Job 39:5-8 | JFB | e4.org | 5. wild ass —Two different Hebrew words are here used for the same animal, "the ass of the woods" and "the wild ass." (See on ; ; ; and ). loosed the bands —given its liberty to. Man can rob animals of freedom, but not, as God, give freedom, combined with subordination to fixed laws.

‏ Job 39:5-8

5. wild ass—Two different Hebrew words are here used for the same animal, "the ass of the woods" and "the wild ass." (See on Job 6:5; Job 11:12; Job 24:5; and Jer 2:24).

loosed the bands—given its liberty to. Man can rob animals of freedom, but not, as God, give freedom, combined with subordination to fixed laws.

6. barren—literally, "salt," that is, unfruitful. (So Ps 107:34, Margin.)

7. multitude—rather, "din"; he sets it at defiance, being far away from it in the freedom of the wilderness.

driver—who urges on the tame ass to work. The wild ass is the symbol of uncontrolled freedom in the East; even kings have, therefore, added its name to them.

8. The range—literally, "searching," "that which it finds by searching is his pasture."