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.

JEREMIAH 14:6KJV
Know the Bible

Jeremiah 14:6 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 14:6 mean?

Jeremiah 14:6 describes wild donkeys standing on the barren hills, desperately sniffing the wind like jackals or dragons, with their eyes failing from exhaustion because there is no grass to eat. The verse paints a vivid picture of the severe drought and its harsh effects on even the wild animals.

In this verse, the prophet Jeremiah is speaking about a time of intense drought in Judah. He uses the suffering of wild animals to show just how desperate the situation has become: even creatures that normally fend for themselves cannot find food or water. This image helps the people understand the seriousness of the judgment and the widespread suffering caused by the lack of rain.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 14:6

  • "asses" (פֶּרֶא, pereʾ): This word refers specifically to wild donkeys, animals known for their toughness and ability to survive in harsh conditions. Their struggle here highlights just how extreme the drought is.
  • "dragons" (תַּנִּין, tannin): Often translated as "jackals" or "dragons," this word points to wild, desert-dwelling creatures. The comparison suggests the donkeys are behaving in strange, desperate ways, sniffing the wind for any sign of moisture.
  • "fail" (כָּלָה, kalah): This word means to be spent or to waste away. The donkeys’ eyes failing shows their utter exhaustion and hopelessness, emphasizing the severity of the famine.

Why Jeremiah 14:6 matters

  • Jeremiah 14:6 clears up that the drought is not just a human problem; it devastates the entire land, including animals that are usually able to survive tough conditions.
  • The verse emphasizes the totality of the disaster, showing that even the wildest and hardiest creatures are suffering, which underscores the seriousness of God’s judgment.
  • This vivid description connects emotionally with the reader, helping them grasp the depth of the crisis facing Judah and the helplessness felt by all living things.

Where else these words appear

“asses” Hebrew H6501 · used in 10 verses

  • Genesis 16:12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
  • Job 24:5 Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children.
  • Isaiah 32:14 Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;

“places” Hebrew H8205 · used in 10 verses

  • Numbers 23:3 And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.
  • Isaiah 49:9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
  • Jeremiah 4:11 At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A dry wind of the high places in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to fan, nor to cleanse,

“up” Hebrew H7602 · used in 14 verses

  • Job 5:5 Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.
  • Psalms 56:2 Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.
  • Isaiah 42:14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.

“dragons” Hebrew H8577 · used in 28 verses

  • Genesis 1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
  • Psalms 74:13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
  • Jeremiah 9:11 And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.