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Young Blonde Girl Outside With A Donkey
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Religion and myth
• There are 68 references to a donkey ("hamor" or "chamor" חמור) in the Old Testament, starting with a gift of some to Abraham by the Pharaoh in Genesis 12:16. A donkey features in the binding of Isaac (Genesis 22:3). Donkeys are again mentioned as a measure of wealth in the story of Jacob's life in Genesis 30:43.
• In Genesis the King of Shechem (the modern Nablus), killed by Jacob's sons, is called "Hamor" - showing that at the time this animal was held in high enough esteem that it was no disrespect for royalty to use its name as their first name. (Dinah, Shechem, Animal names as first names in Hebrew)
• In Numbers 22:22-41 "The Lord opened the mouth of the donkey" (vs. 28) and it speaks to Balaam. In Judges 15:13-17 where the hero Samson slays Philistines with the jawbone of an ass. Additional references can be found in Deuteronomy 22:10, Job 11:12, Proverbs 26:3 and elsewhere.
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