◄ Job 39:5 ►
Who set the wild donkey free? Who released the swift donkey from the harness?
Study Bible
Who set the wild donkey free?
This phrase highlights God's sovereignty and control over creation. The wild donkey, known for its independence and untamed nature, symbolizes freedom from human control. In biblical times, wild donkeys were common in the deserts of the Middle East, representing creatures that thrive without human intervention. This question emphasizes that it is God who grants freedom and autonomy to His creatures, underscoring His authority over all life. The wild donkey's freedom can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual liberation, echoing themes of deliverance found throughout Scripture, such as in Exodus where God frees the Israelites from Egyptian bondage.

Who released the swift donkey from the harness?
The swift donkey, or "onager," is known for its speed and agility, often inhabiting arid regions. The mention of a harness suggests domestication, yet the question implies that it is God who allows it to roam free. This reflects the idea that God determines the boundaries and roles of His creation. In a broader sense, this can be connected to the theme of divine providence, where God orchestrates the natural order. The imagery of release from a harness can also be seen as a type of spiritual release, akin to the freedom believers find in Christ, as mentioned in the New Testament where Jesus speaks of setting captives free (Luke 4:18).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Job
A man of great faith and patience, who undergoes severe trials and questions God's justice.

2. God
The Creator, who speaks to Job out of the whirlwind, highlighting His sovereignty and wisdom.

3. Wild Donkey
A symbol of freedom and untamed nature, representing God's creation that operates beyond human control.

4. Harness
Represents human attempts to control or domesticate what God has made free.

5. The Whirlwind
The medium through which God speaks to Job, signifying His power and majesty.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty Over Creation
God alone has the power to set the wild donkey free, demonstrating His ultimate authority over all creation.

Human Limitations
The inability to harness the wild donkey serves as a reminder of human limitations in controlling God's creation.

Freedom in God's Design
The wild donkey's freedom reflects the beauty and purpose in God's design, encouraging us to trust in His wisdom.

Trust in God's Provision
Just as God provides for the wild donkey, we can trust in His provision for our needs.

Embracing God's Order
Recognizing God's order in creation helps us to embrace our role within His divine plan.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of the wild donkey in Job 39:5 illustrate God's sovereignty over creation?

2. In what ways does recognizing our limitations in controlling nature lead us to a deeper trust in God?

3. How can the freedom of the wild donkey inspire us to appreciate the freedom God has given us in Christ?

4. What parallels can we draw between God's provision for the wild donkey and His provision for us, as seen in other scriptures?

5. How does understanding God's order in creation help us to find peace and purpose in our daily lives?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 1:24-25
This passage describes God's creation of animals, including wild creatures, emphasizing His authority over all creation.

Psalm 104:10-11
These verses speak of God's provision for wild animals, illustrating His care and sovereignty.

Isaiah 32:14
This verse mentions wild donkeys, symbolizing desolation and freedom, connecting to the theme of God's control over nature.

Jeremiah 2:24
The wild donkey is used as a metaphor for Israel's unrestrained behavior, highlighting themes of freedom and rebellion.

Matthew 6:26
Jesus speaks of God's provision for the birds, paralleling the idea of God's care for all His creatures.
Sermons
The Creatures not Dependent Upon ManR. Green Job 39:1-30
The Wild AssW.F. Adeney Job 39:5-8
People
Job
Places
Uz
Topics
Ass, Bands, Beast, Bonds, Donkey, Fields, Forth, Free, Loose, Loosed, Loosened, Loud-voiced, Onager, Opened, Ropes, Swift, Untied, Wild, Yea
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Job 39:5

