Animals in the Bible

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Over 120 species of animals are mentioned in the Bible, ordered alphabetically in this article by English vernacular name. Animals mentioned in the Old Testament will be listed with their Hebrew name, while those mentioned in the New Testament will be listed with their Greek names. This list includes names of mythical creatures such as the griffin, lamia, siren and unicorn, which have been applied to real animals in some older translations of the Bible due to misunderstandings or educational prejudices of the Greek and Latin translators. In the following list D. V. stands for Douay Version, A. V. and R. V. for Authorized and Revised Version respectively.

A closer examination of the way in which references to animals are introduced, the frequency of allusions to certain species, and the date of the documents in which they are found gives a fair idea of the conditions of the area at different stages of its history. The species, for instance, called in Hebrew 're'em', was very probably the aurochs, or wild ox and totally disappeared about the time of the Babylonian captivity. The wild ass, the lion and a few others long ago became extinct in Palestine. Other species alluded to in the Bible are now extremely scarce. The Bible mentions animals from varying regions of the Middle East. The ostrich, for instance, a denizen of the torrid regions, and the camel, of the waterless districts around Palestine, are mentioned side by side with the roebuck and deer of the woody summits of Lebanon. This variety, greater probably in Palestine than in any other country in the same latitude, is attributed to the great extremes of elevation and temperature in this small area. Palestinian fauna is not as rich today as it was during the Biblical times. The land is barren today but was well wooded when the Bible was written, especially on the hills east of the Jordan River.

Although no regular classification is to be sought for in the Bible, animal creation is there practically divided into four classes, often called kinds, according to the four different modes of locomotion. The first class, the beasts, in the Biblical parlance, includes all large, walking animals, with the exception of the amphibia, such small animals as moles, mice and the like, include not only reptiles, but all short legged animals or insects which seem to crawl rather than to walk, such as moles, lizards, etc. From a religious viewpoint, all these animals are divided into two classes, clean and unclean, according to whether they can, or cannot, be eaten. Its strength joined to its nimbleness and love of freedom made it a fit symbol for the first born son of Abraham who like Joseph was separated from his father and like Joseph became a great leader Ismael [gen;17;20] (Genesis 16:12). The Asiatic wild ass has been successfully reintroduced to the Negev Desert following its extinction there in the early 20th century. Attacus (Leviticus 11:22) — Instead of this Latin word, the A. V. reads bald locust. According to the tradition enshrined in the Talmud, a locust with a very long smooth head (Truxalis spp.) is probably signified. The Hebrew word is סָלְעָם solʿām. Aurochs, or wild ox (Bos primigenius)  — the most likely original referrent of the Hebrew word rəʾēm (רְאֵם). The word is translated as "rhinoceros" (; 24:8; ; Job 39:9, 10) or "unicorn" (Psalm 22:21; 29:6; 92:10; ) in older translations of the Bible such as the D. V. and the KJV. The animal certainly had two horns, suggested by Psalm 22:21 and Deut. 33:17, where its horns represent the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. That, moreover, it was akin to the domestic ox is shown from such parallelisms as we find in Psalm 24:6, where we read, according to the critical editions of the Hebrew text: "The voice of Yahweh makes Lebanon skip like a bullock, and Sirion like a young rəʾēm"; or Is.,34:7: "And the rəʾēm shall go down with them, and the bulls with the mighty"; and still more convincingly by such implicit descriptions as that of Job 39:9, 10: "Shall the rəʾēm be willing to serve thee, or will he stay at thy crib? Canst thou bind the rəʾēm with thy thong to plough, or will he break the clods of the valleys after thee?" These references will be very clear, the last especially, once we admit the rəʾēm is an almost untamable wild ox, which one would try in vain to submit to the same work as its domestic kin. Hence there is very little doubt that in all the above mentioned places the word aurochs should be substituted for rhinoceros and unicorn. The aurochs is for the sacred poets a familiar emblem of untamed strength and ferocity. It is now extinct. In Modern Hebrew, רְאֵם refers to oryxes.

