Jeremiah 2 24

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.

Jeremiah 2:24 nkjv

A wild donkey used to the wilderness, That sniffs at the wind in her desire; In her time of mating, who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not weary themselves; In her month they will find her.

Jeremiah 2:24 niv

a wild donkey accustomed to the desert, sniffing the wind in her craving? in her heat who can restrain her? Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves; at mating time they will find her.

Jeremiah 2:24 esv

a wild donkey used to the wilderness, in her heat sniffing the wind! Who can restrain her lust? None who seek her need weary themselves; in her month they will find her.

Jeremiah 2:24 nlt

You are like a wild donkey,
sniffing the wind at mating time.
Who can restrain her lust?
Those who desire her don't need to search,
for she goes running to them!

Jeremiah 2 verses

Jeremiah 2 24 Meaning

Jeremiah 2:24 vividly portrays Judah's deep-seated and unrestrained pursuit of idolatry as a female wild donkey in intense heat. This creature, inherently accustomed to the wilderness, sniffs the wind with an insatiable craving. When in such a state, no one can restrain her intense desires, and those seeking her will easily find her during this time of heightened impulse, indicating Judah's proactive and uncontrollable rush towards spiritual unfaithfulness.

Jeremiah 2 24 Context

Jeremiah chapter 2 opens with the Lord reminiscing about Israel's former devotion and loyalty, contrasting it sharply with their current apostasy. He expresses dismay that His people, uniquely chosen and sustained, have forsaken Him, the fountain of living water, for broken cisterns (idols and foreign alliances) that hold no water (Jer 2:1-13). The Lord confronts Judah for their defilement of the land with idol worship, accusing them of spiritual harlotry on every high hill (Jer 2:14-20). The specific context for verse 24 begins in Jeremiah 2:23, where Judah vehemently denies their defilement ("I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baals"). Jeremiah dismisses this denial by likening them to a "swift young camel entangling her ways" and then, more strikingly, to a "wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness." The verse directly serves as a graphic illustration of Judah's utterly unbridled, instinctive, and self-willed pursuit of idolatry, refusing any form of control or correction from God. This passage reflects the severe moral and spiritual degradation in Judah during Jeremiah's ministry, highlighting their impending judgment due to covenant unfaithfulness.

Jeremiah 2 24 Word analysis

• A wild donkey (Hebrew: פֶּרֶה - pereh): Symbolizes an untamed, unconstrained, and indomitable spirit. Unlike a domestic donkey, the wild donkey is noted for its wildness and refusal to be subdued, highlighting Judah's deep-seated independence from God's laws and commands. The use of a female (though the Hebrew pereh can be either, the context here strongly implies a female in heat) further emphasizes fertility, procreation, and sexual lust, a direct parallel to the alluring and pervasive nature of pagan fertility cults.
• accustomed to the wilderness: The wilderness (מִדְבָּר - midbar) is its natural, uncontrolled habitat. This signifies Judah's comfort and preference for a life outside of God's covenant structure, indulging in wild, unbridled practices. Their apostasy is not accidental but habitual and deeply ingrained in their societal fabric.
• that sniffs the wind (Hebrew: יֶשַׁק רוּחַ - yeshaq ruach): Literally "kisses the wind" or "draws in the wind." It conveys a powerful, instinctive searching and desperate craving for something vital. In the context of a wild animal, it points to sensing the presence of a mate, an unyielding biological imperative. Spiritually, Judah is actively and instinctually seeking after their idols with the same fervency and without conscious thought or moral restraint.
• in her craving (Hebrew: בְּתַאֲוָתָהּ - b'ta'avatah): This refers to an intense, overwhelming, and consuming desire or lust. It is an appetite that cannot be satisfied through normal means, an almost pathological hunger. For Judah, this signifies an insatiable spiritual lust for idolatry that consumes their national and individual lives.
• in her heat (Hebrew: בְּאֹנָתָהּ - b'onatah): Specifically refers to the animal's breeding season, when its sexual drive is at its peak and completely takes over its behavior. This implies that Judah's periods of idolatry are not isolated incidents but recurring, overwhelming phases when they are entirely dominated by their lust for false gods, making them easily susceptible.
• who can turn her away?: A rhetorical question emphasizing the impossibility of restraining her. This signifies Judah's hardened heart and stiff neck, their complete refusal to be swayed from their idolatrous path, even by God's prophetic warnings or the threat of judgment. Their desire for idols is beyond reason or external control.
• All who seek her will not weary themselves: Highlights the ease with which this wild donkey (Judah in its idolatrous state) can be "found" by those pursuing her. It suggests that Judah's embrace of idolatry is not a reluctant fall, but a willing, eager, and open pursuit. Those who "seek her" could refer to the practitioners of pagan cults or the "false gods" themselves, who find an eager participant in Judah.
• in her month they will find her: Hebrew: בְּחָדְשָׁהּ - b'chodshah, often interpreted as her time (like 'onatah'), meaning when she is most responsive to her primal urges. This means that during the "season" or specific times of intense spiritual desire (for idols), Judah becomes readily available and yields to them without struggle, rather than seeking Yahweh. It paints a picture of availability and inevitability.

