Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A harsh, grating, or discordant sound; the cry of a donkey. 2. (v. t.) To pound, beat, rub, or grind small or fine. 3. (v. i.) To utter a loud, harsh cry, as an ass. 4. (v. i.) To make a harsh, grating, or discordant noise. 5. (v. t.) To make or utter with a loud, discordant, or harsh and grating sound. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia BRAY bra (nahaq, "to bray," of the ass; kathash, "to pound in a mortar"): This word occurs with two distinct meanings: (a) The harsh cry of the ass (Job 6:5). Job argued that as the sounds instinctively uttered by animals denote their wants, even so his Words were but the natural expression of his longing for some adequate explanation of his sufferings, or, failing this, for death itself. Used figuratively of Job's mockers (Job 30:7). (b) "To beat small in a mortar," "to chastise." Proverbs 27:22 refers to a more elaborate process than threshing for separating grain (the English Revised Version "corn") from its husk and impurities; used figuratively of a thorough but useless course of discipline; or still more probably with reference to the Syrian custom of braying meat and bruised corn together in a mortar with a pestle, "till the meat and grain become a uniform indistinguishable pulp" (see The Expositor Times, VIII, 521). M. O. Evans

Multi-Version Concordance Bray (3 Occurrences) Job 6:5 Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass? Or does the ox low over his fodder? (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Job 30:7 Among the bushes they bray; and under the nettles they are gathered together. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV NIV) Proverbs 27:22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him. (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)