Calf (עֵגֶל ‘êḡel; feminine עֶגְלָה ‘eḡlāh) One of the most popular representations of the deity among the Canaanites. The calf is, in biblical poetry, a figure for vexing and pitiless foes (Psalm 111:13). The fatted calf was a necessary feature, so to say, of a feast dinner. Camel (גָּמָל gāmāl; juvenile or Dromedary בִּכְרָה bik̲rāh) — a prominent domestic animal of the East without the existence of which life in the Arabian deserts would be impossible. It is mentioned as such in the biblical records as early as the time of Abraham. Recent excavations in the Timna Valley discovered what may be the earliest camel bones found in Israel or even outside the Arabian peninsula, dating to around 930 BCE. This is seen as evidence by some that the stories of Abraham, Joseph, Jacob and Esau were written after this time. Camelopardalis — the translation of זֶמֶר (zemer) in of the D. V. The KJV translates this word to "camelopard", an archaic word for giraffe. זֶמֶר is translated as "mountain sheep" or "chamois" in most newer translations of the Bible. The mouflon is a likely candidate. Cankerworm — refers to a locust in its larval state; the translation of the Hebrew גָּזָם (gāzām) in the A. V The D. V. translates this word as "palmerworm" (Dichomeris ligulella). Cat — Domestic cats are not mentioned in the Protestant Bible, but they are mentioned in Letter of Jeremiah verse 21. Cats were very familiar to the Ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, and Ancient Greeks and Romans even before their conquest of Egypt, so it is likely they would have been familiar to the Ancient Hebrews, making their omission from the Bible unusual. Other members of the cat family are mentioned in the Bible, namely lions, leopards, and (questionably) tigers. צִיִּים֙ (ṣiyyîm), mentioned in , is translated as "wildcats" in some newer translations of the Bible such as the CEV and NRSV, making this potentially the only mention of small cats in the Protestant Bible. Cattle — Very early in the history of mankind, animals were tamed and domesticated, to be used in agriculture, for milk, for their flesh, and especially for sacrifices. Many words in Hebrew expressed the different ages and sexes of cattle, West of the Jordan River the cattle were generally stall fed; in the plains and hills south and east they roamed in a half wild state; such were the most famous "bulls of Bashan". Cerastes (שְׁפִיפֹן šəp̲îp̲ōn) — the horned cerastes (Cerastes hasselquistii) is a likely candidate for the "serpent" (D. V.) mentioned in This identification is based on the Arabic name for this snake (shúffon) and its venomousness as mentioned in the Bible. שְׁפִיפֹן is translated as "adder", "viper" or "horned viper" in many translations of the Bible. Chameleon — Mentioned Lev. 11:30, with the mole (Hebr., תַּנְשֶׁמֶת tínshéméth). In spite of the authority of the ancient translations, it is now generally admitted that the tínshéméth is the chameleon, very common in Israel; whereas the כֹּחַ kôâh is a kind of large lizard, perhaps the land monitor (Psammosaurus scincus). Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra)  — the translation of זֶמֶר (zemer) in in some translations of the Bible (see ). Chamois are not native to western Asia. Charadrion  — the D. V.'s translation of אֲנָפָה (ʾănāp̲āh), one of the unclean species of bird, in and ). This word is translated as "heron" in other English translations of the Bible, and refers to herons in the genus Ardea in Modern Hebrew. Cherogrillus (Leviticus 11:5; Deuteronomy 14:7), a mere transliteration of the Greek name of the porcupine, corresponds to the Hebrew שָׁפָן shãphãn, translated in Psalm 103:18, as irchin, and in Proverbs 30:26, as rabbit. As St. Jerome noticed it, the shãphãn is not the porcupine, but a very peculiar animal of about the same size, dwelling among the rocks, and in holes, and called in Israel "bear rat", on account of some resemblance with these two quadrupeds. We call it coney, or daman (Hyrax syriacus). Its habit of lingering among the rocks is alluded to, Psalm 103:18; its wisdom and defencelessness, Proverbs 30:24–26. "It cannot burrow, for it has no claws, only nails half developed ; but it lies in holes in the rocks, and feeds only at dawn and dusk, always having sentries posted, at the slightest squeak from which the whole party instantly disappears. The coney is not a ruminant (cf. Leviticus 11:5), but it sits working its jaws as if re chewing. It is found sparingly in most of the rocky districts, and is common about Sinai" (Tristram). Cobra (Naja haje), most likely the deadly snake called פֶתֶן péthén by the Hebrews, found in Israel and Egypt and used by serpent charmers. Cochineal (שָׁנִי šənî; Coccus ilicis) — A hemiptera homoptera insect very common on the Syrian holm oak, from the female of which the crimson dye kermes is prepared. The complete name in Hebrew is equivalent to "scarlet insect", the "insect" being not infrequently omitted in the translations. Cock, Hen — Domestic poultry are not mentioned till after the Babylonian captivity is what some believe but others understand the "seal of Jaazaniah" from the ruins of the biblical Judean kingdom at Mizpah, with the inscription of "belonging to Jaazaniah, servant to the king" to carry the insignia of a rooster "in fighting stance" for spiritual purposes based on Proverbs 30, with similar illustrations of "cocks in fighting stance" found within the Vivian Bible. In Jesus' time domestic poultry, introduced from India through Persia, had become common, and their well known habits gave rise to familiar expressions, and afforded good and easy illustrations (Mark 13:35; 14:30, etc.). Jesus Christ compared His care for Jerusalem to that of a hen for her brood, or more accurately an ornis, a bird, specifically a rooster or hen. The three times the word 'cock' appears in the D. V. it is owing to a misinterpretation of the primitive text, according to some, but to others in the context of a religious instilling vessel of "a girt one of the loins" (Young's Literal Translation) that which is "stately in his stride" and "move with stately bearing" within the Book of Proverbs 30:29–31, Saadiah ben Yosef Gaon (Saadia Gaon) identifies the definitive trait of "a cock girded about the loins" within Proverbs 30:31(DV) as "the honesty of their behavior and their success", identifying a spiritual purpose of a religious vessel within that religious and spiritual instilling schema. Job 38:36, the word sékhwi (שֶׂכְוִי) means soul, heart: "Who hath put wisdom in the heart of man? and who gave his soul understanding? ", but also "Sekvi means 'rooster' according to the Sages" and hence "Who hath put wisdom in the heart of man? or who gave the cock understanding?"(DV). , zãrzîr (זַרְזִיר) should be translated as "hero" according to some, but to others as "a cock girded about the loins" or "a girt one of the loins"(Young's Literal Translation), "which most of the old translations and Rabbis understood to be a fighting cock". , where the word gébhér (גֶּבֶר), great, strong man, has been rendered according to some rabbinical conceptions, but also the Hebrew word gever was used to mean a "rooster" in addition to the meaning of "man, strong man". Cockatrice — A fabulous serpent supposed to be produced from a cock's egg brooded by a serpent; it was alleged that its hissing would drive away all other serpents, and that its breath, even its look, was fatal. The word is used in A. V. as the regular equivalent for Hebrew צֶפַע tsif‘ōnî. Colt — See Coney — See Coral, Hebrew רָאמָה rãmôth, should probably be substituted, Job, 28:18, for "eminent things", and Ezekiel 27:16, for "silk" in the D. V. The coral dealt with at Tyre was that of the Red Sea or even of the Indian Ocean; coral seems to have been scarcely known among the Jews. Cormorant  — one of the unclean species of bird (; ), commonly given as the translation of the Hebrew שָׁלָךְ (šālāk̲), although this name, which means "one who plunges", may have applied to a different species of plunging bird. שָׁלָךְ means "osprey" in Modern Hebrew. Cow — See Crane (Grus grus) — עָגוּר (ʿāg̲ûr) in Biblical and Modern Hebrew. Mentioned in and , alluding to its cry and its migration respectively. Translated as "swallow" in some translations of the Bible such as the D. V., and as "thrush" in the NIV. Cricket, a good translation for Hebrew צְלָצַל ṣəlāṣal, "chirping", which besides the feature suggested by the etymology, is described Deut. 28:42, as a voracious insect. See Crocodile — We do not read this word in any other place than Lev. 11:29 (D. V.), where it corresponds to the Hebrew, צָב tsāḇ; the animal is, nevertheless, oftener spoken of in the Holy Books under cover of several metaphors: רַהַב ráhâb, "the proud" (Isaiah 51:9); תנין tánnîn, "the stretcher" (Ezekiel 29:3); לִוְיָתָן líweyãthãn (leviathan) [Ps. lxxiii (Hebr., lxxiv), 14; Job, xl, 20, xli, 25]. See The Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) is still found in great numbers in the upper Nile, and its range extended into present day Israel until the early 20th century. A remarkable description of the crocodile has been drawn by the author of the Book of Job. He depicts the difficulty of capturing, snaring, or taming him, his vast size, his impenetrable scales, his flashing eyes, his snorting, and his immense strength. Dreadful as he is, the crocodile was very early regarded and worshipped as a deity by the Egyptians. He is, in the Bible, the emblem of the people of Egypt and their Pharaoh, sometimes even of all Israel's foes. Cuckoo  — the original referrent of the Hebrew שַׁחַף (šaḥap̲) according to some , listed as one of the unclean birds in ( and ). Two species of cuckoo Cuculus canorus and Oxylophus glandarius are found in the Holy Land; however there is little probability that the cuckoo is intended, and more likely the shearwater or seagulls. שַׁחַף refers to seagulls in Modern Hebrew.

