Original Word: חֲמֹרָה
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: chamorah
Pronunciation: khaw-more' or khaw-mo-raw'
Phonetic Spelling: (kham-o-raw')
KJV: heap
NASB: heaps
Word Origin: [from H2560 (חָמַר - To boil up)]

1. a heap

heap

From chamar (compare chomer); a heap -- heap.

see HEBREW chamar

see HEBREW chomer

Word Origin
from the same as chomer
Definition
a heap
NASB Translation
heaps (2).

Etymology and Semitic Background

חֲמֹרָה (ḥămōrāh) denotes a female donkey. Cognate forms appear in wider Northwest Semitic, highlighting a domesticated beast vital across the Ancient Near East. Though the specific feminine noun never surfaces in the canonical Hebrew text, its masculine root חֲמוֹר (ḥămôr, “donkey”) is frequent, making the feminine form linguistically certain.

Absence from the Masoretic Text

The term’s lack of occurrence does not imply irrelevance. By observing every inspired reference to donkeys—and by noting that Hebrew regularly distinguishes gender—we can confidently infer where a ḥămōrāh would have been present (for example, breeding pairs or milk-bearing animals) even though the manuscripts employ either the masculine collective or the generic term.

Economic and Domestic Value

1. Transport of people and goods: Abraham saddled his donkey when called to Moriah (Genesis 22:3); wealthy Abigail rode a donkey to meet David (1 Samuel 25:20).
2. Breeding and milk: Female donkeys, prized for easier temperaments and capacity to nurture foals, undergirded herd sustainability. Job’s herds include “five hundred female donkeys” (Job 1:3).
3. Agricultural labor: Owners relied on both sexes for plowing, threshing, and turning millstones, an efficiency celebrated in ancient agrarian contracts recovered from Near-Eastern archives.

Legal Protections and Covenant Ethic

Exodus 23:12: “Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest, so that your ox and your donkey may rest…”. The sabbatical mandate extends dignity to animals, reflecting the Creator’s care.

Exodus 23:5 directs Israel to relieve an enemy’s overburdened donkey, inculcating love of neighbor.

Exodus 13:13 requires the firstborn donkey to be redeemed with a lamb, underscoring substitutionary redemption while allowing the vital beast to continue serving its household.

Symbolism in Redemptive History

1. Humility and peace: “See, your King comes to you; He is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). The prophecy deliberately selects a peaceful mount, contrasting war-horses (verse 10).
2. Messianic fulfillment: Jesus’ triumphal entry reprises the imagery (Matthew 21:5; John 12:14-15), demonstrating the consistency of the prophetic word and the Savior’s deliberate self-presentation in meekness.
3. Recognition of the Lord: “The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s manger” (Isaiah 1:3)—a rebuke reminding Israel that even simple beasts show the loyalty she withholds.

Female Donkeys in Narrative Detail

• Judges 5:10 portrays nobles mounted on “white donkeys,” suggesting select breeding.
• 2 Kings 4:24 shows the Shunammite woman urging her servant, “Do not slow the pace for me unless I tell you,” while riding a donkey to Elisha—evidence of the animal’s reliability for women travelers.
• Balaam’s speaking donkey (Numbers 22:27-30) – while the text does not specify gender, ancient commentators often envisioned a she-donkey due to her protective behavior toward the prophet.

Wisdom and Moral Instruction

Proverbs employs donkey imagery to illustrate diligence (Proverbs 12:10) and boundaries (Proverbs 30:29-31). A female donkey’s patient labor reinforces lessons on steady faithfulness.

Typological Links to the Gospel

The redemption-with-a-lamb ordinance (Exodus 13:13) foreshadows the Lamb of God who redeems those otherwise destined for death. Just as the firstborn she-donkey gained life through substitution, believers live through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Lessons for Ministry Today

1. Valuing the overlooked: God routinely chooses humble instruments—whether a Nazarene carpenter or a lowly donkey—to advance His purposes.
2. Balanced stewardship: Sabbath rest for animals informs modern Christian ethics regarding creation care.
3. Servant leadership: The Messiah’s donkey ride confronts any leadership model built on domination rather than service.

Summary

Although חֲמֹרָה itself does not appear in the Masoretic Text, the concept of the female donkey is woven throughout Scripture’s narrative, legal, and prophetic strands. From patriarchal caravans to Messianic revelation, the she-donkey exemplifies humility, service, and redemption, inviting believers to embrace the same virtues under the Lordship of Christ.

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