Jeremiah 2:24
New International Version
a wild donkey accustomed to the desert, sniffing the wind in her craving— in her heat who can restrain her? Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves; at mating time they will find her.

New Living Translation
You are like a wild donkey, sniffing the wind at mating time. Who can restrain her lust? Those who desire her don’t need to search, for she goes running to them!

English Standard Version
a wild donkey used to the wilderness, in her heat sniffing the wind! Who can restrain her lust? None who seek her need weary themselves; in her month they will find her.

Berean Standard Bible
a wild donkey at home in the wilderness, sniffing the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can restrain her passion? All who seek her need not weary themselves; in mating season they will find her.

King James Bible
A 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.

New King James Version
A wild donkey used to the wilderness, That sniffs at the wind in her desire; In her time of mating, who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not weary themselves; In her month they will find her.

New American Standard Bible
A wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, That sniffs the wind in her passion. Who can turn her away in her mating season? None who seek her will grow weary; In her month they will find her.

NASB 1995
A wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, That sniffs the wind in her passion. In the time of her heat who can turn her away? All who seek her will not become weary; In her month they will find her.

NASB 1977
A wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, That sniffs the wind in her passion. In the time of her heat who can turn her away? All who seek her will not become weary; In her month they will find her.

Legacy Standard Bible
A wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, That sniffs the wind in her passion. In the time of her heat who can turn her away? All who seek her will not become weary; In her month they will find her.

Amplified Bible
Or [you have the untamed and reckless nature of] a wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, That sniffs the wind in her passion [for the scent of a mate]. In her mating season who can restrain her? No males seeking her need to weary themselves; In her month they will find her [looking for them].

Christian Standard Bible
a wild donkey at home in the wilderness. She sniffs the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can control her passion? All who look for her will not become weary; they will find her in her mating season.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
a wild donkey at home in the wilderness. She sniffs the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can control her passion? All who look for her will not become tired; they will find her in her mating season.

American Standard Version
a wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind in her desire; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.

Contemporary English Version
You are a female donkey sniffing the desert air, wanting to mate with just anyone. You are an easy catch!

English Revised Version
a wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind in her desire; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You are like a wild donkey that is used to the desert, sniffing the wind while in heat. All who look for you won't get tired. They will find you during your monthly period.

Good News Translation
rushing into the desert. When she is in heat, who can control her? No male that wants her has to trouble himself; she is always available in mating season.

International Standard Version
a wild donkey accustomed to the desert, sniffing the wind in her passion. When she's in heat, who can turn her away? None of the males who pursue her need to tire themselves out, for in her month they'll find her."

Majority Standard Bible
a wild donkey at home in the wilderness, sniffing the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can restrain her passion? All who seek her need not weary themselves; in mating season they will find her.

NET Bible
You are like a wild female donkey brought up in the wilderness. In her lust she sniffs the wind to get the scent of a male. No one can hold her back when she is in heat. None of the males need wear themselves out chasing after her. At mating time she is easy to find.

New Heart English Bible
a wild donkey used to the wilderness, that snuffs up the wind in her desire. 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.

Webster's Bible Translation
A 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.

World English Bible
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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
A wild donkey accustomed to a wilderness, "" She has swallowed up wind in the desire of her soul, "" Her meeting—who turns her back? None seeking her weary themselves, "" In her month they find her.

Young's Literal Translation
A wild ass accustomed to a wilderness, In the desire of her soul she hath swallowed up wind, Her meeting -- who doth turn her back? None seeking her do weary themselves, In her month they find her.

Smith's Literal Translation
A wild ass accustomed to the desert in gratifying her soul, panting after the wind in her heat; who shall turn her back? all seeking her will not be wearied; in her new moon they shall find her.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
A wild ass accustomed to the wilderness in the desire of his heart, snuffed up the wind of his love: none shall turn her away: all that seek her shall not fail: in her monthly filth they shall find her.

Catholic Public Domain Version
A wild donkey accustomed to solitude, out of the desire in his soul, caught the scent of his lover. Now nothing will turn him away from her. All those who seek her will not cease. But they will find her in her menstruation.

New American Bible
a wild donkey bred in the wilderness, Sniffing the wind in her desire— who can restrain her lust? None seeking her need tire themselves; in her time they will find her.