Eagle — So is generally rendered the Hebrew, נֶשֶׁר néshér, but there is a doubt as to whether the eagle or some kind of vulture is intended. It seems even probable that the Hebrews did not distinguish very carefully these different large birds of prey, and that all are spoken of as though they were of one kind. Anyway, four species of eagles are known to live in Israel: Aquila chrysaetos, Clanga pomarina, Aquila heliaca, and Circaetus gallicus. Many allusions are made to the eagle in the Bible: its inhabiting the dizziest cliffs for nesting, its keen sight, its habit of congregating to feed on the slain, its swiftness, its longevity, its remarkable care in training its young, are often referred to (see in particular Job 39:27 30). When the relations of Israel with their neighbours became more frequent, the eagle became, under the pen of the Jewish prophets and poets, an emblem first of the Assyrian, then of the Babylonian, and finally of the Persian kings. Elephant — We learn from Assyrian inscriptions that before the Hebrews settled in Syria, there existed elephants in that country, and Tiglath Pileser I tells us about his exploits in elephant hunting. We do not read, however, of elephants in the Bible until the Maccabean times. True, III Kings speaks of ivory, or "[elephants'] teeth", as the Hebrew text puts it, yet not as indigenous, but as imported from Ophir. In the post exilian times, especially in the books of the Maccabees, elephants are frequently mentioned; they were an important element in the armies of the Seleucids. These animals were imported either from India or from Africa. Ericus, a Latin name of the hedgehog, preserved in the D. V. as a translation of the Hebrew word קִפוֹד qíppôdh (Isaiah 14:23; 34:11; Zephaniah 2:14, the word urchin has been used) and קִפוֹז qîppôz (Isaiah 34:15). The above identification of the qíppôdh is based both on the Greek rendering and the analogy between this Hebrew word and the Talmudic (qúppádh), Syriac (qufdô'), Arabic (qúnfúd) and Ethiopian (qinfz) names of the hedgehog. Several scholars, however, discard this identification, because the hedgehog, contrary to the qíppôdh, lives neither in marshes nor ruins, and has no voice. The bittern meets all the requirements of the texts where the qíppôdh is mentioned. It should be noticed nevertheless that hedgehogs are far from rare in Israel. As to the qîppôz of Is. 34:15, read qíppôdh by some Hebrew Manuscripts, and interpreted accordingly by the Septuagint, Vulgate and the versions derived therefrom, its identity is a much discussed question. Some, arguing from the authorities just referred to, confound it with the qíppôdh, whereas others deem it to be the arrow snake; but besides that no such animal as arrow snake is known to naturalists, the context seems to call for a bird. Ewe  (רָחֵל rəḥêl) — In Hebrew, six names at least, with their feminines, express the different stages of development of the sheep. Its domestication goes back to the night of time, so that the early traditions enshrined in the Bible speak of the first men as shepherds. Whatever may be thought of this point, it is out of question that from the dawn of historical times down to our own, flocks have constituted the staple of the riches of the land. The ewe of Israel is generally the ovis laticaudata, the habits of which, resembling those of all other species of sheep, are too well known to be here dwelt upon. Let it suffice to notice that scores of allusions are made in the Holy Books to these habits as well as to the different details of the pastoral life.

