Animals in the Bible

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Good Shepherd stands in the Bible as an image for the relationship between God and man. 4th century illustration, Museo Epigrafico, Rome.

About 130 species of animals are mentioned in the Bible . The determination of the respective species is problematic because the authors of the Bible did not use a zoological system in their presentation . Some of the Hebrew terms cannot be identified based on current knowledge. For example, there are six different types of snakes in the Bible that cannot be classified. They are somewhat arbitrarily referred to as an adder, otter, or viper. From the context it can be concluded that they were all poisonous. Some translations of biblical animal names are inaccurate and misleading, for example the fallow deer is often referred to as "buffalo" in German translations.

In biblical times the animal species were divided into larger groups according to easily recognizable characteristics and named as such. The animals were divided into four large groups, as can be read in Gen 1.26ff  EU and Ps 8.7ff  EU :

The largest enumeration of animal species occurs in the Bible in the books Leviticus and Deuteronomy ( Dtn 14  EU - Lev 11  EU ). There, in connection with the Jewish dietary laws, the clean and unclean animals are listed. Most types of biblical animals are mentioned in these lists only. That being said, pets are mostly featured in the Bible because ancient Jewish society was primarily a peasant culture. In addition, animals often appear in pictorial comparisons with symbolic meaning.

Importance of animals to the people of the Bible

Pets

Mules were used as pack animals and mounts

Most of the population in ancient Israel lived from agriculture . The climate in Palestine is Mediterranean . In the western part there are forests and shrub forests, in the eastern and southern areas, however, the landscape is characterized by steppes , semi-deserts and deserts ; many nomadic or semi-nomadic peoples also lived here . This is also reflected in animal husbandry. In the parts of the country suitable for arable farming , mainly sheep were kept, in the drier areas also more goats because they are more frugal. Sheep and goats made up the majority of domestic animals ; they were used for meat, milk , fur and wool , goat skin was used to make hoses, and goat hair was used to make tent covers. Sheep and goats were grouped together as "small cattle". In addition, cattle are of secondary importance. The humpback cattle were mainly kept as a workhorse to pull the plow or threshing slide, but also as a means of transport. Donkeys and mules were also kept as pack animals , the latter also being used as mounts for noble citizens. The camel (meaning the dromedary ) plays a role as a pack animal, especially for the desert peoples. Large cattle have always been a valuable asset.

Poultry plays a very minor role and is rarely mentioned in the Bible. Pigs were considered unclean animals ( Dtn 14.8  EU ) and were only kept by non-Jews in the Decapolis ( Mk 5.1ff  EU - Lk 15.15ff  EU ).

Sacrificial animals

Sacrificial animals were always pets. They had to be flawless, one year old and male, as stated in Ex 12.5  EU , for example . Mainly lambs from sheep or goats were sacrificed. Poor people sacrificed pigeons instead. Bulls were sacrificed for special occasions ( Gen 15.9  EU ; 1 Sam 6.14  EU ). For the meaning of sacrifice in the religions of the Orient see also sacrifice (religion) .

Wild

Hunting played a major role in the Stone Age , but later became less common among sedentary farmers. However, it was still important for feeding the population as well as for warding off predators. As with the preparation of domestic animals, certain food bans also applied to the hunted animals . Were edible, according to Deut 14.5  EU fallow deer , gazelle , roe deer, wild goat, bison , wild sheep and ibex . Most wild birds, on the other hand, are subject to the ban on eating.