New Revised Standard Version
a wild ass at home in the wilderness, in her heat sniffing the wind! Who can restrain her lust? None who seek her need weary themselves; in her month they will find her.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
You are like a wild ass which is untrained in the wilderness and follows her own will; you have snuffed up the wind, who can bring you back? Whoever seeks her shall weary himself, he shall find her only by means of her footprints.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Like a wild donkey which is taught by the wilderness in the pleasures of his soul, you sniffed the wind like a jackal. Who will bring her back? Everyone who seeks her unwearied in his ways will find her
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
A wild ass used to the wilderness, That snuffeth up the wind in her desire; Her lust, who can hinder it? All they that seek her will not weary themselves; In her month they shall find her.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
she has extended her ways over the waters of the desert; she was hurried along by the lusts of her soul; she is given up to them, who will turn her back? none that seek her shall be weary; at the time of her humiliation they shall find her.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Israel's Unfaithfulness
23“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals’? Look at your behavior in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. You are a swift young she-camel galloping here and there, 24a wild donkey at home in the wilderness, sniffing the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can restrain her passion? All who seek her need not weary themselves; in mating season they will find her. 25You should have kept your feet from going bare and your throat from being thirsty. But you said, ‘It is hopeless! For I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’…

Cross References
Hosea 2:6-7
Therefore, behold, I will hedge up her path with thorns; I will enclose her with a wall, so she cannot find her way. / She will pursue her lovers but not catch them; she will seek them but not find them. Then she will say, ‘I will return to my first husband, for then I was better off than now.’

Hosea 4:12-14
My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God. / They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant. And so your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery. / I will not punish your daughters when they prostitute themselves, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men themselves go off with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes. So a people without understanding will come to ruin.

Ezekiel 16:25-26
At the head of every street you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty. With increasing promiscuity, you spread your legs to all who passed by. / You prostituted yourself with your lustful neighbors, the Egyptians, and increased your promiscuity to provoke Me to anger.

Isaiah 57:5-8
who burn with lust among the oaks, under every luxuriant tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? / Your portion is among the smooth stones of the valley; indeed, they are your lot. Even to them you have poured out a drink offering and offered a grain offering. Should I relent because of these? / On a high and lofty hill you have made your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifices. ...

Ezekiel 23:19-21
Yet she multiplied her promiscuity, remembering the days of her youth, when she had prostituted herself in the land of Egypt / and lusted after their lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of stallions. / So you revisited the indecency of your youth, when the Egyptians caressed your bosom and pressed your young breasts.

Proverbs 7:10-23
Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart. / She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home. / Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner. ...

Isaiah 1:21
See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only murderers!

Hosea 5:4
Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God, for a spirit of prostitution is within them, and they do not know the LORD.

Ezekiel 16:30-34
How weak-willed is your heart, declares the Lord GOD, while you do all these things, the acts of a shameless prostitute! / But when you built your mounds at the head of every street and made your lofty shrines in every public square, you were not even like a prostitute, because you scorned payment. / You adulterous wife! You receive strangers instead of your own husband! ...

Isaiah 30:22
So you will desecrate your silver-plated idols and your gold-plated images. You will throw them away like menstrual cloths, saying to them, “Be gone!”

Romans 1:24-25
Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another. / They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.

James 4:4
You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.

2 Peter 2:14
Their eyes are full of adultery; their desire for sin is never satisfied; they seduce the unstable. They are accursed children with hearts trained in greed.

Revelation 17:1-2
Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. / The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.”

1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.


Treasury of Scripture

A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffs 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.

a wild ass.

Jeremiah 14:6
And the wild asses did stand in the high places, they snuffed up the wind like dragons; their eyes did fail, because there was no grass.

Job 11:12
For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.

Job 39:5-8
Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass? …

used.

Jeremiah 2:27
Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.

Hosea 5:15
I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.

Jump to Previous
Able Accustomed Ass Breathing Craving Desert Desire Donkey Find Heat Hinder Lust Males Mating Month Need Occasion Passion Pleasure Pursue Restrain Seek Themselves Time Tire Tired Turn Untrained Used Waste Weary Wild Wilderness Wind
Jump to Next
Able Accustomed Ass Breathing Craving Desert Desire Donkey Find Heat Hinder Lust Males Mating Month Need Occasion Passion Pleasure Pursue Restrain Seek Themselves Time Tire Tired Turn Untrained Used Waste Weary Wild Wilderness Wind
Jeremiah 2
1. God having shown his former kindness,
5. expostulates with the people on their causeless and unexampled revolt
14. They are the causes of their own calamities
18. The sins and idolatries of Judah
35. Her confidence is rejected.














a wild donkey
The Hebrew term for "wild donkey" is "פֶּרֶא" (pere'), which refers to a creature known for its untamed and independent nature. In the ancient Near Eastern context, the wild donkey was a symbol of freedom and unbridled behavior, often living in desolate areas away from human habitation. This imagery is used to depict Israel's rebellious and unrestrained pursuit of idolatry, highlighting their departure from God's covenant and their inclination towards spiritual adultery.