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 subjects of many comparisons. However, the name of the gazelle is scarcely, if at all, to be found in the Bible; in its stead we read roe, hart, or deer. Like a few other names of graceful and timid animals, the word gazelle has always been in the East a term of endearment in love. It was also a woman's favourite name (1 Chronicles 8:9; 2 Kings 12:1; 2 Chronicles 24:1; Acts 9:36). Gecko — Probable translation of the 'anãqah of the Hebrews, generally rendered in our versions by shrew mouse, for which it seems it should be substituted. The gecko, ptyodactylus gecko of the naturalists, is common in Israel. Gier eagle — So does A. V. render the Hebrew, rãhãm (Leviticus 11:18) or rãhãmah (Deuteronomy 14:17). By the gier eagle, the Egyptian vulture (neophron percnopterus), or Pharao's hen, is generally believed to be signified. However, whether this bird should be really recognized in the Hebrew, rãhãm, is not easy to decide; for while, on the one hand, the resemblance of the Arabic name for the Egyptian vulture with the Hebrew word rãhãm seems fairly to support the identification, the mention of the rãhãm in a list of wading birds, on the other hand, casts a serious doubt on its correctness. Giraffe — See Probably the תחשׁ (taḥash). (Numbers 4:5 15). Mistranslated as badger or dolphin. Gnat — The same insect called sciniph in Ex., viii, 16, 17 and Ps. civ (Hebr., cv), 31, and known under the familiar name of mosquito, Culex pipiens, is taken in the New Testament as an example of a trifle. Goat — Though the sacred writers spoke of the ewe more frequently than of the goat, yet with the latter they were very well acquainted. It was indeed, especially in the hilly regions east of the Jordan, an important item in the wealth of the Israelites. The goat of Israel, particularly the capra membrica, affords numerous illustrations and allusions, Its remarkably long ears are referred to by Amos, iii, 12; its glossy dark hair furnishes a graphic comparison to the author of Cant., iv, 1; vi, 4; this hair was woven into a strong cloth; the skin tanned with the hair on served to make bottles for milk, wine, oil, water, etc. The kid was an almost essential part of a feast. The goat is mentioned in Dan., viii, 5, as the symbol of the Macedonian empire. The grand Gospel scene of the separation of the just and the wicked on the last day is borrowed from the customs of the shepherds in the East. Goat, wild, Job, xxxix, 1; I K., xxiv, 3, where it is an equivalent for yã' él, translated in Ps., ciii (Hebr., Civ), 18, as hart and in Prov., v, 19, as fawn, is most probably the Nubian ibex, a denizen of the rocky summits [Ps. ciii (Hebr., civ), 18]. It was regarded as a model of grace (Proverbs 5:19), and its name, Jahel, Jahala, was frequently given to persons (Judges 5:6; Ezra 2:56, etc.). See also:
Grasshopper, is probably the best rendering for the Hebrew, hãgãb [Lev.11:22; Num. 13:34 (Hebrews 13:33); Isaiah 40:22; Eccles. 12:5, etc. ], as in the A. V., if the Hebrew word be interpreted "hopper" as vertical align=sup suggests; the D. V. uses the word locust. The grasshopper is one of the smaller species of the locust tribe. Griffon — So D. V., Lev. 11:13 (whereas Deuteronomy , we read "grype") translates the Hebrew, pérés, the "breaker" whereby the lammergeyer or bearded vulture, gypœtus barbatus, the largest and most magnificent of the birds of prey is probably intended. The opinion that the Bible here speaks of the fabulous griffon, i. e. a monster begotten from a lion and an eagle, and characterized by the beak, neck, and wings of an eagle and the legs and rump of a lion, is based only on a misinterpretation of the word. Griffon vulture, a probable translation in several cases of the Hebrew, néshér, regularly rendered by eagle. This most majestic bird (Gyps fulvus), the type, as it seems, of the eagle headed figures of Assyrian sculpture, is most likely referred to in Mich., i, 16, on account of its bare neck and head. Grype, See .

