ὄνος G3688
Donkey, ass; a common beast of burden in the ancient Near East, featured in Jesus' triumphal entry.
The common donkey or ass, one of the most important working animals of the biblical world. Three of its five NT occurrences relate to Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, fulfilling Zechariah 9:9: 'mounted on a donkey' (Matt 21:2, 5, 7). John 12:15 echoes the same prophecy. Luke 13:15 uses it in a Sabbath dispute — even a donkey is untied and led to water on the Sabbath. The Spanish distinction between 'asno' (male) and 'asna' (female) reflects the Matthew narrative's mention of both a donkey and her colt.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A donkey or ass — a domesticated beast of burden ubiquitous in the ancient Near East. The NT uses cluster around two contexts: the triumphal entry (Matt 21:2, 5, 7; John 12:15), where Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey fulfilling Zechariah 9:9's messianic prophecy of a humble king, and a Sabbath-controversy illustration (Luke 13:15), where untying one's donkey for water on the Sabbath is common sense. The Spanish glosses 'asno/asna' (male/female donkey) reflect Matthew's distinctive mention of both the mother donkey and her colt. French 'âne' and German 'Esel' are straightforward equivalents. 5×
AR["أَتانًا", "أَتانٍ", "أَتَانٍ", "الأَتانِ", "حِمَارَهُ"]·ben["গাধা", "গাধার", "গাধী", "গাধীর"]·DE["Esel", "ὄνον"]·EN["a-donkey", "donkey", "of-a-donkey"]·FR["âne"]·heb["אָתוֹן", "הָאָתוֹן", "חֲמוֹר", "חֲמוֹרוֹ"]·HI["गदही", "गदही-के", "गधा"]·ID["keledai"]·IT["asino"]·jav["kuldhi.", "kuldi", "kuldè"]·KO["나귀", "나귀를", "나귀와", "나귀의"]·PT["jumenta", "jumenta,", "jumento"]·RU["осла", "ослицу", "ослицу,", "ослицы"]·ES["asna", "asno", "de-asna"]·SW["amefungwa", "na", "punda", "wa-punda"]·TR["eşek", "eşeği", "eşeğin", "eşeğini"]·urd["گدھا", "گدھی", "گدھے-کے"]
Related Senses
H6629 1. flock, sheep/goats (small livestock) (274×)H1241 1. cattle, herd (bovine livestock) (183×)H0352a 1. ram (male sheep) (156×)H6499 1. young bull, bullock (130×)H3532 1. lamb, young male sheep (105×)H2543 1. donkey (male ass) (96×)H7794 1. ox, bull (79×)H7462b 1. shepherd (agent noun) (76×)H5795 1. she-goat(s), female goat(s) (68×)H7462b 2. to shepherd, tend, pasture (60×)H1581 1. camel (domestic animal) (54×)H0738b 1. lion (46×)G4263 1. sheep (39×)H5739 1. flock or herd of livestock (38×)H5695 1. calf, young bull (35×)H0738a 1. lion (large predatory feline) (34×)H0860 1. female donkey (34×)H3611 1. dog (animal) (32×)H3715a 1. young lion, lion cub (31×)G0721 1. Lamb (29×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ὄνος, ὁ and ἡ, ass, once in Refs 8th c.BC+; ὄνοι οἱ τὰ κέρεα ἔχοντες, together with a number of fabulous animals, Refs 5th c.BC+ —frequently in proverbs: __1 ὄ. λύρας (i.e. ἀκούων), of one who can make nothing of music, Refs 4th c.BC+; ὄ. κάθηται, of one who sits down when caught in the game of ὀστρακίνδα, Refs 2nd c.AD+; the two proverbs combined by Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 περὶ ὄνου σκιᾶς for an…