Topical Encyclopedia
The pig, also known as a swine or hog, is an animal frequently mentioned in the Bible, primarily in the context of dietary laws and symbolic teachings. In the ancient Near Eastern context, pigs were considered unclean animals according to the Mosaic Law, and this classification has significant implications throughout the biblical narrative.
Old Testament ReferencesIn the Old Testament, the pig is explicitly listed among the unclean animals that the Israelites were forbidden to eat.
Leviticus 11:7-8 states, "And the pig, though it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you." Similarly,
Deuteronomy 14:8 reiterates this prohibition, emphasizing the pig's status as unclean.
The prohibition against consuming pork was part of the broader dietary laws given to the Israelites, which served to set them apart as a holy people dedicated to God. These laws were not only about physical health but also about spiritual purity and obedience to God's commands.
Symbolic and Cultural SignificanceBeyond dietary restrictions, pigs are used symbolically in the Bible to represent uncleanness and moral corruption. In
Proverbs 11:22 , a vivid metaphor is employed: "Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion." This imagery underscores the incongruity of external beauty paired with a lack of inner virtue.
The cultural aversion to pigs among the Israelites is further illustrated in
Isaiah 65:4 and 66:3,17, where those who eat swine's flesh are depicted as engaging in abominable practices, highlighting the association of pigs with idolatry and rebellion against God.
New Testament ContextIn the New Testament, the pig continues to serve as a symbol of uncleanness and spiritual degradation. One of the most notable references is found in the account of the Gerasene demoniac in
Mark 5:11-13 , where Jesus permits a legion of demons to enter a herd of pigs, which then rush into the sea and drown. This event underscores the Jewish perception of pigs as unclean and the destructive nature of demonic forces.
Additionally, in
Matthew 7:6 , Jesus uses pigs in a metaphorical teaching: "Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces." Here, pigs symbolize those who are unable or unwilling to appreciate the value of spiritual truths.
Theological ImplicationsThe biblical portrayal of pigs reflects broader theological themes of holiness, purity, and the distinction between the sacred and the profane. While the New Testament marks a shift in the understanding of dietary laws, as seen in
Acts 10:9-16 where Peter receives a vision declaring all foods clean, the symbolic use of pigs continues to convey lessons about spiritual discernment and the consequences of moral impurity.
In summary, the pig in the Bible serves as a powerful symbol of uncleanness and moral corruption, deeply rooted in the cultural and religious context of ancient Israel. Its presence in both the Old and New Testaments provides insight into the biblical worldview concerning purity, obedience, and the nature of spiritual truth.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) A piggin.
2. (n.) The young of swine, male or female; also, any swine; a hog.
3. (n.) Any wild species of the genus Sus and related genera.
4. (n.) An oblong mass of cast iron, lead, or other metal. See Mine pig, under Mine.
5. (n.) One who is hoggish; a greedy person.
6. (v. t. & i.) To bring forth (pigs); to bring forth in the manner of pigs; to farrow.
7. (v. t. & i.) To huddle or lie together like pigs, in one bed.
Greek
3374. melote -- a sheepskin... Noun, Feminine Transliteration: melote Phonetic Spelling: (may-lo-tay') Short
Definition: a sheepskin Definition: a sheep's (sometimes
pig's) hide, sheepskin.
...779. askos -- a leather bottle, wineskin
... leather. In Spanish means a , a , and a . In Spain wine is still brought
to market inpig-skins" (M. Vincent). Word Origin a prim....
Strong's Hebrew
6292. piggul -- foul thing, refuse... 6291, 6292. piggul. 6293 . foul thing, refuse. Transliteration: piggul
Phonetic Spelling: (
pig-gool') Short Definition: offense.
...2386. chazir -- swine, boar
... swine's. Word Origin from an unused word Definition swine, boar NASB Word
Usage boar (1),pig (2), swine's (4). boar, swine. From...
Library
How Brother Juniper Cut Off the Foot of aPig to Give it to a Sick...
... PART TWO. HERE BEGINNETH THE LIFE OF BROTHER JUNIPER CHAPTER I HOW BROTHER JUNIPER
CUT OFF THE FOOT OF APIG TO GIVE IT TO A SICK BROTHER....
As to Your Charge of Perjury, Since You Refer Me to Your Book; and...
... or what another man had been dreaming? or how the Greek proverb was having
its fulfilment in your case, "thepig teaches Minerva"?...
Gifts to the Prodigal
... There he stood, ragged, with the stain of travel and the stench of thepig-sty upon
his garments, some of them, no doubt, remains of the tawdry finery that he...
Disclosure of the Monstrous Tenets of the Manich??ans.
... A youngpig roasted (for your ideas on this subject force us to discuss good and
evil with you as if you were cooks and confectioners, instead of men of...
It is Said that on a Recent Occasion Where the Letters of...
... I am afraid that, according to the old proverbs, I might be like thepig
teaching Minerva, and the man carrying fagots into the wood....
Faustus Avows his Disbelief in the Old Testament and his Disregard...
... For instance, apig and a lamb are both clean in their nature, for every creature
of God is good; but symbolically, a lamb is clean, and apig unclean....
Whether There was any Reasonable Cause for the Ceremonial...
... however, we speak of bodily uncleanness, consisting in some kind of corruption,
the flesh of certain animals is unclean, either because like thepig they feed...
The Great Furnace for a Great Soul
... see earrings dangling from your boy's ears to make him think he sees a girl, or
if you call the child by some such name as "puppy," "littlepig," "kitten," or...
A Fish-Story
... When, however, they came to places like these, his father would take himpig-a-back
and carry him along, and then the boy would fish with his rod resting on...
Spiritual Farming. --No. 3 Cultivation.
... it to be said "The sinners in Zion are afraid, tearfulness hath surprised
the hypocrites.". BETTER FEED A FATPIG THAN A PUBLICAN....
Thesaurus
Pig (4 Occurrences)... 4. (n.) An oblong mass of cast iron, lead, or other metal. See Mine
pig,
under Mine.
... Multi-Version Concordance
Pig (4 Occurrences).
...Pig's (4 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version ConcordancePig's (4 Occurrences). Proverbs 11:22 Like a gold ring
in apig's snout, is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion. (WEB NIV)....
Pigs (18 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 65:4 Who are seated in the resting-places of the dead, and by night are in
the secret places; who takepig's flesh for food, and have the liquid of...
Cud (9 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 11:7 Thepig, because he has a split hoof, and is cloven-footed,
but doesn't chew the cud, he is unclean to you. (WEB...
Chew (5 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 11:7 Thepig, because he has a split hoof, and is cloven-footed,
but doesn't chew the cud, he is unclean to you. (WEB...
Swine (15 Occurrences)
... lard. The male is specifically called boar, the female, sow, and the young,
pig. See Hog. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. SWINE....
Split (36 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Leviticus 11:7 Thepig, because he has a split hoof, and is cloven-footed,
but doesn't chew the cud, he is unclean to you. (WEB DBY NAS NIV)....
Hoof (11 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 11:7 Thepig, because he has a split hoof, and is cloven-footed,
but doesn't chew the cud, he is unclean to you. (WEB...
Pihahiroth (4 Occurrences)
Disgusting (149 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 65:4 Who are seated in the resting-places of the dead, and by night are in
the secret places; who takepig's flesh for food, and have the liquid of...
Resources
Who was Antiochus Epiphanes? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the significance of the Greek Empire in biblical history? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Judas Maccabeus? | GotQuestions.orgPig: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
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