Haje — See Hare — Mentioned Lev., xi, 6; Deut., xiv, 7, in the list of the unclean quadrupeds. Several subspecies of the European hare and the Cape hare live in Israel: Lepus europaeus syriacus in the north; Lepus europaeus judeae in the south and the Jordan valley, together with Lepus capensis sinaiticus, Lepus capensis aegyptius and Lepus capensis isabellinus, The statement of the Bible that the hare "cheweth the cud" is a classical difficulty. It should be noticed that this is not the reason why the hare is reckoned among the unclean animals; but the cause thereof should be sought for in the fact that though it chews the cud, which certainly it appears to do, it does not divide the hoof. Hart and hind — Either the Persian fallow deer, which has been successfully reintroduced to the Holy Land, or the red deer, now locally extinct, or the deer generally. The hind is associated with the Tribe and figure of Naphtali, following the Blessing of Jacob in Genesis (49:21): "Naphtali is a hind let loose, Which yields lovely fawns." It has afforded many illustrations to time biblical writers and poets, especially by its fleetness (Song of Songs 2:9; Isaiah 35:6), its sure footedness [Ps. xvii (Hebr., xviii), 34; Hab., iii, 19], its affection (Proverbs 5:19), and its habit of hiding its young (Job 39:1). Hawk (Hebr., neç) is, in the Scriptures, a general denomination including, with the falcon, all the smaller birds of prey, the kestrel, merlin, sparrowhawk, hobby, and others, most common in Israel. Night hawk, A. V. for Hebrew, táhmãs, more exactly translated in D. V. as owl; some bird of the latter kind is indeed undoubtedly intended, probably the barn owl (strix flammea). Sparrow hawk (Accipiter nisus), one of the hawks of Israel, so common that it might be regarded, in reference to the Bible, as the hawk par excellence. Hedgehog — See Hen, See Heron — Mentioned Lev., xi, 19, in the list of unclean birds, but probably in the wrong place in the D. V.; heron, indeed, should be substituted for charadrion, whereas in the same verse it stands for stork, as the A. V. correctly states it. Hind — See Hippopotamus — See Hobby (falco subbuteo). See Hoopoe — See Hornet (Hebr., çíre'ah; vespa crabro) — One of the largest and most pugnacious wasps; when disturbed they attack cattle and horses; their sting is very severe, capable not only of driving men and cattle to madness, but even of killing them (Exodus 23:28; Deuteronomy 7:20; Joshua 24:12). 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 by the Israelites was not favourable to the use of the horse; this is the reason why the Bible speaks of horses only in connection with war. David and Solomon established a cavalry and chariot force; but even this, used exclusively for wars of conquest, seems to have been looked upon as a dangerous temptation to kings, for the Deuteronomy legislation forbids them to multiply horses for themselves. The grand description of the war horse in Job is classical; it will be noticed, however, that its praises are more for the strength than for the swiftness of the horse. The prophet Zacharias depicts (ix, 10) the Messianic age as one in which no hostilities will be heard of; then all warlike apparel being done away with, the horse will serve only for peaceful use. Houp (Leviticus 11:19; Deuteronomy 14:18) — The analogy of the Hebrew with Syriac and Coptic for the name of this bird makes the identification doubtless, although some, after the example of the A. V., see in the Hebrew dûkhîpháth, the lapwing. The Egyptians worshipped the houp and made it the emblem of Horus. Striped 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 dig the tombs open to get at the corpses therein buried. Two Hebrew names are supposed to designate the hyena:
çãbhûá'. This word, which has been interpreted "speckled bird", Jer., xii, 9, by modern translators following the Vulgate, has been rendered by "holy man", Ecclus., xiii, 22. Despite the authorities that favour the above mentioned translation of Jer., xii, 9, the consistency of the Septuagint on the one hand, and on the other the parallelism in the latter passage, in addition to the analogy with the Arabic and rabbinical Hebrew names for the hyena, fairly support the identification of the çãbhûá' with this animal. çíyyím, rendered in divers manners in different places: wild beasts, Is., xiii, 21; demons, Is., xxxiv, 14; dragons, Ps. lxxiii (hebr., lxxiv), 14; Jer., 1, 39.