Relationship between humans and animals in the Bible

According to Gen 1,26ff  EU and Ps 8  EU, the rule over the animals is transferred to humans , Adam gives them their names. However, the snake was cursed ( Gen 3.14  EU ) for participating in the fall of man. In the creation account (Gen 1–3) only trees with seeds containing fruits are intended as food for humans. After the flood (Gen 8), however, it is said that the animals were given into man's hand and should serve him as food. This theologically shows the decline of the originally harmoniously created world order. However, God has a right to property in all animals ( Ps 50.10f  EU ) and has designated them to praise him ( Ps 148.10  EU ). Animals participate in Noah's salvation (dove Gen 6,19  EU ; raven Gen 8,1  EU ) and are used by God as tools of judgment ( Dtn 32,24  EU ; Isa 56,9  EU ; Jer 15,3  EU ; Ez 34,5.8  EU ). In the end, however, like humans, animals are under the promise that God 's Kingdom of Peace will remove enmity among themselves as well as sin from the world; Paul writes about this that all creation waits for redemption ( Rom 8,19ff  EU ). For Paul, the low of man is evident in the fact that he worships images of animals as gods ( Rom . 1: 22–24  EU ).

See also: animal welfare

The symbolic meaning of animals in the Bible

Animals are often understood symbolically in the Bible, that is, certain properties are assigned to them, so that they are used in pictorial comparisons for the representation of human or divine traits. For the symbolic meaning of the individual animals see below.

Animals are occasionally used as symbols of demonic powers ( Rev 9,2-22 EU ), but mythical  animals such as dragons are more common .

Animals that were worshiped as holy or gods by neighboring peoples, for example in Egypt or Babylon, are viewed with the greatest skepticism in the Bible and are considered unclean. The setting up of images of animals was therefore a blasphemous act in the people of Israel . Otherwise there was the danger that the people of Israel, which only stood out from their more powerful neighbors through their religion, would be appropriated by them if it adhered to the image culture in religious matters joined other peoples. Kings who disregard this are always heavily criticized in the presentation of the Bible. The bull cult of king Jeroboam in Bet-El ( 1 Kings 12.29  EU ) is blamed for the downfall of the house of Israel, the image was later destroyed again under Josiah ( 2 Kings 23.15  EU ). The snake is also the symbol of evil.

List of animals found in the Bible

In the following list only the most common or most important animals with their actual or symbolic meaning are mentioned.

Pets

  • Domestic cattle ( Bos taurus ) - The cattle, possibly the humpback cattle Bos taurus indicus , was primarily used as a work animal ( Dtn 25.4  EU ). There was milk only while the cow had a calf. Fattened cattle were a rarity that was only served to the highest guests ( Gen 18.7  EU ; Lk 15.30  EU ). In the Bible, bulls are a symbol of power, especially the power of Yahweh (see above).
  • Domestic sheep Ovis armeniana and domestic goat Capra hircus are very common in the Bible, also in connection with the symbol of the shepherd ( Ez 34  EU ). The lamb is a symbol of defenselessness and innocent suffering, because it was used for the victims and did not make a sound because of the innate paralysis. Sheep and goat were the most common cattle in the Orient, they were used for basic food and clothing and were the most frugal domestic animals. Like the Taurus, the Aries and the billy goat are symbols of strength and assertiveness.
Main article: Lamb of God
  • Donkey Equus asinus , mule and mule were domesticated in agriculture and used as pack animals for the transport of goods; occasionally also as a mount for noble people ( Ri 10.4  EU ; 1 Kings 1.33  EU ). Donkey herds were a valuable possession. Traditionally, the donkey was one of the most common domestic animals. A donkey was part of the equipment of the simplest farmer. Donkey meat was exceptionally eaten during the famine ( 2 Kings 6.25  EU ).
    The donkey is a symbol of peace, ( Gen 42.26 f  EU ; Gen 22.3; 1  EU 1 Sam 16.20  EU ; 2 Sam 19.26  EU ; Neh 13.15  EU ), while the horse is a symbol of military Violence becomes.
    The mule was considered stubborn and was compared to the person who does not listen to God ( Ps 32     : 9  EU ).
    The donkey plays an outstanding role when entering Jerusalem as a palm donkey and as a talking mount in the form of the donkey of the prophet Balaam
  • Domestic dog ( Canis lupus familiaris ) - The dog (Hebrew keleb ; Greek kyon , kynarion ) is usually rated negatively, so the exclamation "dog", especially "dead dog" was an expression of the deepest insult. Often in typical oriental question form, phrases like Goliath to David ( 1 Sam 17.43  EU ) are encountered : "Am I a dog that you come to me with a stick?"; David zu Saul ( 1 Sam 24,14  EU ) “After whom does the king of Israel go? Who are you chasing after A dead dog, a single flea! ”; Meribbaal to David ( 2 Sam 9,8  EU ) "What kind of servant am I that you cast your gaze on such a dead dog as me?" (Similar to Hasael to Elisha 2 Kings 8,13  EU ).
    Further passages articulate the disdain for dogs. The worst fate imaginable was to be thrown as a corpse to eat by the dogs ( 1 Kings 14.11  EU ; 1 Kings 16.4  EU ; 1 Kings 21.19.23  EU ). Job ( Job 30.1  EU ) grieves at the laughter of those whom he once refused to work “with the dogs of his flock”. In Phil 3.2  EU and Rev 22.15  EU , dogs are associated with bad workers, magicians, or the like. Jesus warns in the Sermon on the Mount ( Mt 7,6  EU ): “ Do not give what is sacred to dogs, and do not throw pearls before pigs. “
    Job 30: 1 (see above) refers to herding dogs, and Isaiah ( Isa 56,10  EU ) compares the guardians of Israel to useless mute watchdogs, which shows that there can be useful dogs. In the apocryphal Tobias book, the dog acts as a faithful travel companion (Tobit 5:16, 11: 4).
  • When camels are mentioned in the Bible, the dromedary Camelus dromedarius is always meant. These animals were born around 3000 BC. Domesticated in Arabia and also introduced a little later in Palestine.
  • For poultry and pork, see above.