Words-group analysis:

• A wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness: This entire phrase encapsulates Judah's untamed nature and inherent tendency to wander away from God's guidance, opting for self-will and the unconstrained life of paganism rather than the ordered life under the Mosaic Covenant.
• that sniffs the wind in her craving; in her heat: These phrases work together to convey the primal, overpowering, and unrestrainable nature of Judah's idolatrous drive. It's a fundamental biological urge, not a rational choice, illustrating the depth of their spiritual depravity.
• who can turn her away? All who seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they will find her: This paints a vivid picture of the utter futility of attempts to correct Judah. Her will to sin is so strong that neither divine warning nor human effort can dissuade her. Conversely, those seeking her in her "heat" will effortlessly find and "satisfy" her, underscoring Judah's ready willingness to embrace idolatry and her consistent surrender to spiritual lust.

Jeremiah 2 24 Bonus section

• The analogy specifically uses a female wild donkey in heat (even if the Hebrew pereh can be generic, the context 'onatah "her time/heat" makes it specifically female and its intense sexual craving), making the metaphor incredibly vivid and scandalous to an ancient audience. This shocking image aimed to highlight the extreme spiritual indecency of Judah's apostasy.
• This passage is a strong polemic against the Canaanite fertility cults (like Baal worship), which were widespread and sexually licentious. By comparing Judah to an animal driven by base sexual urges, Jeremiah condemns their religious practices as devoid of spiritual purity and dedicated instead to carnal pursuits, directly paralleling Judah's "spiritual harlotry" with literal prostitution found in these cults.
• The metaphor highlights Judah's proactive nature in seeking idolatry. It's not that idols were imposed upon them; Judah actively desired and sought them out, much like the donkey aggressively sniffs for mates.

Jeremiah 2 24 Commentary

Jeremiah 2:24 provides one of the most striking and visceral metaphors in the Bible to describe Judah's spiritual rebellion. The image of a female wild donkey in heat embodies several key aspects of Judah's unfaithfulness. Firstly, it emphasizes her untamed and unrestrained nature, rejecting any yoke or command from God, just as a wild donkey cannot be domesticated. Judah refuses to be brought back into obedience, clinging fiercely to her independence and preference for pagan worship. Secondly, the phrase "sniffs the wind in her craving" depicts an insatiable and intense desire. This is not a reluctant yielding but an active, passionate seeking for foreign gods and their associated corrupt practices, especially Canaanite fertility cults, which often involved literal sexual immorality. Judah’s spiritual adultery is driven by an inner, compelling lust. Thirdly, the rhetorical question "who can turn her away?" powerfully communicates the utter futility of any attempt to bring Judah back from her apostasy. Her spiritual lust is so strong, her heart so hardened, that divine discipline and prophetic warnings are ignored. She is past the point of being reasoned with or swayed. Finally, the statement that "All who seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they will find her" conveys the appalling ease with which Judah surrenders to these illicit desires. At the peak of their spiritual lust, they are readily available to pursue and engage with idolatry. It signifies Judah's pervasive and consistent willingness to commit spiritual harlotry, making themselves easily "found" by the corrupt influences and false gods they so eagerly chase. This potent imagery underscores the profound depth of Judah’s covenant unfaithfulness and the severe judgment that necessarily awaits them.