Jackal — Frequently alluded to in Bible, though the name is read neither in the D. V. nor in any of the western translations, probably because the animal, however common in Africa and south western Asia is unknown in European countries. The name regularly substituted for jackal is fox. The jackal seems to be designated in Hebrew by three different names: shû'ãl, "the digger"; 'íyyîm, "the howlers"; and tãn, "the stretcher", although we are unable to state the differences marked by these three names, numerous references may be found throughout the Bible to the jackal's howlings and gregarious habits. The most likely species mentioned is the golden jackal, which is the only jackal to live in the Middle East. Jerboa — This little animal, at least four species of which abide in Syria, is nowhere nominally mentioned in the Bible; it must, nevertheless, very probably be reckoned among the unclean animals indicated under the general name of mouse.

Kestrel — A slender falcon, most likely one of the species intended by , for it is very common in Israel. The remark of Job , strikingly points out the Tinnulus cenchris, one of the Israeli kestrels. Kid — See Kind — See Kine — See Kite — As suggested by the analogy with the Arabic, the black kite (Milvus migrans) is probably meant by Hebr. dã'ah or dáyyah (Leviticus ; Deuteronomy ; Isaiah ), 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. Other kinds of kites, in particular the Milvus regalis, are common in Israel.

Mildew — A word occurring a certain number of times in the D. V. as an equivalent for Hebrew, hãsîl, which probably means a kind of locust. 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), a blind burrowing rodent. Monkey — See Occurs in 1 Kings 10:22 (NKJV). Mosquito — See Moth — Is in the D. V. besides Is., xiv, 11, where it stands for rímmah, "worms", the common rendering for two words: 'ãsh (Job 4:19), and sãs (Isaiah 51:8), the exact meaning of the former is uncertain, whereas by the latter the clothes moth is meant. Mouflon — See 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. Mule — In spite of the enactment of the Law (Leviticus 19:19), the Israelites early in the course of their history possessed mules; these animals, in a hilly region such as the Holy Land, were for many purposes preferable to horses and stronger than asses; they were employed both for domestic and warlike use.

Night hawk — See .

Oryx — See Osprey (Hebr. עָזְנִיָּה ‘āzənîyāh) — The fishing eagle, which name probably signifies all the smaller eagles. Ossifrage — See Ostrich — Still occasionally found in the southeastern deserts of Israel, the ostrich, if we are to judge from the many mentions made of it, was well known among the Hebrews. The beauty of its plumage, its fleetness, its reputed stupidity, its leaving its eggs on the sand and hatching them by the sun's heat are repeatedly alluded to. Know in Hebrew as יָעֵן (ya‘ên) or as רֶנֶנִ֥ (rənān, "[bird of] piercing cries"). The word תַּחְמָס (taḥmās) may refer to a male ostrich, but is also conjectured as "owl" or "swallow." Owl — A generic name under which many species of nocturnal birds are designated, some having a proper name in the Hebrew (יַנְשׁוּף yanšōp̄, אֹחַ ’ōḥ, כּוֺס kōs), some others possessing none. Among the former we may mention the little owl (Athene noctua), the Egyptian eagle owl (Bubo ascalaphus), the great owl of some authors, called ibis in the D. V., the screech or hooting owl, probably the lîlîth (לִיִלית) of Isaiah 34, and the lamia of St. Jerome and the D. V.; the barn owl (Strix flammea), possibly corresponding to the תַּחְמָס (taḥmās) of the Hebrew and rendered by night hawk in the A. V.; and the qîppôz (קִפוֹז) of , as yet unidentified and sometimes translated "arrow snake" or "tree snake." Ox — See Ox, wild, Is., hi, 20, probably Antilope bubalis. See .