Wild animals

doe
Depiction of hunting a wild boar
  • The lion Panthera leo is used in the Bible as a symbol of danger, strength, courage and greed.
    Lions
  • Leopard (panther), bear and wolf are also mentioned as dangerous predators.
  • The jackal Canis aureus (often translated as hyena or wild dog) occurs in the steppes, it is often symbolic of this barren landscape.
  • The fox is also considered cunning and clever in the Bible.
  • The falcon Felis silvestris lybica is only mentioned in Bar 6.21  EU , it was sacred in Egypt and was probably not kept in Israel for that reason.
  • Deer and gazelle (both are often translated as deer) symbolically represent speed ( Hld 2.9  EU ), but also frugality and perseverance.
  • The fallow deer Dama mesopotamica , the chamois Rupicapra rupicapra ( Dtn 14.5  EU ), antelope , wild goat and ibex Capra ibex ( Ps 104.18  EU ) are also mentioned as other ungulates .
  • Larger animals that are mentioned are bison Bison bonasus or aurochs Bos taurus primigenius , and the Wildlife Bos taurus (also often translated as buffalo), representing an image of strength.
  • The wild ass Equus hemionus in the steppe is mentioned in Job 24.5  EU .
  • The monkey ( 1 Kings 10.22  EU ) is imported as an exotic animal.
  • The wild boar Sus scrofa occurs in Ps 80.14  EU .
  • Even the hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius appears in the Bible. ( Job 40.15ff  EU )
  • Wild rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus and brown hare Lepus europaeus ( Lev 11.6  EU ) were considered ruminants under the dietary laws because, as a caecotrophic species, they eat their food twice by eating part of their droppings again.
  • The hyrax Procavia capensis is mentioned in Ps 104.18  EU .
  • The mole named in Lev 11.29  EU , Talpa europaea , is mostly translated as weasel.
  • The hedgehog in Isa 14,23  EU and Isa 34,11  EU is often translated as an owl.
  • The mouse occurs, for example, in Lev 11.29  EU and 1 Sam 6.4f  EU . The rat is mentioned in Isa 2.20  EU .
  • The bat appears in two places: in Lev 11.19  EU , where it is assigned to the birds, and in Isa 2.20  EU .
  • The elephant was used by some peoples as a weapon of war. ( 2 Makk 13.2  EU )

