The Meaning of Jeremiah 2:24 Explained

Jeremiah 2:24

KJV: 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.

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.

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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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?

Verse Meaning

Israel was also like "a wild donkey" that followed the scent that appealed to it, rather than following its master. Like a wild female donkey in heat, Israel had done things that were unnatural (cf. Genesis 16:12; Job 11:12). Enemies pursued Israel and found her, just like male donkeys find female donkeys that are in heat.
"She [1] sniffs the path in front of her trying to pick up the scent of a male (from his urine). Then she races down the road in search of the male. One Arab proverb runs, "She is intoxicated with the urine of the male." Under such circumstances the males need not weary themselves chasing the she-ass, because she is bent on chasing them." [2]
The camel illustrates unreliability, and the donkey lust-based passion, in this instance. [3] The people had worn out their sandals and fainted from thirst in their pursuit of idols.

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 2:24 mean?

a wild donkey used to the wilderness in the desire of her soul [That] sniffs at the wind in her desire who can turn her away all those who seek her not will weary themselves in her month they will find her
פֶּ֣רֶה ׀ לִמֻּ֣ד מִדְבָּ֗ר בְּאַוַּ֤ת [נפשו] (נַפְשָׁהּ֙) שָׁאֲפָ֣ה ר֔וּחַ תַּאֲנָתָ֖הּ מִ֣י ؟ יְשִׁיבֶ֑נָּה כָּל־ מְבַקְשֶׁ֙יהָ֙ לֹ֣א יִיעָ֔פוּ בְּחָדְשָׁ֖הּ יִמְצָאֽוּנְהָ

פֶּ֣רֶה ׀  a  wild  donkey 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּרֶא 
Sense: wild ass.
לִמֻּ֣ד  used  to 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: לִמֻּד  
Sense: taught, learned, discipled.
מִדְבָּ֗ר  the  wilderness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.
בְּאַוַּ֤ת  in  the  desire 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אַוָּה  
Sense: desire, lust, will (not necessarily evil).
(נַפְשָׁהּ֙)  her  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
שָׁאֲפָ֣ה  [That]  sniffs  at 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁאַף 
Sense: to gasp, pant, pant after, long for, breathe heavily.
ר֔וּחַ  the  wind 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
תַּאֲנָתָ֖הּ  in  her  desire 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: תַּאֲנָה 
Sense: occasion, time of heat or oestrous or copulation, sexual drive (of animal).
؟ יְשִׁיבֶ֑נָּה  can  turn  her  away 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
מְבַקְשֶׁ֙יהָ֙  those  who  seek  her 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
יִיעָ֔פוּ  will  weary  themselves 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָעֵף  
Sense: to be or grow weary, be fatigued, be faint.
בְּחָדְשָׁ֖הּ  in  her  month 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: חֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: the new moon, month, monthly.
יִמְצָאֽוּנְהָ  they  will  find  her 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, third person feminine singular, Paragogic nun
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.

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