Palmerworm (Hebr., gãzãm) A general word for the locust, very likely in its larva state. Partridge — Partridges are mentioned three times in the Bible: , , and (in the Apocrypha). Francolins and sand partridges are found in the Holy Land. Peacock — A common translation of תֻּכִּיִּים (tukkiyyîm), mentioned in and as an import from Tarshish alongside apes (monkeys). The word is a hapax legomenon. The interpretation as "peacock" is based on similarity to Dravidian words such as Tamil தோகை (tōkai, "peacock tail"). In Modern Hebrew, תֻּכִּי refers to parrots. Pelican, D. V., (Vulgate: Psalm 101), for Hebr. qã'áth, in other places is rendered by bittern, for which it might be advantageously substituted. Pelicans are usually found about marshes (Isaiah ), and are in the habit of sitting for hours in sandy desolate places (Vulgate: Psalm 101); Soph., ii, 14] after they have gorged. Phoenix or chol might possibly be read instead of palmtree (Hebr. hôl) in Job , where the belief in its immortality seems referred to; however the sense adopted by D. V., after Vulgate and Septuagint, should not be slighted. Pigeon — See Plunger — See Porcupine — Believed by some, on account of a certain analogy of the Hebrew qîppõd with the Arabic name of this animal, to be spoken of in the Bible. See Porphyrion is in Vulgate and D. V. (Leviticus 11:18), the equivalent for the Hebrew, rãhãm, translated in the Septuagint as "swan"; in the Greek version, porphyrion stands for the Hebrew, tínshéméth, interpreted as "swan" in the Latin and English Bibles. The hypothesis that the Greek translators used a Hebrew text in which the two words rãhãm and tínshéméth stood contrariwise to their present order in the Massoretic text, might account for this difference. This hypothesis is all the more probable because in , porphyrion seems to be the Greek translation for rãhãm. Whatever this may be, whether the porphyrion, or purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio), or the Egyptian vulture, should be identified with the rãhãm remains uncertain. See Pygarg (Deuteronomy ) — This word, a mere adaptation from the Greek, means "white rumped", a character common to many species, though the antilope addax is possibly signified by the Hebrew word dîshõn.

Quail  (שְׂלָו śəlāw)— The description given ; ; (Vulgate: Psalm 77), and (Vulgate: Psalm 104), the references to their countless flocks, their low flying, their habit of alighting on land in the morning, together with the analogy of the Hebrew and Arabic names, make it certain that the common quail (Coturnix vulgaris) is intended.

Rabbit (Proverbs ) — A coney. See Ram — See Raven — The Bible includes under this generic name a certain number of birds having more or less resemblance with the raven, such as the magpie, the jay, the jackdaw, the starling, etc. The raven, eight species of which are found in Israel, is by far the most common of all the birds of that country, where it is with buzzards, vultures, dogs, jackals, and hyenas, an active scavenger. Its plumage is glossy black, and its habits are frequently alluded to in Bible, for instance feeding on carcasses, wandering for its precarious meals, picking out the eyes of the newly dropped or weakly animals, resorting to desolate places, etc. The raven, when no other food is nigh, not infrequently picks out grains freshly sown; hence its surname of seed picker, spermologos, which, later on became a synonym for ragamuffin. This name, applied to St. Paul by his sceptical listeners of Athens, has become, through a mistranslation, "word sower" in our Bibles (Acts ). Night raven, the equivalent in Psalm 102 (Vulgate: Psalm 101) verse 7, of the Hebrew word translated in , as screech owl, seems to mean the blue thrush (petrocynela cyanea), a well known solitary bird of the country, which is fond of sitting alone on a roof or a rock. Rhinoceros, , stands for Hebrew, re'em, and should consequently be rendered by aurochs. Ringtail — So D. V., , translates rã'ah, possibly substituted by a scribe's error for dã'ah, and very likely meaning the black kite (milvus migrans). Rooster, See – alektór