Birds

Steppe eagle
  • The eagle is the most common bird in the Bible. It is used symbolically. It nests high on rocks ( Job 39.27  EU ) and stands as a symbol for the powerful ruler ( Ez 17.3  EU ) and for speed ( Dtn 28.49  EU ). His care for the young is also highlighted. ( Dtn 32.11  EU )
  • The lists in Leviticus name different birds of prey , for example the osprey Pandion haliaetus , different types of vultures , the Milan Milvus migrans , several types of buzzards , different types of hawks (which are incorrectly translated in some translations), as well as some types of owls (of which there are more than ten species in Palestine).
  • The bouquet Struthio camelus is mentioned in ( Isa 13,21  EU ).
  • The raven stands as a symbol of God's care ( Lev 11.15  EU ; Job 38.41  EU ; Isa 34.11  EU ).
A dove is sent out after the flood
  • In ( Jer 8,7  EU ), Jeremiah presents migratory birds as an example of obedience, namely the stork , the wild pigeon , the turtledove Streptopelia turtur , the swallow and the thrush . The turtledove Streptopelia turtur was a sacrificial animal for poor people, it is considered gentle and innocent ( Lev 1.14  EU ) and is therefore often used as a nickname ( Hld 2.14  EU ); in the flood it plays a role ( Gen 8,8–12  EU ), in the New Testament it becomes a symbol of the Holy Spirit ( Lk 3,22  EU ).
  • Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus , hoopoe Upupa epops and heron are mentioned as impure birds. ( Lev 11.19  EU ; Dtn 14.18  EU )
  • The sparrow ( Mt 10.29  EU ) is used by Jesus as an example of a worthless trade item in a parable.
  • Chicken species are mentioned: the partridge Perdix perdix ( 1 Sam 26.20  EU ), the quail Coturnix coturnix , which served the Israelites as food in the desert ( Ex 16.13  EU ; Num 11.13f  EU ), the rooster Gallus gallus domesticus in his function as herald of the early morning ( Spr 30.31  EU ; Mt 26.34  EU ), the guinea fowl (often incorrectly translated as peacock) as valuable imported goods ( 1 Kings 10.22  EU ).

Reptiles and amphibians

  • The snake is often used as a general term. There are also six different species names that cannot be reconstructed and are therefore arbitrarily assigned species names (see above). In Gen 49.17  EU , Dtn 32.33  EU and Job 20.16  EU , the snake is seen as an image of prudence and hypocrisy. The cult symbol of the copper snake ( Num 21.4–9  EU ; 2 Kings 18.4  EU ) indicates an old fertility cult.
    A snake on the Sinai
    (see also: snakes # symbolism and mythology )
  • In addition, various lizards appear in the lists of unclean animals ( Lev 11,29f  EU ): Gecko and chameleon (they are translated differently in some editions) as well as some names that can no longer be assigned.
  • In Job 40,25ff  EU the observation of a crocodile is described, which there was also in Palestine until the 19th century.
  • Of the amphibians , the Bible only knows the frog , whose mass appearance was one of the ten Egyptian plagues ( Ex 7.26ff  EU ). The salamander appears in the list of unclean animals, but is often translated differently and then counted as a lizard.

fishes

The Bible does not name any individual species of fish . It summarizes all aquatic animals and differentiates them only in terms of whether they have fins and scales . In ( Jona 2,1–11  EU ) Jona is devoured by a "big fish". Perhaps this points to the mythological monster Leviathan .

insects

On the one hand, insects are seen in the Bible as harmful, annoying and sometimes dangerous animals because of their voracity. On the other hand, the ant is seen as an example of real industry. She writes, for example, “Go to the ant, you lazy one, look at what it does and learn from it! Even if it has no prince, captain or master, it prepares its bread in summer and gathers its food in the harvest ”( Prov. 6: 6-8  EU ). In the plagues of Egypt , various insects are brought upon humanity as punishment for disobedience.

