Dictionary of Bible Themes » 4000 Creation » 4600 Living beings » 4603 animals » 4605 animals, religious role of
Central to the OT sacrificial system, they were governed by strict laws within the Mosaic code.
Animals as defined by the Law of Moses
Animals for food
Leviticus 20:25-26See alsoExodus 22:31;Leviticus 22:8;Deuteronomy 12:15-16,21;Deuteronomy 14:3-8;Ezekiel 4:14;Ezekiel 44:31;Acts 10:9-14;Acts 11:6;Acts 15:19-20
Animals dedicated to the LORD
Exodus 13:1-2See alsoLeviticus 27:9-13,26-28,32-33;Numbers 18:15
Domestic animals
Exodus 21:33-36;Exodus 22:10-15;Leviticus 24:18-21
Relationships with animals forbidden
Exodus 22:19;Leviticus 19:19
Animal carcasses
Leviticus 11:39
Animals in the context of Israel's sacrificial system
Used in various sacrifices
Leviticus 1:1-2;Psalm 66:15See alsoGenesis 8:20;Leviticus 3:1;Numbers 7:87-88;Deuteronomy 16:2;2 Chronicles 29:32-33; 2 C 10-13
Animals forbidden as sacrifices
Malachi 1:8See alsoLeviticus 22:24-25;Deuteronomy 15:21;Malachi 1:13-14
Animals in the context of judgment
Involved in judgment
Zephaniah 1:3See alsoGenesis 6:7;Genesis 7:20-23the flood
The plagues of Egypt:
Exodus 9:22-25;Exodus 13:15;Psalm 135:8Jeremiah 9:10;Jeremiah 12:4;Jeremiah 50:3;Ezekiel 25:12-13;Joel 1:19-20;Habakkuk 2:17;Zechariah 14:15
As agents of judgment
Leviticus 26:21-22See alsoEzekiel 33:27;Ezekiel 39:4,17-18;Daniel 4:31-32;Hosea 2:12
See also
4615 bull4651 goat4663 lamb4681 ram4684 sheep5375 law5858 fat7316 blood, OT sacrifices7340 clean and unclean7402 offerings7435 sacrifice, in OT9210 judgment, God's
