Gen 16:12, Job 39:5, 8, Jer 2:24 | JFB | STEP | 12. he will be a wild man —literally, "a wild ass man," expressing how the wildness of Ishmael and his descendants resembles that of the wild ass. his hand will be against every man —descriptive of the rude, turbulent, and plundering character of the Arabs. dwell in the presence of all his brethren —dwell, that is, pitch tents; and the meaning is that they maintain their independence in spite of all attempts to extirpate or subdue them.

Genesis 16:12

12. he will be a wild man—literally, "a wild ass man," expressing how the wildness of Ishmael and his descendants resembles that of the wild ass.

his hand will be against every man—descriptive of the rude, turbulent, and plundering character of the Arabs.

dwell in the presence of all his brethren—dwell, that is, pitch tents; and the meaning is that they maintain their independence in spite of all attempts to extirpate or subdue them.

Job 39:5

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.

Job 39:8

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

Jeremiah 2:24

24. (Jer 14:6; Job 39:5). "A wild ass," agreeing with "thou" (Jer 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.