H0860 H0860
She-donkey, female ass; a domesticated animal used for riding, transport, and as a measure of wealth
The specifically female donkey, distinguished from the masculine חֲמוֹר. She-donkeys appear throughout the patriarchal narratives as markers of wealth — Abraham's possessions include them (Gen 12:16), and Job's prosperity is counted partly in five hundred she-donkeys (Job 1:3; 42:12). Most memorably, Balaam's she-donkey sees the angel of the LORD and speaks (Num 22:21–33), one of Scripture's most extraordinary moments. Zechariah 9:9 prophesies the messianic king riding on 'a donkey, the foal of a she-donkey,' linking this humble beast to royal hope. Spanish 'asna' and French 'âne femelle' preserve the gender distinction carefully.
Senses
1. female donkey — A female donkey (she-ass), the domesticated animal valued for riding, burden-bearing, and breeding. Prominent in Balaam's narrative where the she-donkey sees the angel and speaks (Num 22:21–33), in patriarchal wealth inventories (Gen 12:16; 32:15; Job 1:3; 42:12), and in the messianic prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 where the king comes on the foal of a she-donkey. The gender-specific term contrasts with חֲמוֹר (male donkey); multilingual glosses (Spanish 'asna,' German 'Eselinnen') consistently mark the feminine. 34×
AR["أَتانٍ", "أُتُنًا", "أُتُنٍ", "الأَتَانَ", "الأَتَانُ", "الأَتَانِ", "الـ-أُتُنُ", "الـ-أُتُنِ"]·ben["-গাধীগুলি", "-গাধীগুলিকে", "-গাধীগুলির", "গাধা", "গাধাটি", "গাধী", "গাধীকে", "গাধীর"]·DE["Eselinnen", "[אתונות]", "der-Esel"]·EN["female-donkeys", "the-donkey", "the-donkeys"]·FR["femelle-ânes", "le-âne", "le-ânes", "ânesse"]·heb["אתונות", "אתנת", "ה-אתון", "ה-אתונות", "הָ-אֲתוֹנוֹת"]·HI["गदहियाँ", "गदही", "गदही-का", "गदही-ने", "गधियाँ", "गधियां", "गधियों", "गधियों-की", "गधी"]·ID["keledai", "keledai-betina", "keledai-keledai-betina", "keledai-keledai-betina-itu"]·IT["asina", "femmina-asini", "il-asini", "il-asino"]·jav["kuldi", "kuldi-kuldi-èstri", "kuldi-èstri"]·KO["그-나귀", "그-나귀-가", "그-나귀-를", "그-나귀들", "그-나귀들을", "그-나귀들의", "그-나귀들이", "암나귀", "암나귀-에", "암나귀들을", "암나귀와"]·PT["a-jumenta", "as-jumentas", "jumentas"]·RU["-ослицу", "об-ослицах", "ослиц", "ослица", "ослицу", "ослицы"]·ES["asnas", "la-asna", "las-asnas"]·SW["punda", "punda-jike", "punda-wake", "ya-Misri"]·TR["-eşekler", "-eşekleri", "dişi-eşek", "esek", "eşek", "eşekler", "eşekleri", "eşeklerin", "eşeği", "eşeğin"]·urd["گدھی", "گدھیاں", "گدھیوں", "گدھیوں-کی"]
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×)H3611 1. dog (animal) (32×)H3715a 1. young lion, lion cub (31×)G0721 1. Lamb (29×)H6260 1. male goat, he-goat (28×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† אָתוֹן n.f. Gn 45:23 she-ass (Arabic أَتَانٌ, Aramaic אַתָּנָא, ܐܰܬܳܢܳܐ, Assyrian atânu)—אָתוֹן Nu 22:23 + 10 times; אֲתֹנְךָ Nu 22:30, 32; אֲתֹנוֹ Gn 49:11 + 2 times; pl. abs. אֲתֹנֹת Gn 12:16 + 2 times; אֲתֹנוֹת Ju 5:10 + 12 times; אֲתוֹנוֹת Jb 1:3; 42:12;—she-ass, as dam Gn 49:11 Zc 9:9; as property (constituting wealth) Gn 12:16; 32:16 Jb 1:3, 14; 42:12 cf. 1 Ch 27:30; so of the asses of…