The onager, also known as the wild donkey, is a creature mentioned in the Bible that symbolizes freedom, untamed nature, and sometimes desolation. The Hebrew word for onager is "pere," and it is often translated as "wild donkey" in English versions of the Bible. The onager is a member of the equid family, closely related to the domesticated donkey but known for its untamed and independent spirit.

Biblical References:

1. Job 39:5-8 : In the book of Job, God speaks of the onager to illustrate His creation's wild and untamable aspects. The passage reads: "Who set the wild donkey free? Who released the swift donkey from the harness? I made the wilderness his home and the salt flats his dwelling. He scorns the tumult of the city and never hears the shouts of a driver. He roams the mountains for pasture, searching for any green thing." This description highlights the onager's independence and its natural habitat in the wilderness, away from human civilization.

2. Jeremiah 2:24 : The prophet Jeremiah uses the imagery of a wild donkey to describe Israel's unrestrained pursuit of idolatry: "A wild donkey at home in the wilderness, sniffing the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can restrain her lust? None who seek her need weary themselves; in her month they will find her." Here, the onager symbolizes unbridled desire and the difficulty of restraining such impulses.

3. Hosea 8:9 : The prophet Hosea also employs the image of the onager to convey Israel's stubbornness and waywardness: "For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has hired lovers." The onager's solitary nature is used to depict Israel's isolation due to its alliances with foreign nations and departure from God.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

In biblical literature, the onager often represents a life unencumbered by the constraints of society, living in the freedom of the wilderness. This creature's depiction in Scripture serves as a metaphor for both positive and negative attributes. Positively, it can symbolize freedom and the beauty of God's untamed creation. Negatively, it can represent stubbornness, rebellion, and the consequences of living outside the bounds of divine guidance.

The onager's habitat in the wilderness and salt flats underscores its association with desolation and barrenness, often used to illustrate spiritual desolation or the consequences of turning away from God. Its solitary nature is emblematic of isolation, a theme frequently explored in the prophetic books when addressing the spiritual state of Israel.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In the ancient Near East, the onager was a well-known animal, admired for its speed and resilience. It was not domesticated like the common donkey, which made it a fitting symbol for untamed freedom. The onager's presence in the wilderness, away from human habitation, further reinforced its image as a creature of the wild, living according to its own instincts and desires.

The biblical portrayal of the onager reflects the broader cultural understanding of the animal during the time the Scriptures were written. Its characteristics were used effectively by biblical authors to convey spiritual truths and moral lessons, drawing on the natural world to illustrate the human condition and the relationship between God and His people.1. (n.) A military engine acting like a sling, which threw stones from a bag or wooden bucket, and was operated by machinery.

2. (n.) A wild ass, especially the koulan.

6167. arad -- a wild donkey
... wild ass. (Aramaic) corresponding to arowd; an onager -- wild ass. see HEBREW
arowd. 6166b, 6167. arad. 6168 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/6167.htm - 6k

6501. pere -- a wild donkey
... wild ass. Or pereh (Jeremiah 2:24) {peh'-reh}; from para' in the secondary sense
of running wild; the onager -- wild (ass). see HEBREW para'. 6500, 6501. ...
/hebrew/6501.htm - 6k

6171. arod -- a wild donkey
... wild ass. From the same as Arad; an onager (from his lonesome habits) -- wild ass.
see HEBREW Arad. 6170, 6171. arod. 6172 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/6171.htm - 6k

Account of the Bishops Euphratas and vincentius, and of the Plot ...
... Onager, for this was the name of the leader of this wicked band (a name [496]
peculiarly appropriate to him, as he not only used his hands but also his feet as ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/chapter vii account of the bishops.htm

Stephanus Deposed.
... Before he was subjected to the examination by scourging, he confessed the whole
plot, and stated that it was planned and carried into execution by Onager. ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/chapter viii stephanus deposed.htm

Ancient Chaldaea
... the thickets of Mesopotamia. The wild ass and onager roamed in small herds
between the Balikh and the Tigris. Attempts were made ...
/.../chapter iancient chaldaea.htm

Chaldaean Civilization
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 3. <. ...
/.../chapter iiichaldaean civilization.htm

Onager (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Onager (1 Occurrence). Job 39:5 Who hath sent out the
wild ass free? and who hath loosed the bands of the onager, (DBY). ...
/o/onager.htm - 6k

On (40792 Occurrences)

/o/on.htm - 17k

Onam (4 Occurrences)

/o/onam.htm - 8k

Onager: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus