Topical Encyclopedia
Owls are mentioned in the Bible primarily in the context of desolation and judgment. These nocturnal birds are often associated with deserted places and ruins, symbolizing desolation and abandonment. The Hebrew words often translated as "owl" in the Bible include "yanshuph" and "qippoz," though the exact species referred to can be uncertain due to the ancient context.
Biblical References:1.
Leviticus 11:16-17 : In the dietary laws given to the Israelites, owls are listed among the unclean birds that should not be eaten. "The eagle owl, the short-eared owl, the seagull, any kind of hawk, the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl."
2.
Deuteronomy 14:15-16 : This passage reiterates the unclean status of owls, emphasizing their place among birds that are detestable and not to be consumed by the Israelites. "The eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, the falcon, any kind of kite, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk."
3.
Isaiah 13:21 : Owls are depicted as inhabitants of desolate places, symbolizing the complete destruction and abandonment of Babylon. "But desert creatures will lie there, and their houses will be full of owls; ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about."
4.
Isaiah 34:11 : In the prophecy against Edom, owls are again used to illustrate desolation. "The desert owl and screech owl will possess it; the great owl and the raven will dwell in it. The LORD will stretch out over Edom the measuring line of chaos and the plumb line of destruction."
5.
Zephaniah 2:14 : The prophet Zephaniah speaks of the judgment against Nineveh, where owls are mentioned as part of the imagery of ruin. "Flocks and herds will lie down in her midst, creatures of every kind. The desert owl and screech owl will roost on her columns. Their calls will echo through the windows; rubble will be in the doorways, and the beams of cedar will be exposed."
Symbolism and Interpretation:In biblical literature, owls are often symbolic of loneliness, desolation, and the aftermath of divine judgment. Their presence in prophetic texts underscores the severity of God's judgment against nations and cities that have turned away from His commandments. The owl's nocturnal nature and haunting call contribute to its association with deserted and forsaken places.
Cultural and Historical Context:In ancient Near Eastern cultures, owls were often seen as omens or symbols of death and misfortune. This cultural perception may have influenced their portrayal in the biblical texts. The Israelites, adhering to the dietary laws given by God, would have viewed owls as unclean and unsuitable for consumption, further reinforcing their negative connotations.
Conclusion:Owls in the Bible serve as powerful symbols of desolation and divine judgment. Their presence in prophetic literature highlights the consequences of disobedience and the desolation that follows divine retribution. Through these references, the Bible communicates themes of purity, obedience, and the stark reality of God's judgment against sin.
Strong's Hebrew
255. oach -- owl... owl. Transliteration: oach Phonetic Spelling: (o'-akh) Short Definition:
owls. Word
Origin from an unused word Definition owl NASB Word Usage
owls (1).
...Library
Statement of the Reasons Wherefore the Matters, Treated of Shortly...
... The Vulgate has in 22 "ulul??" (screech-owls) and "sirenes," with "struthiones"
(ostriches) and "pilosi" (hairy men) in 21b. AV...
The Adventures of Saint David of Wales.
... seemed to be bursting forth, wavering and flickering in the dark recesses of the
forest, while amid the boughs flew birds of evil omen, night-owls, and ravens...
Hearken and Look; Or, Encouragement for Believers
... question or fact: they fix their eyes upon the "waste places," and they study them
till they know every ruin, and are familiar with the dragons and theowls....
The Gospel Refuge.
... all fullness dwells." In the case of some of these Hebrew cities, "not one stone
has been left upon another that has not been thrown down."Owls are screaming...
The Release of Saint George.
... faithful Owen; but, equally dauntless, they clove their onward way through brake
and briar, in spite of the hissing of serpents and hooting ofowls, groans and...
The Remembrance of Christ
... from my body and hurl to an infinite distance; a soul which is a cage of unclean
birds, a den of loathsome creatures, where dragons haunt andowls do congregate...
The Eternal Name
... fallen, and in a little while she shall sink like a millstone in the flood, her
name being a curse and a byword, and her site the habitation of dragons andowls...
Empedocles Increased the Absurdity of Pythagoras by Developing the...
... Then opposed to light are those things which are either wholly blind, or possess
eyes for the darkness only, such as moles, bats, andowls....
The Question of the Tall Gentleman as to Whether Diamond could...
... And weasels, and ousels, and mice, and larks,. Andowls, and rere-mice, and
harkydarks,. All went running, and creeping, and flowing,....
A Farewell
... I shall have to pass through the Chalkoprateia.'. To theowls with your Chalkoprateia!'
said Philip; 'you know I am too busy to come with you.'....
Thesaurus
Owls (7 Occurrences)... Multi-Version Concordance
Owls (7 Occurrences). Job 30:29 I am a brother
to dragons, and a companion to
owls. (KJV WBS NIV). Isaiah
...Dragons (17 Occurrences)
... cruel venom of asps. (KJV BBE DBY WBS YLT). Job 30:29 I am a brother to dragons,
and a companion toowls. (KJV WBS YLT). Psalms 44:19...
Owl (11 Occurrences)
... I know nothing which more vividly brought to my mind the sense of desolation and
loneliness than the re-echoing hoot of two or three of these greatowls as I...
Doleful (2 Occurrences)
... Hebrews ochim, ie, "shrieks;" hence "howling animals"), a general name for screech
owls (howlets), which occupy the desolate palaces of Babylon....
Ostrich (9 Occurrences)
... class of greedy and promiscuous feeders. The bodies ofowls are proverbially
lean like eagles. Neither did the owl frequent several...
Jackal (3 Occurrences)
... only in Isaiah 13:21. The translation "owls" has been suggested, and is
not unsuitable to the context. It is not impossible that...
Nest (22 Occurrences)
... pigeons, trees or rocky crevices (Jeremiah 48:28); hoopoes, hollow trees; swallows,
mud nests under a roof, on cliffs or deserted temples;owls, hollow trees...
Own (5782 Occurrences)
Jackals (20 Occurrences)
... (BBE NIV). Micah 1:8 For this I will lament and wail; I will go stripped and naked;
I will howl like the jackals, and moan like the daughters ofowls....
Flag (30 Occurrences)
... 7. (n.) A group of feathers on the lower part of the legs of certain hawks,owls,
etc. 8. (n.) A group of elongated wing feathers in certain hawks....
Resources
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