accustomed to the wilderness
The phrase "accustomed to the wilderness" suggests a creature that is at home in desolation and isolation. The wilderness, or "מִדְבָּר" (midbar) in Hebrew, often symbolizes a place of testing and wandering in the Bible. Israel's comfort in the wilderness reflects their spiritual state of being lost and estranged from God, choosing paths that lead away from His presence and guidance.

sniffing the wind
"Sniffing the wind" conveys an image of a creature driven by instinct and desire, seeking fulfillment without discernment. The Hebrew word "רֵיחַ" (reach) for "sniffing" implies a searching or longing. This metaphor illustrates Israel's restless pursuit of foreign gods and alliances, driven by their desires rather than faithfulness to Yahweh.

in the heat of her desire
The phrase "in the heat of her desire" uses the Hebrew word "תַּאֲוָה" (ta'avah), meaning intense longing or craving. This expression captures the fervent and uncontrolled passion that Israel exhibits in their idolatrous practices. It serves as a warning against allowing desires to override devotion to God, leading to spiritual infidelity.

Who can restrain her lust?
This rhetorical question emphasizes the futility of trying to control or redirect Israel's wayward passions. The Hebrew word for "restrain" is "כָּלָא" (kala'), meaning to hold back or confine. The question underscores the depth of Israel's spiritual rebellion, suggesting that their lust for idols is beyond human intervention, requiring divine intervention for restoration.

None who seek her need weary themselves
The phrase "None who seek her need weary themselves" indicates that those pursuing Israel, whether foreign nations or false gods, find her easily accessible due to her willingness to engage in idolatry. The Hebrew word "יָגַע" (yaga') for "weary" implies labor or effort. This highlights Israel's eagerness to abandon their covenant with God, making themselves readily available to spiritual corruption.

in her mating season they will find her
The imagery of "mating season" suggests a time of heightened vulnerability and openness to external influences. The Hebrew term "חֹדֶשׁ" (chodesh) for "season" can also mean "new moon," a time often associated with pagan rituals. This metaphor illustrates Israel's susceptibility to idolatry during times when they should be renewing their commitment to God, emphasizing the need for spiritual vigilance and fidelity.

(24) A wild ass . . .--One image of animal desire suggests another, and the "wild ass" appears (as in the Hebrew of Genesis 16:12; Job 11:12; Job 39:5) as even a stronger type of passion that defies control. The description is startling in its boldness, but has a parallel in that of Virgil (Georg. iii. 250).

That snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure.--Better, in the desire of her heart, as it bears to her the scent that draws her on. The "occasion" and the "month" are, of course, the season when the stimulus of animal desire is strongest. There is no need for the stallion to seek her with a weary search, she presents herself and pursues him. So there was in Israel what we should describe as a mania for the hateful worship of the heathen.

Verse 24. - A wild ass, etc. The type of wildness and independence (comp. Genesis 16:12; Job 39:5-8). That snuffeth up the wind; to cool the heat of her passion. In her occasion... in her month; i.e. at the pairing-time.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
a wild donkey
פֶּ֣רֶה ׀ (pe·reh)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6501: A wild donkey

at home in
לִמֻּ֣ד (lim·muḏ)
Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3928: Instructed

the wilderness,
מִדְבָּ֗ר (miḏ·bār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4057: A pasture, a desert, speech

sniffing
שָׁאֲפָ֣ה (šā·’ă·p̄āh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7602: To inhale eagerly, to cover, to be angry, to hasten

the wind
ר֔וּחַ (rū·aḥ)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit

in the heat
תַּאֲנָתָ֖הּ (ta·’ă·nā·ṯāh)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 8385: Occasion or time of copulation

of her
נַפְשָׁהּ֙ (nap̄·šāh)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

desire.
בְּאַוַּ֤ת (bə·’aw·waṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 185: Longing

Who
מִ֣י (mî)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

can restrain her passion?
יְשִׁיבֶ֑נָּה (yə·šî·ḇen·nāh)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

All
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

who seek her
מְבַקְשֶׁ֙יהָ֙ (mə·ḇaq·še·hā)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1245: To search out, to strive after

need not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

weary themselves;
יִיעָ֔פוּ (yî·‘ā·p̄ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3286: To be weary, faint

in mating season
בְּחָדְשָׁ֖הּ (bə·ḥā·ḏə·šāh)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2320: The new moon, a month

they will find her.
יִמְצָאֽוּנְהָ׃ (yim·ṣā·’ū·nə·hā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person feminine singular, Paragogic nun
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 2:24 A wild donkey used to the wilderness (Jer.)
Jeremiah 2:23
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