Satyr — So is the Hebrew sã'îr rendered , and , by R. V. (D. V.: "hairy one"). The same word in , and , is translated "devils" in all English Bibles. Sã'îr usually signifies the he goat. In the latter passages this sense is clearly inapplicable; it seems hardly applicable in the former. The writers of Leviticus, and 2 Paralipomenon possibly intended some representation of the same description as the goat headed figures of the Egyptian Pantheon. Concerning the sã'îr mentioned in Isaias, no satisfactory explanation has as yet been given. Scarlet — See
Scorpion — Very common in all hot, dry, stony places; is taken as an emblem of the wicked. Sea gull — Its different kinds are probably signified by the word translated larus. See Seal — See Sea monster, , probably means such animals as the whale, porpoise, dugong, etc. Serpent — A generic term whereby all ophidia are designated; ten names of different species of snakes are given in the Bible. Shrew — So does D. V. translate the Hebr. 'anãqah, which however means rather some kind of lizard, probably the gecko. Siren, , a translation for Hebrew tán, which, indicates an animal dwelling in ruins, and may generally be rendered by jackal. No other resemblance than a verbal one should be sought between this tán and the fabulous being, famous by its allurements, called Siren by the ancient poets. Snail should be read instead of wax in (Vulgate: Psalm 57), to translate the Hebrew shábelûl. Unlike the snails of northern climates which hibernate, those of Israel sleep in summer. The Psalmist alludes "to the fact that very commonly, when they have secured themselves in some chink of the rocks for their summer sleep, they are still exposed to the sun rays, which gradually evaporate and dry up the whole of the body, till the animal is shrivelled to a thread, and, as it were, melted away" (Tristram). Sparrow — The Hebrew word çíppôr, found over 40 times, is a general name for all small passerine birds, of which there exist about 150 species in the Holy Land. Species — There is no recognition of classification by, or distinction according to, species in the Bible. Spider — An arachnid living by millions in Israel, where several hundred species have been distinguished. Its web affords a most popular illustration for frail and ephemeral undertakings (Job ; Isaiah ); in three passages, however, the translators seem to have wrongly written spider for moth ( (Vulgate: Psalm 38)), sigh ( (Vulgate: Psalm 89), and pieces (Hosea ). Sponge  The Greek word σπόγγος. The reference is to an object which may or may not refer to the animal, or another object being used as a sponge to hold a liquid. In Matthew 27:48, Mark 15:36, John 19:29. Stork — The Hebrew word hasîdhah, erroneously rendered "heron" by the Douay translators, Lev. 11:19, alludes to the well known affection of the stork for its young. Several passages have reference to this bird, its periodical migrations (Jeremiah ), its nesting in fir trees, its black pinions stretching from its white body (Zechariah ; D. V., kite; but the stork, hasîdhah, is mentioned in the Hebrew text). Two kinds, the white and the black stork, live in Israel during the winter. Swallow — Two words are so rendered: derôr, "the swift flyer", which means the chimney swallow and other species akin to it (Vulgate: Psalm 83); D. V., turtle; ; D. V., sparrow], whereas sûs or sîs may be translated as "swift", this bird being probably intended in , and Swan — Mentioned only in the list of unclean birds (Leviticus 11:18; Deuteronomy ). The swan having always been very rare in Syria, there was little need of forbidding to eat its flesh; by the Hebrew tínshéméth, some other bird might possibly be designated. Swine — The most abhorred of all animals among the Jews; hence the swineherd's was the most degrading employment (Luke ; cf. Matthew ). Swine are very seldom kept in Israel.

tachash (תַּחַשׁ tāḥaš), mentioned in the Bible, its hide was used as the top most covering of the tabernacle. Tiger, Job (Hebr., לַיִשׁ láyísh), should be "lion". Turtle — See .

Urchin, Soph., ii, 14. See .

Viper — See Vulture — So does D. V. render the Hebrew, אַיָּה ‘áyyah, ; ; Job, 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 in the D. V.; the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus), the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), etc. In the biblical parlance vultures are often termed eagles.

Waterhen — See Weasel, , must be regarded as a general name, probably designating, besides the weasel proper, the polecat and ichneumon, all very common in the Holy Land. Whale — "And God created great whales " ( A. V.) Hebrew Tânnîn can also be translated as "sea monster"; porpoises and dugongs were also known to the Hebrews. In , Jesus compared his own burial to Jonah's entombment in the forestomach of a whale. The description of Benjamin as a "ravening wolf," originating in Jacob's Blessing from Genesis, may also refer to the Tribe's historic jurisdiction over the Temple in Jerusalem, in which animal sacrifices were devoured by flame. In the Book of Yeshayahu (Isaiah) (11:6), the prophet predicts that in the Messianic Age, "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb " Wolves are frequently mentioned in the New Testament as a special foe to flocks (; 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 modern Holy Land is home to at least 180 250 Indian and Arabian wolves, which are protected in Israel. See:
Worm — In English the translation for two Hebrew words: rímmah (; ; Job , A. V.); and tólá' (Exodus , etc. ); these two Hebrew words are general; the former designates particularly all living organisms generated and swarming in decaying or rotten substances; the latter includes not only worms, but also such insects as caterpillars, centipedes, etc.