Anah, Who Chased Donkeys Gen 36:20-30 These are the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan; these are the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom. 22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan's sister was Timna. 23 These are the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. 24 These are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah; he is the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness, as he pastured the donkeys of Zibeon his father. 25 These are the children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah. 26 These are the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. 27 These are the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. 28 These are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. 29 These are the chiefs of the Horites: the chiefs Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 30 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan; these are the chiefs of the Horites, chief by chief in the land of Seir. Foundation: In the midst of this genealogy of the Edomites here is inserted the genealogy of the Horites, that were the natives of Mount Seir. It was Horite country until the Edomites took possession of it, Deut. 2. This comes in here, not only to give light to the story, but to be a standing reflection upon the Edomites for intermarrying with them, by which, it is probable, they learned their way, and corrupted themselves. Esau having sold his birthright, and lost his blessing, and entered into alliance with the Hittites, his future and the sons of Seir are here counted together. NOTE: Those that desert God's church are justly numbered with those that were never in it; apostate Edomites stand on the same ground with accursed Horites. Foundation Continued: Particular notice is taken of one Anah who fed the donkeys of Zibeon his father (v. 24) Listen: What may appear to be a low, humble, but honorable and decent place or position in life: Should not keep men from an honest employment (a place where you enjoy working) Nor a mean employment (a place where you really don t want to work) o These things do should not hinder any man's advancement. (In Kingdom nor in life.) à This Anah was not only industrious in his business, but ingenious too, and successful; for he found mules, or (as some read it) waters, hot springs, in the wilderness. Point: Those people that are diligent and faithful in their business sometimes find more advantages than the could ever have expected. Gen 36:24 These were the sons of Zibeon: both Ajah and Anah. This was the Anah who found the water (mules, hot springs) in the wilderness as he pastured the donkeys of his father Zibeon. Intro: Anah was a stay-at-home boy who resisted the desire to go forth in search of independence and fame. 1: Anah lived in days when a far-reaching world offered amazing opportunities. Beyond the horizons were unclaimed expanses of virgin soil, where cattle increased and men became dukes in their own right.
Sites for cities were offered free of charge; and the challenge of the unknown was almost irresistible. 2: Fathers were never surprised when their sons went forth to stake claims to greatness. The number of dukes increased a hundredfold, and the little stay-at-home boy named Anah, seemed either a coward or a fool. Undoubtedly he knew all about the mighty exploits of his valiant brethren, and he too would have loved to be the head of a great people. 3: But Anah bowed at another altar-the altar of duty; My Father has asked me to do this. So being faithful, he arose and went in search of his father's donkeys when they became lost. o He chose to give his life for his father s business. à Instead of erecting a great city, he reared stubborn donkeys; instead of making money, he spread out fodder for donkeys. Point: Anah was content to simply stay home and help his father by taking care of the donkeys. 2: Now in the book of Jasher or Jashar, there s a story of Anah and these donkeys. Jasher is not within the Bible, but it was an ancient Jewish book: The Book of Jasher was probably a collection of ancient Hebrew songs and poems praising the heroes of Israel and their exploits in battle. 3: This book is mentioned in Joshua 10:13 So the sun stood still and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher?... n And also in 2 Sam 1:17-18 Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son,18 and he told them to teach the children of Judah the Song of the Bow; indeed it is written in the Book of Jasher. Note: There is a book of Jasher today, but definitely not the same book. We don t believe that this Jasher survived due to the burning down of libraries and time has twisted its word of mouth contents to almost science fiction stuff. 4: So a quick synopsis of the story we find of Anah in the Book of Jasher* -- One day while Anah was feeding the donkeys, a tremendous storm came up from the sea and settled around the donkeys and stayed there. Later came 129 terrible looking animals and they rode off with the donkeys. The animals that Anah saw had a description that is not of this world. (Jasher 36:28-31) -- These animals were in the shape of men from their middle downward, but from the middle upward were either in the shape of bears or keephas. They had long tails that extended from between the shoulders reaching down to the ground. These tails were like unto a ducheepath. These creatures terrified Anah, especially after being struck by the tail from one of the creatures. Anah looked for the donkeys afterwards but could not find them. (Jasher 36:32-33) A: Keep At It 1: But Anah was faithful to his duty and went looking for the donkeys again. This time he searched further than was usual. He followed their trail through the bush into strange territory. He called, but they would not respond. He continued to search; and when he saw the animals peacefully grazing beside bubbling springs in the wilderness! 2: Anah probably wondered if he were suffering from sunstroke.
