Bible Animals

Wolf in Wikipedia

Wolf. - Frequently mentioned in the Scriptures as a special foe to flocks (Sirach 13:21; Matthew 7:15), and an emblem of treachery, ferocity, and bloodthirstiness. Wolves usually prowl at night around the sheepfolds, and, though fewer in numbers than jackals, are much more harmful. The tribe of Benjamin, owing to its warlike character, was compared...

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Horse in Wikipedia

Horse. - The horse is never mentioned in Scripture in connection with the patriarchs; the first time the Bible speaks of it, it is in reference to the Egyptian army pursuing the Hebrews, During the epoch of the conquest and of Judges, we hear of horses only with the Chanaanean troops, and later on with the Philistines, The hilly country inhabited b...

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Locust in Wikipedia

Locust. - One of the worst scourges of the East, very often referred to in Bible. As many as nine Hebrew words signify either the locust in general or some species: (1) 'árbéh, probably the locusta migratoria; (2) gãzãm, possibly the locust in its larva state, the palmerworm; (3) Gôbh, the locust in general; (4) chagab, most likely the grasshopper...

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Gazelle in Wikipedia

Gazelle (Hebr., çebî, i. e. beauty) has been known at all times as one of the most graceful of all animals. Several species still exist in Israel. Its different characteristics, its beauty of form, its swiftness, its timidity, the splendour and meekness of its eye, are in the present time, as well as during the age of the Old Testament writers, the...

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Vulture in Wikipedia

Vulture. - So does D.V. render the Hebrew, 'áyyah, Lev., xi, 14; Deut., xiv, 13; Job, xxviii, 7. As has been suggested above, the text of Job at least, seems to allude to the kite rather than to the vulture. Several kinds of vultures are nevertheless referred to in the Bible; so, for instance, the bearded vulture(gypœtus barbatus), called griffon i...

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Hyena in Wikipedia

Hyena. - This word is not to be found in any of the English translations of the Bible; it occurs twice in the Septuagint, Jer., xii, 9, and Ecclus., xiii, 22, being in both places the rendering for the Hebrew name çãbhûá. The hyenas are very numerous in the Holy Land, where they are most active scavengers; they feed upon dead bodies, and sometimes ...

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Mole in Wikipedia

Mole. - Two Hebrew words are thus rendered, The first, tînshéméth (Leviticus 11:30), would, according to good authorities, rather signify the chameleon; with the second, haphárperôth (Isaiah 2:20), some burrowing animal is undoubtedly intended, The mole of Syria is not the common mole of Europe, Talpa europaea, but a Blind mole rat (Spalax typhlus)...

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Scorpion in Wikipedia

Scorpion. - Very common in all hot, dry, stony places; is taken as an emblem of the wicked....

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Kite in Wikipedia

Kite. - As suggested by the analogy with the Arabic, the black kite (milvus nigrans) is probably meant by Hebr. dã'ah or dáyyah (Leviticus 11:14; Deuteronomy 14:13; Isaiah 34:15), interpreted kite in the D.V.; it is one of the most common of the scavenger birds of prey of the country, and for this reason, is carefully protected by the villagers. Ot...

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Mouse in Wikipedia

Mouse. - This word seems to be a general one, including the various rats, dormice, jerboas, and hamsters, about twenty-five species of which exist in the country....

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