A.T. Robertson Commentary James 3:7

"For every kind of beasts and birds, of creeping things and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed by mankind." — James 3:7 (ASV)

Kind (φυσις). Old word from φυω, order of nature (Romans 1:26), here of all animals and man, in 2 Peter 1:4 of God and redeemed men.

Of beasts (θηριων). Old word diminutive from θηρ and so "little beasts" originally, then wild animals in general , or quadrupeds as here. These four classes of animals come from Ge 9:2f.

Birds (πετεινων). Old word for flying animals (from πετομα, to word from ερπω, to crawl (Latin serpo), hence serpents.

Things in the sea (εναλιων). Old adjective (εν, αλς, sea, salt) in the sea, here only in N.T. The four groups are put in two pairs here by the use of τε κα with the first two and the second two. See a different classification in Ac 10:12; 11:6.

Is tamed (δαμαζετα). Present passive indicative of δαμαζω, old verb kin to Latin

dominus and English tame, in N.T. only in this passage and Mr 5:4. The present tense gives the general picture of the continuous process through the ages of man's lordship over the animals as stated in Ge 1:28.

Hath been tamed (δεδαμαστα). Perfect passive indicative of the same verb, repeated to present the state of conquest in some cases (domestic animals, for instance).

By mankind (τη φυσε τη ανθρωπινη). Instrumental case with repeated article and repetition also of φυσις, "by the nature the human." For ανθρωπινος see Ac 17:25.