Springs in the wilderness; an oasis in the desert-impossible! He rubbed his eyes; but when he looked again the scene was unaltered. It was unbelievable. Anah was thrilled; he had found hot springs in the wilderness. This discovery would revolutionize his family's future. He would be famous, wealthy, envied. o Surely he felt like kissing his donkeys, they were the loveliest of all animals; they were angels in disguise. They had led him to a gold mine. o How providential (beneficial, god ordained and heaven sent) that he had preferred their company to that of the mighty dukes of the Horites! B: Anah s Wilderness Surrounds Us Anah's wilderness is all around us; his donkeys are wonderfully familiar. 1: Teaching naughty boys in a difficult Sunday school class. The modern Anah sometimes has to choose between the weekly duty and a wonderful picnic on the warm inviting sands at the seashore. The glamour of the one is as great as the boredom of the other. Boys are rude and unappreciative young hooligans. My Father's donkeys! If one of them became a medical missionary, I too would have found hot springs in a wilderness. 2: Nursing grumbling patients in a hospital ward. My Father's donkeys resemble the people who constantly cry, Nurse, Nurse! Hard work and continuous attention are rewarded by increasing complaint s, which fray one's temper and irritate one's soul. Why should I stay when I could double my wages elsewhere? Some nurses do it for Christ's sake, and thereby discover hot springs of healing for their own deepest need. 3: Cooking for irritable people in a selfish household. Perhaps the most difficult of all tasks is that of the mother whose value is seldom realized until her hands cease to minister. One meal ends as another approaches; one complaint has hardly died before another is born. Cooking, cleaning, washing, loving, enduring and sometimes it seems so fruitless. Some mothers, some wives, have given up the struggle, and homes have crashed; others have lingered, to find hot springs in a wilderness, a boy has been won for Christ and sent into the ministry. 4: Preaching to critics in a dead church. This is a desert indeed. These donkeys are unique! Poor Anah! Another church or even a secular job, and he would become a duke! Sunday is coming, and he will be required to feed his Father's donkeys and some will not even be there to be fed! Should he give up? No. There are Spurgeons and Wesleys still to be won. Even the wilderness may blossom as the rose if I know how to do things " for my Father's sake." Ministering Hands The Rev. Ira Gillett, missionary to Portuguese East Africa, tells of a group of natives who made a long journey, walking past a nearby Government hospital, to come to his mission station for treatment. When asked why they had travelled the extra miles to reach the mission hospital, when the same medicines were available at the Government institution, they replied, The medicines may be the same, but the hands are different. This statement is most illuminating; it reflects the quality of the service rendered by God's servants on the mission field. The love of God had been shed abroad in their hearts, and patients from near and far were quick to recognize the fact. Perhaps some of those missionaries felt their work was difficult and mediocre. There was neither glamour nor the financial gains offered in other spheres of labor; yet these wonderful people continued to work faithfully for the Master and as a result found "hot springs in the wilderness." Ruining the Clock
There was once an old "Grandfather" clock that had stood for three generations in the same corner, faithfully ticking off the minutes, hours, and days. In it was a heavy weight, which was pulled to the top each night in order to keep the clock running. " Too bad," thought the new owner, " that such an old clock should have to bear so great a load." So he took the heavy weight off the hook, and removed it from the clock. At once the old clock stopped ticking. "Why did you do that?" asked the clock. "I wanted to lighten your load," answered the man. "Please," said the clock, " put it back. That is what keeps me going." Listen: The path of life may abound with obstacles; the usual day to day routine of life may be monotonous and dreary; yet when these things are endured and conquered for the Lord's sake, any man is capable of finding hot springs in a desert. God Sent Her To The Hospital Years ago a charming young Christian woman contracted tuberculosis, and was sent to the Sully Hospital, in South Wales. At first she was heart broken, and her faith was sorely tested. I was asked to visit her, and with God's help, tried to reassure her that " all things work together for good to those who love the Lord." She smiled and tried to believe the text. Within weeks, her requests to the authorities, and my willingness to help, gained permission for Sunday services to be held in that magnificent hospital. Soon I was leading patients to Christ and a welcome awaited me whenever I found time to visit the wards. When the widening circles of my ministry took me out of Great Britain, others stepped in to continue the work and for sixteen years the Gospel has been preached regularly in that institution. The Christian girl soon returned to her home completely cured; but before she went she found hot springs in the wilderness. POINT: Those that expect to rise high should begin low. 1: Be diligent where you are. (Become an expert at what you re doing now in the Kingdom) * Footnotes for Anah: His name in Hebrew: ענה Ănâh (an-aw ) Strong s #6034; means: an answer. Anah is also the brother to Aholibamah, the wife of Esau. However, Anah was given in marriage to Esau s daughter, Marzith. Anah had a great tale to tell about feeding his father s donkeys in the wilderness along the seashore. -- A tremendous storm came up from the sea and settled around the donkeys and stayed there. Later came 129 terrible looking animals and they rode off with the asses. The animals that Anah saw had a description that is not of this world. (Jasher 36:28-31) -- These animals were in the shape of men from their middle downward, but from the middle upward were either in the shape of bears or keephas. They had long tails that extended from between the shoulders reaching down to the ground. These tails were like unto a ducheepath. These creatures terrified Anah, especially after being struck by the tail from one of the creatures. Anah looked for the donkeys afterwards but could not find them. (Jasher 36:32-33) à A tale like this would be next to impossible to believe, especially when there are two key words that are unexplained. However, one word that was used in Jasher may give us one clue (of sorts). In Jasher 36:28 we read...anah who found the Yemim in the wilderness In Gen 36:24 we see that the word Yemim is replaced with mules in the Bible....Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the donkeys of Zibeon his father.
à To get even closer to the meaning, Gen 36:24 in the Greek Septuagint reads like this:...ana who found Jamin in the Wilderness, when he tended the beasts of his father Sebegon. From what we can tell is that Jamin/Yemim must mean mule, but it gets even more interesting. Looking up Mules in the Strong s concordance we find that the mules that are mentioned in Gen. 36:24 have a number all to its own which is H#3222 which defines it as: ים Yêm; a warm spring: - mule. However, H#3221 has the same lettering in the Hebrew ים) yâm) but explains the word to be sea. The root for #3222 is #3117, and I find that it means: יום Yôwm; to be hot, as in the warm hours of the day. How this all ties together with Mules; we ll never know. à These creatures Anah saw sounds like they came out of a science-fiction novel. But until we can find out what Keephas and Ducheepath means, we won t know what Anah had encountered. Bottom line: Something made the donkeys run away and get lost. *End footnotes