Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  4000 Creation  »  4600 Living beings  »  4630 dog

Although used by shepherds and occasionally kept as pets, in Bible times most dogs were semi-wild scavengers.

The animal

Exodus 11:7; Judges 7:5; Job 30:1

Dogs as scavengers

Exodus 22:31; 1 Kings 14:11; Kings 16:4; Kings 21:19,23; Kings 22:38; 2 Kings 9:10,36; Psalm 59:6,14; Psalm 68:23

Dogs as dangerous and bloodthirsty

Jeremiah 15:3; Psalm 22:16,20; 2 Peter 2:22

Dogs in the teaching of Jesus Christ

Matthew 7:6; Matthew 15:26-27 pp Mark 7:27-28 See also Luke 16:21

Dogs in proverbs

Proverbs 26:11,17; Ecclesiastes 9:4

Dogs used as a term of abuse or low esteem

1 Samuel 17:43; Samuel 24:14; 2 Samuel 9:8; Samuel 16:9; 2 Kings 8:13; Isaiah 56:10-11; Philippians 3:2; Revelation 22:15

See also

4604  animals
7512  Gentiles, in NT