Oxen and donkeys are not particularly bright animals, but they exercise better sense than thoughtless worshippers. The dullness of these animals in contrast to the special enlightenment of Israel makes the comparison extremely pointed. Whereas the dumb ox and donkey never fail to know their owner or the place of their sustenance, Israel failed to know. The Hebrew concept of knowing is much more than simple mental awareness or understanding. It conveys the notion of willful acknowledgment and recognition.