In the Bible, owls are often associated with desolation and uninhabited places. These nocturnal birds are mentioned in several passages, symbolizing loneliness and abandonment. The Hebrew word often translated as "owl" can refer to various species of owls, and sometimes to other birds of prey or night creatures.

One of the most notable references to owls is found in the book of Isaiah, where the prophet describes the desolation of Edom: "The desert owl and screech owl will possess it; 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 desolation" (Isaiah 34:11). Here, owls are depicted as inhabitants of a land laid waste by divine judgment, emphasizing the complete and utter desolation that has befallen the area.

In Leviticus, owls are listed among the unclean birds that the Israelites were forbidden to eat: "These are the birds you are to detest and not eat because they are detestable: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, any kind of black kite, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk" (Leviticus 11:13-16). This classification underscores the owl's association with impurity and its role as a creature of the night.

The imagery of owls is also used in the Psalms to express deep sorrow and isolation. In Psalm 102, the psalmist laments, "I am like an owl of the desert, like an owl among the ruins" (Psalm 102:6). This metaphor conveys a sense of profound loneliness and abandonment, as the psalmist feels cut off from community and comfort.

Swamplands

Swamplands, or marshes, are mentioned in the Bible as places of stagnation and unproductiveness. These areas are often depicted as inhospitable and undesirable, contrasting with the fertile and life-giving lands that are blessed by God.

In Ezekiel's vision of the restored land, swamps and marshes are portrayed as areas that will not be healed by the life-giving waters flowing from the temple: "But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt" (Ezekiel 47:11). This passage highlights the distinction between the life-giving power of God's presence and the stagnant, unproductive nature of swamplands. The swamps remain salty and unhealed, symbolizing areas that are outside the reach of divine restoration.

Swamplands are also mentioned in the context of judgment and desolation. In Isaiah, the prophet speaks of the transformation of fertile land into a wasteland: "Thorns will grow over her citadels, nettles and brambles in her fortresses. She will become a haunt for jackals, a dwelling for ostriches. The desert creatures will meet with hyenas, and one wild goat will call to another; there the night creature will settle and find her place of repose" (Isaiah 34:13-14). While not explicitly mentioning swamps, the imagery of overgrown and desolate places evokes the idea of land that has become inhospitable and forsaken.

In the biblical narrative, swamplands serve as a metaphor for spiritual barrenness and the consequences of turning away from God. They remind the faithful of the importance of remaining connected to the source of life and blessing, avoiding the stagnation that comes from spiritual neglect.