Dictionary of Bible Themes » 4000 Creation » 4600 Living beings » 4690 wings
Limbs which enable flight. In Scripture these are mainly used either of angelic beings or in various symbolic senses, especially of God's protection.
Wings of birds or insects
Genesis 7:14; Leviticus 1:17; Job 39:13,26; Isaiah 18:1
Clean and unclean winged creatures
Leviticus 11:13-25; Deuteronomy 14:11-20; Acts 10:12-15
Wings of angelic beings
Cherubim
Exodus 25:20 See also Exodus 37:9; 1 Kings 8:6-7 pp 2 Chronicles 5:7-8; 1 Chronicles 28:18; 2 Chronicles 3:11-13; Ezekiel 1:5-25; Ezekiel 3:13; Ezekiel 10:5-22
Other angelic beings
Isaiah 6:2 See also Isaiah 6:6; Revelation 4:8
Wings as a metaphor of protection
Birds protect their young
Deuteronomy 32:11; Isaiah 34:15; Matthew 23:37 pp Luke 13:34
God's protection likened to a bird's wings
Psalm 91:4 See also Exodus 19:4; Ruth 2:12; Psalm 17:8; Psalm 36:7; Psalm 57:1; Psalm 61:4; Psalm 63:7; Isaiah 31:5
Egypt's protection likened to an eagle's wings
Ezekiel 17:7 Zedekiah's fruitless appeal to Egypt for help against Babylon
Wings as a metaphor for God's judgment
Judgment on Israel
Deuteronomy 28:49 See also Isaiah 8:7-8; Ezekiel 17:3-4; Hosea 8:1; Habakkuk 1:8; Zechariah 5:9
Judgment on others
Jeremiah 48:40; Jeremiah 49:22; Revelation 9:9
Other figurative uses of wings
God rides on the wings of the wind
2 Samuel 22:11 pp Psalm 18:10 See also Psalm 104:3
God renews his people's strength
Isaiah 40:31
Israel described as a winged bird
See also Psalm 68:13; Isaiah 10:14
Wings symbolise the ability to escape
Psalm 55:6 See also Revelation 12:14
Wings symbolise instability
Proverbs 23:5 See also Ecclesiastes 10:20
Wings symbolise strength
Daniel 7:6 See also Daniel 7:4
Wings of the dawn
Psalm 139:9
Wings of the sun
Malachi 4:2 God is likened to the rays of the sun.
See also
4110 angels 4150 cherubim 4180 seraphim 4612 birds 4660 insects 4860 wind 5126 arm 5480 protection 7306 ark of the covenant 7340 clean and unclean 7396 Most Holy Place 9210 judgment, God's
