Jeremiah 14:6

Wild donkeys stand on barren heights; they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail for lack of pasture.”

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Jeremiah addresses Judah during a severe drought, using animal behavior to illustrate the nation's desperate condition before urging prayer.

The words — The Hebrew פְּרָאִים (perāʾîm) refers to wild donkeys, and שָׁאֲפוּ (šāʾăp̄û) literally describes them gasping for ר֫וּחַ (rûaḥ), breath or air.

The thread — This drought imagery connects to the wild donkey in Jeremiah 2:24, the untamed donkey in Job 39:5, and the pastureless livestock in Joel 1:18.

Why it lands — The text states that wild donkeys stand on barren heights and pant for air while their eyes fail from lack of pasture. Interpreters infer that this depicts a created order stripped of its natural sustenance, demanding acknowledgment that human rebellion has exhausted earthly provisions and requires divine intervention.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וּפְרָאִים֙u./fe.ra.'Imand/ wild donkeys עָמְד֣וּ'a.me.Duthey have stood עַל־'al-on שְׁפָיִ֔םshe.fa.Yim[the] bare heights שָׁאֲפ֥וּsha.'a.Futhey have panted for ר֖וּחַRu.achbreath כַּתַּנִּ֑יםka./ta.Nimlike <the>/ jackals כָּל֥וּka.Luthey have failed עֵינֵיהֶ֖ם'ei.nei./Hemeyes/ their כִּי־ki-for אֵ֥ין'einthere not עֵֽשֶׂב׃'E.sev[is] vegetation

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 2:24 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.
Job 39:5 Who set the wild donkey free? Who released the swift donkey from the harness?
Joel 1:18 How the cattle groan! The herds wander in confusion because they have no pasture. Even the flocks of sheep are suffering.
1 Samuel 14:29 “My father has brought trouble to the land,” Jonathan replied. “Just look at how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.
Lamentations 4:17 All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help. We watched from our towers for a nation that could not save us.
Lamentations 5:17 Because of this, our hearts are faint; because of these, our eyes grow dim—