Jeremiah 2 · Verse 24

Jeremiah 2:24

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.

Jeremiah 2:24, King James Version

Jeremiah 2:24 in other translations

BSB	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.
WEB	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.
ASV	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.
YLT	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.
DARBY	— a wild ass, used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind in her desire! In her ardour, who shall turn her away? All they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.
BBE	An untrained ass, used to the waste land, breathing up the wind in her desire; at her time, who is able to send her away? all those who are looking for her will have no need to make themselves tired; in her month they will get her.
Webster	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.

What does Jeremiah 2:24 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

24. (Jr 14:6; Job 39:5). "A wild ass," agreeing with "thou" (Jr 2:23). at her pleasure--rather, "in her ardor," namely, in pursuit of a male, sniffing the wind to ascertain where one is to be found [Maurer]. occasion--either from a Hebrew root, "to meet"; "her meeting (with the male for sexual intercourse), who can avert it?" Or better from an Arabic root: "her heat (sexual impulse), who can allay it?" [Maurer]. all they--whichever of the males desire her company [Horsley]. will not weary themselves--have no need to weary themselves in searching for her. her month--in the season of the year when her sexual impulse is strongest, she puts herself in the way of the males, so that they have no difficulty in finding her.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 24 A wild ass used to the wilderness - Another comparison to express the same thing. Snuffeth up the wind - In a high fever from the inward heat felt at such times, these animals open their mouths and nostrils as wide as possible, to take in large draughts of fresh air, in order to cool them. In her mouth they shall find her - The meaning is, that although such animals are exceedingly fierce and dangerous when they are in this state; yet, as soon as they have found the male, the desire is satisfied, and they become quiet and governable as before. But it was not so with this idolatrous people: their desires were ever fierce and furious; they were never satiated, one indulgence always leading to an other. The brute beasts had only a short season in which this appetite prevailed; but they acted without restraint or limit.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 2:20-28

Notwithstanding all their advantages, Israel had become like the wild vine that bears poisonous fruit. Men are often as much under the power of their unbridled desires and their sinful lusts, as the brute beasts. But the Lord here warns them not to weary themselves in pursuits which could only bring distress and misery. As we must not despair of the mercy of God, but believe that to be sufficient for the pardon of…

Read the full comment on Jeremiah 2:20-28 →

Jeremiah 2:24 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

פֶּ֣רֶה\׀Pe.reha wild donkeyH6501

לִמֻּ֣דli.Mudaccustomed toH3928

מִדְבָּ֗רmid.Bara wildernessH4057

בְּאַוַּ֤תbe.'a.Vatin [the] lust ofH185

נַפְשָׁהּ֙na.fo.shahself itsH5315

שָׁאֲפָ֣הsha.'a.Fahit sniffsH7602

ר֔וּחַRu.ach[the] windH7307

תַּאֲנָתָ֖הּta.'a.na.Tahheat itsH8385

מִ֣יmiwho?H4310

יְשִׁיבֶ֑נָּהye.shi.Ve.nahwill he turn back itH7725

כָּל\־kol-allH3605

מְבַקְשֶׁ֙יהָ֙me.vak.Shei.ha[those who] seek itH1245

לֹ֣אlo'notH3808

יִיעָ֔פוּyi.'A.futhey will grow wearyH3286

בְּחָדְשָׁ֖הּbe.cha.de.Shahin month itsH2320

יִמְצָאֽוּנְהָ\׃yim.tza.'U.ne.hathey will find itH4672

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jeremiah 2:24

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.
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.
Job 39:5-8
Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass? Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings. He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver. The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.
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.
Job 11:12
For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass’s colt.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

A wild ass. or, O wild ass, etc.
14:6; Job 11:12; 39:5-8
used. Heb. taught. her pleasure. Heb. the desire of herheart. turn her away. or, reverse it. in her mouth.
27; Ho 5:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Jeremiah 2:23
How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;
Jeremiah 2:24
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.
Jeremiah 2:25
Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

Read all of Jeremiah 2

Jeremiah 2:24 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Asna montés acostumbrada al desierto, que respira como quiere; ¿de su ocasión quién la detendrá? Todos los que la buscaren no se cansarán; hallaránla en su mes.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Ânesse sauvage accoutumée au désert, dans le désir de son âme elle hume le vent: dans son ardeur, qui la détournera? Tous ceux qui la cherchent ne se fatigueront point; ils la trouveront en son mois.
German Elberfelder 1871	Eine Wildeselin, die Wüste gewohnt, in ihrer Lustbegierde schnappt sie nach Luft; ihre Brunst, wer wird sie hemmen? Alle, die sie suchen, brauchen sich nicht abzumüden: in ihrem Monat werden sie sie finden.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Onager assuetus in solitudine, in desiderio animæ suæ attraxit ventum amoris sui: nullus avertet eam: omnes qui quærunt eam non deficient: in menstruis ejus invenient eam.