The hedgehog is a small, spiny mammal that is mentioned in some translations of the Bible, although its identification is subject to scholarly debate. In the context of the Bible, the hedgehog is often associated with desolation and wilderness, symbolizing desolate places and ruin.

Biblical References:

The hedgehog is mentioned in the prophetic books of Isaiah and Zephaniah, where it is used to depict the desolation that will come upon certain lands as a result of divine judgment.

1. Isaiah 14:23 : "I will make her a place for owls and swamplands; I will sweep her away with the broom of destruction," declares the LORD of Hosts. In some translations, the term "hedgehog" is used instead of "owls," indicating a creature that inhabits desolate and abandoned places.

2. Isaiah 34:11 : "The desert owl and screech owl will possess it, and 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." Again, some translations use "hedgehog" in place of "owl," emphasizing the theme of desolation.

3. Zephaniah 2:14 : "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." The hedgehog is sometimes mentioned in this context as a symbol of the complete abandonment and ruin of the city.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

In these passages, the hedgehog is used symbolically to represent desolation and the aftermath of divine judgment. The presence of such creatures in a land signifies that it has been laid waste and is no longer inhabited by humans. This imagery serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of turning away from God and the inevitable judgment that follows.

Cultural and Historical Context:

The identification of the hedgehog in these passages is not without controversy. The Hebrew word "קִפּוֹד" (qippod) is often translated as "hedgehog," but it has also been rendered as "porcupine" or "owl" in various translations. The exact species referred to in the original Hebrew text is uncertain, and the translation may vary based on the context and the translator's interpretation.

In the ancient Near East, the hedgehog was known for its solitary and nocturnal habits, often found in deserted and uninhabited areas. This characteristic made it an apt symbol for the desolation described in the prophetic texts.

Theological Implications:

From a theological perspective, the mention of the hedgehog in these prophetic books underscores the seriousness of God's judgment against sin and rebellion. The imagery of a land inhabited by hedgehogs and other creatures of desolation serves as a stark warning to the people of Israel and the surrounding nations about the consequences of forsaking God's commandments.

The use of the hedgehog as a symbol of desolation also highlights the transformative power of God's judgment, where once-thriving cities and lands are reduced to wilderness, inhabited only by creatures that thrive in solitude and abandonment. This serves as a call to repentance and a reminder of the need to remain faithful to God's covenant.7090. qippod -- porcupine
qippod or qippod. 7089, 7090. qippod or qippod. 7091 . porcupine. Transliteration:
qippod or qippod Phonetic Spelling: (kip-pode') Short Definition: hedgehog ...
/hebrew/7090.htm - 6k

On the Words of the Gospel, Luke vii. 37, "And Behold, a Woman who ...
... One comes with supplication, a sinner covered over with thorns as a hedgehog,
and timid exceedingly as a hare. But the rock is the ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon xlix on the words.htm

Psalm CIV.
... what of the hedgehog? The hare is a small and weak animal: the hedgehog is also
prickly: the one is a timid animal, the other is covered with prickles. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm civ.htm

Of the Loving Recollection of the Soul in Contemplation.
... The Blessed Mother (S.) Teresa of Jesus says: "He who has written that the prayer
of recollection is made as when a hedgehog or tortoise draws itself within ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter vii of the loving.htm

Of the Perfection of Prayer to which we Can Rise by the System ...
... being content with his own simple condition endeavours simply to defend himself
from being spoiled by his foes, and becomes a sort of spiritual hedgehog and is ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter xi of the perfection.htm

The Tenth Commandment
... The hedgehog, in the fable, came to the cony-burrows, in stormy weather, and desired
harbour; but when once he had got entertainment, he set up his prickles ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 1 the tenth commandment.htm

On the Animals
... [Ps.103(104):18 Vulgate]. The hedgehog is as above; and the hedgehogs are
a weak nation, who make their homes among the rocks. The ...
/.../eucherius/the formulae of st eucherius of lyons/iv on the animals.htm

To Sister Eugenia, Her Niece at the Convent of Saint Agnes of ...
... Then, hold thy head bowed, and be as savage as a hedgehog. Keep in thy mind the
manners which that glorious virgin Saint Agnes made her daughters observe. ...
/.../benincasa/letters of catherine benincasa/to sister eugenia her niece.htm

The Creation of Terrestrial Animals.
... by common consent? Studious observers have remarked that the hedgehog makes
an opening at the two extremities of his hole. If the ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/homily ix the creation of.htm

Psalm LXXI.
... my refuge Thou art." For I will confess mine infirmity, to the end that I may be
timid like a "hare," because I am full of thorns like a "hedgehog." And as in ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxxi.htm

The Iranian Conquest
... Asha-vahista will condemn to hell the cruel man who has ill-treated the ox, or allowed
his flocks to suffer; and the killing of a hedgehog is no less severely ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm

Hedgehog (3 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 14:23 And I will make you a heritage for the hedgehog, and pools of ... Isaiah
34:11 And possess her do pelican and hedge-hog, And owl and raven dwell in her ...
/h/hedgehog.htm - 8k

Hedge-hog (2 Occurrences)
Hedge-hog. Hedgehog, Hedge-hog. Hedge-rows . Multi-Version Concordance
Hedge-hog (2 Occurrences). ... Hedgehog, Hedge-hog. Hedge-rows . Reference Bible.
/h/hedge-hog.htm - 7k

Porcupine (3 Occurrences)
... 34:11 Zephaniah 2:14) the King James Version "bittern," the Revised Version (British
and American) "porcupine"; Septuagint echinos "hedgehog"; qippoz (Isaiah 34 ...
/p/porcupine.htm - 11k

Serpent (40 Occurrences)
... The renderings "dart-snake" and "arrowsnake" rest on the authority of Bochert, but
Septuagint has echinos, "hedgehog," and Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390 ...
/s/serpent.htm - 46k

Vacancy (3 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 34:11 And possess her do pelican and hedge-hog, And owl and raven dwell in
her, And He hath stretched out over her A line of vacancy, and stones of ...
/v/vacancy.htm - 7k

Zoology
... For further notices of animals in the following list, see the articles referring
to them: Mammals: PRIMATES: Ape INSECTIVORA: Hedgehog. ...
/z/zoology.htm - 18k

Knobs (9 Occurrences)
... Zephaniah 2:14 And crouched in her midst have droves, Every beast of the nation,
Both pelican and hedge-hog in her knobs lodge, A voice doth sing at the window ...
/k/knobs.htm - 8k

Owl (11 Occurrences)
... Revised Version, "arrow-snake;" LXX. and Vulgate, "hedgehog," reading in
the text, kippod, instead of kippoz. There is no reason ...
/o/owl.htm - 18k

Owls (7 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 14:23 And I will make you a heritage for the hedgehog, and pools of water:
and I will go through it with the brush of destruction, says the Lord of ...
/o/owls.htm - 8k

Goat (92 Occurrences)
... before them like two little flocks of kids." Next, frequently used is sa`ir, literally,
"hairy" (compare Arabic sha`r, "hair"; cher, "hedgehog"; Latin hircus ...
/g/goat.htm - 48k

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