     4633   donkey
     5507   rope and cord

Job 39:1-30

     1305   God, activity of

Job 39:5-6

     4306   minerals
     4357   salt
     5339   home

Library
Whether Daring is a Sin?
Objection 1: It seems that daring is not a sin. For it is written (Job 39:21) concerning the horse, by which according to Gregory (Moral. xxxi) the godly preacher is denoted, that "he goeth forth boldly to meet armed men [*Vulg.: 'he pranceth boldly, he goeth forth to meet armed men']." But no vice redounds to a man's praise. Therefore it is not a sin to be daring. Objection 2: Further, according to the Philosopher (Ethic. vi, 9), "one should take counsel in thought, and do quickly what has been …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether the Religious Life of those who Live in Community is More Perfect than that of those who Lead a Solitary Life?
Objection 1: It would seem that the religious life of those who live in community is more perfect than that of those who lead a solitary life. For it is written (Eccles. 4:9): "It is better . . . that two should be together, than one; for they have the advantage of their society." Therefore the religious life of those who live in community would seem to be more perfect. Objection 2: Further, it is written (Mat. 18:20): "Where there are two or three gathered together in My name, there am I in the …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether the Mode and Order of the Temptation were Becoming?
Objection 1: It would seem that the mode and order of the temptation were unbecoming. For the devil tempts in order to induce us to sin. But if Christ had assuaged His bodily hunger by changing the stones into bread, He would not have sinned; just as neither did He sin when He multiplied the loaves, which was no less a miracle, in order to succor the hungry crowd. Therefore it seems that this was nowise a temptation. Objection 2: Further, a counselor is inconsistent if he persuades the contrary to …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Prov. 22:06 the Duties of Parents
"Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it."--Prov. 22:6. I SUPPOSE that most professing Christians are acquainted with the text at the head of this page. The sound of it is probably familiar to your ears, like an old tune. It is likely you have heard it, or read it, talked of it, or quoted it, many a time. Is it not so? But, after all, how little is the substance of this text regarded! The doctrine it contains appears scarcely known, the duty it puts …
John Charles Ryle—The Upper Room: Being a Few Truths for the Times

Whether Contention is a Mortal Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that contention is not a mortal sin. For there is no mortal sin in spiritual men: and yet contention is to be found in them, according to Lk. 22:24: "And there was also a strife amongst" the disciples of Jesus, "which of them should . . . be the greatest." Therefore contention is not a mortal sin. Objection 2: Further, no well disposed man should be pleased that his neighbor commit a mortal sin. But the Apostle says (Phil. 1:17): "Some out of contention preach Christ," …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

On the Animals
The birds are the saints, because they fly to the higher heart; in the gospel: and he made great branches that the birds of the air might live in their shade. [Mark 4:32] Flying is the death of the saints in God or the knowledge of the Scriptures; in the psalm: I shall fly and I shall be at rest. [Ps. 54(55):7 Vulgate] The wings are the two testaments; in Ezekiel: your body will fly with two wings of its own. [Ez. 1:23] The feathers are the Scriptures; in the psalm: the wings of the silver dove. …
St. Eucherius of Lyons—The Formulae of St. Eucherius of Lyons

Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.
(from Bethany to Jerusalem and Back, Sunday, April 2, a.d. 30.) ^A Matt. XXI. 1-12, 14-17; ^B Mark XI. 1-11; ^C Luke XIX. 29-44; ^D John XII. 12-19. ^c 29 And ^d 12 On the morrow [after the feast in the house of Simon the leper] ^c it came to pass, when he he drew nigh unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, ^a 1 And when they came nigh unto Jerusalem, and came unto Bethphage unto { ^b at} ^a the mount of Olives [The name, Bethphage, is said to mean house of figs, but the …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Job
The book of Job is one of the great masterpieces of the world's literature, if not indeed the greatest. The author was a man of superb literary genius, and of rich, daring, and original mind. The problem with which he deals is one of inexhaustible interest, and his treatment of it is everywhere characterized by a psychological insight, an intellectual courage, and a fertility and brilliance of resource which are nothing less than astonishing. Opinion has been divided as to how the book should be …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links
Job 39:5 NIV
Job 39:5 NLT
Job 39:5 ESV
Job 39:5 NASB
Job 39:5 KJV

Job 39:5 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Job 39:4
Top of Page
Top of Page