  • Certain types of locusts are classified as clean (edible) animals in the Bible, although insects are otherwise considered unclean ( Lev 11:22  EU ). There are nine different names for the grasshopper in the Bible, but the assignment is unclear. It could mean different types or stages of development. The grasshopper is a symbol of voracity ( Isa 33.4  EU ), harm ( Joel 1.4  EU ; Joel 2.25  EU ), misfortune ( Ex 10.4ff  EU ), also an image for large crowds ( Nah 3, 15ff  EU )
Migratory locust

The Bible also mentions:

  • Stinging or sucking insects such as mosquitoes and mosquitoes ( Ex 8.12-14  EU ); Sting fly Stomoxys calcitrans , often translated as louse ( Ex 8.17ff  EU ), flea ( 1 Sam 24.15  EU ), horsefly ( Jer 46.20  EU ), mosquito ( Mt 23.24  EU ) and hornet Vespa crabro ( Weish 12 , 8  EU ).
  • The bee Apis mellifera ( Ps 118.12  EU ; Isa 7.18  EU ) is often translated as wasp; Bees were already known as honey producers in biblical times, but were also considered voracious.
  • Two types of moth are mentioned in the Bible ( Isa 51.8  EU ).
  • The proverbial industry of the ant was first mentioned in the Bible: ( Prov 6,6  EU ); ( Prov 30.25  EU )

More invertebrates

  • The spider is also mentioned ( Job 8,14  EU ); the scorpion ( Dtn 8.15  EU ); the leech ( Prov 30.15  EU ) and the snail ( Ps 58.9  EU ).
  • Two different words are used for worms , one is often translated as maggot, or as worm. No specific species is referred to here, but everything that crawls or teems on the ground. Worms are associated with rotten food ( Ex 16.20–24  EU ) and corpses rot ( Job 17.14  EU ; Isa 14.11  EU ) and are therefore unclean. But they are also used as symbols of defenselessness, meanness and powerlessness ( Ps 22.7  EU ; Isa 41.14  EU ).

literature

  • Silvia Schroer : The animals in the Bible. A cultural and historical journey. Herder Verlag, Freiburg 2010.
  • Christoph Dohmen : The great non-fiction book on the world and environment of the Bible. Revised New edition in new spelling. Verl. Kath. Bibelwerk, Stuttgart 2005.
  • Bernd Janowski, U. Neumann-Gorsolke, U. Gleßmer (Ed.): Companions and enemies of humans. The animal in the world of ancient Israel. Neukirchen-Vluyn 1993.
  • Marion Keuchen, Helga Kuhlmann, Harald Schroeter-Wittke (eds.): The best supporting roles. 50 portraits of biblical marginal figures . Leipzig 2006 (Articles on the snake / Genesis 3, on the camel / Genesis 24, on Balaam's donkey / Numbers 22, on the Leviathan / Psalm 74.104, on the ant / Proverbs 6, on the cock / Matthew 26, on the ox / Deuteronomy 25/1 Corinthians 9).
  • Immanuel Löw : Fauna and Minerals of the Jews . Ed. U. with e. Vorw. U. Note vers. by Alexander Scheiber. G. Olms Verlag, Hildesheim, 1969.
  • Peter Riede : In the mirror of the animals. Studies on the relationship between humans and animals in ancient Israel . Universitätsverlag, Freiburg im Üechtland / Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2003, ISBN 3-7278-1407-1 (Universitätsverlag) and ISBN 3-525-53044-7 (Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht).
  • Fritz Rienecker (ed.): Lexicon for the Bible. 19th edition, Brockhaus Verlag 1988.
  • Matthias Stubhann (Ed.): The Bible from AZ. Karl Müller Verlag, licensed edition undated

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Dama mesopotamica (Mesopotamian Fallow Deer, Persian Fallow Deer). Retrieved November 2, 2017 .