a) free (from slavery)
1b) free (from taxes or obligations)
Adj — AdjHAamsa
מוֹסֵר (mowcer) refers to a 'band' or 'bond' and is associated with the concept of restraint or chastisement. It is derived from a root meaning to bind or restrain. The term appears in various contexts, including poetic usage, but the entries do not provide specific Old Testament references.
[מוֹסֵר] n.m. band, bond, poet. & late
base
H4147 מוֹסֵר band, bond, poet. & late
4147 mowcer mo-sare'
also (in plural) feminine mowcerah {mo-say-raw'}; or mocrah
{mo-ser-aw'}; from 3256; properly, chastisement, i.e. (by
implication) a halter; figuratively, restraint:--band, bond.
see HEBREW for 03256
מוֹסֵר (mo.ser) — bond.
band, bond
Conj | N-cp — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural constructHC/Ncfpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
עָרוֹד (arowd) refers to a wild ass or wild donkey. It is derived from a related term meaning 'lonesome' and is mentioned in Job 39:5. The Aramaic equivalent is עֲרָד (a.rad), which also means wild donkey.
עָרוֹד n.[m.] wild ass;—Jb 39:5.
ref
H6171 עָרוֹד
6171 `arowd aw-rode'
from the same as 6166; an onager (from his lonesome
habits):--wild ass.
see HEBREW for 06166
עָרוֹד (a.rod) — wild donkey.
wild ass
Aramaic equivalent: a.rad (עֲרָד "wild donkey" H6167)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
as (chamowr or chamor, compare Arabic chamar, apparently connected with Arabic root 'achmar, "red," but referred by some to root hamal, "to carry"; also, but less commonly, both in Hebrew and in Arabic, 'athon, Arabic 'atan, used in Arabic only of the females; pereh, or pere', and `aradh, or `arodh, Arabic 'ard, "wild ass," and also `ayir, Arabic `air, "a young" or "wild ass").
1. Names:
2. Meaning:
(1) Chamor is derived from the root which means, in all probability, "to carry a burden" (see Furst, Handworterbuch, ch-m-r ii), or "heap up." While no analogies are contained in the Old Testament this root occurs in New Hebrew. The Aramaic chamer, means "to make a ruin-heap" (from which the noun chamor, "a heap," used in
Ass
Frequently mentioned throughout Scripture. Of the domesticated species we read of, (1.) The she ass (Heb. ‘athon), so named from its slowness (Gen. 12:16; 45:23; Num. 22:23; 1 Sam. 9:3). (2.) The male ass (Heb. hamor), the common working ass of Western Asia, so called from its red colour. Issachar is compared to a strong ass (Gen. 49:14). It was forbidden to yoke together an ass and an ox in the plough (Deut. 22:10). (3.) The ass’s colt (Heb. ‘air), mentioned Judg. 10:4; 12:14. It is rendered “foal” in Gen.…
Five Hebrew names of the genus Asinus occur in the Old Testament. Chamor denotes the male domestic ass. Athon , the common domestic she-ass. Air , the name of a wild ass, which occurs (Genesis 32:15; 49:11) Pere , a species of wild ass mentioned (Genesis 12:16) Arod occurs only in (Job 39:5) but in what respect it differs from the Pere is uncertain. The ass in eastern countries is a very different animal from what he is in western Europe. The most noble and honorable amongst the Jews were wont to be mounted on asses. (With us the ass is a symbol of stubbornness and stupidity, while in the East it is especially remarkable for its patience, gentleness, intelligence, meek submission and great power of endurance."--L. Abbott. The…
An animal well known for domestic uses; and frequently mentioned in Scripture. People of the first quality in Palestine rode on asses. Deborah, in her song, describes the nobles of the land as those who "ride on white asses," Jud 5:10. Compare Jud 10:4; 12:14. The oriental asses are not to be compared with those of northern countries; but are far more stately, active, and lively. Indeed, they were anciently, as still, highly prized; and were also preferred for riding, especially the she-asses, on account of their sure- footedness. Hence we so often find mention of she-asses alone.
The Wild Ass is a well-known oriental animal, often mentioned in Scripture, and is a much handsomer and more dignified animal than the common ass. These animals were anciently found in Palestine, Syria…
מִי (mi) is an interrogative pronoun primarily used to ask about persons, meaning 'who?' or 'whose?'. It can also appear in rhetorical questions and has some idiomatic uses, such as 'who among...?' or 'whosoever'. The word is rarely applied to things, and its forms can vary in emphasis.
מִי 423 pron.interrog. who? of persons
מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied
in the gen. whose
in an indirect qu.
מִי ב׳ who among … ?
strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.
various rhetorical uses whose
מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it
once, following a verb, any one
base
H4310 מִי who? of persons . מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied
. in the gen. whose
. in an indirect qu.
. מִי ב׳ who among … ?
. strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.
. various rhetorical uses whose
. מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it
. once, following a verb, any one
4310 miy me
an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things,
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also
(indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction
with prefix or suffix:--any (man), X he, X him, + O that!
what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.
see HEBREW for 04100
מִי (mi) — who?.
who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever
Part — PronounHPi
פָּתַח (pathach) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to open' and can refer to various actions such as opening doors, loosening restraints, or engraving. It has different forms, including Qal (to open), Niphal (to be opened), and Piel (to engrave). The entries highlight its literal and figurative uses, but there is some overlap in meaning regarding its applications in opening and engraving.
פָּתַח vb. open
Qal open sack
Niph. be opened
Pi. be opened
free, i.e. ungird, camels
loosen (and remove) sack-cloth
open gates, doors
Hithp. loosen thee the fetters of thy neck
base
[פָּתַח] vb. Pi. engrave
Pu. stones engraved with the engravings of a signet.
base
H6605a פָּתַח open .open sack
. be opened
. be opened . free, i.e. ungird, camels
. loosen (and remove) sack-cloth
. open gates, doors
. loosen thee the fetters of thy neck
H6605b פָּתַח Pi. engrave
6605 pathach paw-thakh'
a primitive root; to open wide (literally or figuratively);
specifically, to loosen, begin, plough, carve:--appear, break
forth, draw (out), let go free, (en-)grave(-n), loose (self),
(be, be set) open(-ing), put off, ungird, unstop, have vent.
פָּתַח (pa.tach) — to open.
1) to open
1a) (Qal) to open
1b) (Niphal) to be opened, be let loose, be thrown open
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to free
1c2) to loosen
1c3) to open, open oneself
1d) (Hithpael) to loose oneself
Aramaic equivalent: pe.tach (פְּתַח "to open" H6606)
פָּתַח (pa.tach) — to engrave.
1) to carve, engrave
1a) (Piel) to engrave
1b) (Pual) to be engraved
V-Piel-Perf-3ms — Verb · Piel · perfect third person masculine singularHVpp3ms