Swine, commonly referred to as pigs, hold a significant place in biblical texts, symbolizing both physical and spiritual concepts. In the Bible, swine are often associated with uncleanness and are mentioned in various contexts, primarily within the Old and New Testaments.

Old Testament References

In the Mosaic Law, swine are classified as unclean animals. Leviticus 11:7-8 states, "And the pig, though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you." This prohibition is reiterated in Deuteronomy 14:8, emphasizing the importance of ritual purity and obedience to God's commandments for the Israelites.

The prohibition against consuming swine is part of the broader dietary laws given to the Israelites, which served to set them apart from surrounding nations and to instill a sense of holiness and discipline. The swine's designation as unclean is symbolic of the separation between the holy and the profane.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, swine are mentioned in several key passages, often illustrating spiritual truths. One of the most notable references is found in the account of Jesus casting demons into a herd of pigs. In Mark 5:11-13 , it is recorded, "There on the nearby hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding. So the demons begged Jesus, 'Send us to the pigs, so that we may enter them.' He gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs. And the herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the water." This event underscores the authority of Jesus over evil spirits and the destructive nature of demonic forces.

Another significant mention of swine is found in the teachings of Jesus. In Matthew 7:6 , He warns, "Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces." Here, swine symbolize those who are unable or unwilling to appreciate the value of spiritual truths, highlighting the need for discernment in sharing the gospel.

Cultural and Symbolic Significance

In biblical times, swine were often associated with Gentile practices and pagan rituals, as pigs were commonly used in sacrifices to foreign gods. This cultural context further reinforced the Jewish aversion to swine and their meat. The symbolic use of swine in Scripture often conveys themes of impurity, moral corruption, and the rejection of divine wisdom.

Theological Implications

The biblical portrayal of swine serves as a reminder of the call to holiness and the importance of distinguishing between the clean and unclean, both physically and spiritually. For Christians, the New Testament teachings on swine emphasize the transformative power of Christ and the need for spiritual discernment in a world that often rejects the sacred.

In summary, swine in the Bible are emblematic of uncleanness and spiritual ignorance, serving as a powerful metaphor for the believer's journey towards holiness and understanding.(Hebrews hazir), regarded as the most unclean and the most abhorred of all animals (Leviticus 11:7; Isaiah 65:4; 66:3, 17; Luke 15:15, 16). A herd of swine were drowned in the Sea of Galilee (Luke 8:32, 33). Spoken of figuratively in Matthew 7:6 (see Proverbs 11:22). It is frequently mentioned as a wild animal, and is evidently the wild boar (Arab. khanzir), which is common among the marshes of the Jordan valley (Psalm 80:13). (n.) Any animal of the hog kind, especially one of the domestical species. Swine secrete a large amount of subcutaneous fat, which, when extracted, is known as lard. The male is specifically called boar, the female, sow, and the young, pig. See Hog.SWINE

swin (chazir; compare Arabic khinzir; hus, Septuagint and New Testament; compare Greek sus, and Latin sus; adjective hueios, as a substantive, the Septuagint; choiros, Septuagint and New Testament): In both ancient and modern times domestic swine have been little kept in Palestine, but wild swine are well known as inhabitants of the thickets of the Chuleh, the Jordan valley, the Dead Sea, and some of the mountains. The species is Susanna scrofa, the wild pig of Europe, North Africa and Western Asia.

In the Old Testament the swine is mentioned in Leviticus 11:7 and Deuteronomy 14:8 as an unclean animal: "And the swine, because he parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, but cheweth not the cud, he is unclean unto you." In Isaiah 65:4 and 66:3, 17 the eating of swine's flesh and the offering of oblations of swine's blood are referred to as abominations. Septuagint also refers to swine in three passages where these animals are not mentioned in the Hebrew and EV. In 2 Samuel 17:8 where English Versions of the Bible has "as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field," Septuagint adds (translation) "and as a savage boar in the plain." In 1 Kings 21:19 Septuagint 20:19), where English Versions of the Bible has "in the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth," Septuagint has "where the swine and the dogs licked"; similarly in 1 Kings 22:38. In 1 Maccabees 1:47 there is reference to a decree of Antiochus ordering the sacrifice of swine. In 2 Maccabees 6 and 7 there are accounts of the torture and death of Eleazar, an aged scribe, and of a mother and her seven sons for refusing to taste swine's flesh. Swine, the property of Gentiles, are mentioned in the account of the Gadarene demoniac (Matthew 8:30, 31, 32 Mark 5:11, 12, 13, 14, 16 Luke 8:32, 33), and in the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:15, 16).

Figurative: We find the following figurative references to swine:

"The boar out of the wood doth ravage it,

And the wild beasts of the field feed on it" (i.e. on the "vine out of Egypt") (Psalm 80:13);

"As a ring of gold in a swine's snout,

So is a fair woman that is without discretion"

(Proverbs 11:22);

"The Carmonians (the King James Version Carmanians, perhaps of Kirman or Carmania, in Southwestern Persia) raging in wrath shall go forth as the wild boars of the wood"

(2 Esdras 15:30);

"The dog turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire"

(2 Peter 2:22; compare Proverbs 26:11).

Alfred Ely Day

5519. choiros -- a swine
... a swine. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: choiros Phonetic Spelling:
(khoy'-ros) Short Definition: swine Definition: a swine, hog, sow. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5519.htm - 6k

5300. hus -- a hog
... Word Origin a prim. word Definition a hog NASB Word Usage sow (1). sow. Apparently
a primary word; a hog ("swine") -- sow. (us) -- 1 Occurrence. 5299, 5300. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5300.htm - 6k

2386. chazir -- swine, boar
... 2385, 2386. chazir. 2387 . swine, boar. Transliteration: chazir Phonetic
Spelling: (khaz-eer') Short Definition: swine's. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/2386.htm - 5k

Pearls Before Swine.
... Book III. Chapter I."Pearls Before Swine. Meantime Peter, rising at the
crowing of the cock, and wishing to rouse us, found us ...
/.../unknown/recognitions of clement /chapter i pearls before swine.htm

But Neither do the Jews Pride Themselves Upon Abstaining from ...
... Chapter XLIX. But neither do the Jews pride themselves upon abstaining from
swine's flesh? But neither do the Jews pride themselves ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter xlix but neither do.htm

Concerning St. Hilarion and the virgins in Heliopolis who were ...
... Book V. Chapter X."Concerning St. Hilarion and the Virgins in Heliopolis who were
destroyed by Swine. Strange Martyrdom of Mark, Bishop of Arethusa. ...
/.../chapter x concerning st hilarion and.htm

Extracts from the Work on Things Created.
... The passage, "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls
before swine," [2968] is explained by Origen as signifying that the pearls ...
/.../methodius/the writings of methodius fragments/extracts from the work on.htm

How Brother Juniper Cut Off the Foot of a Pig to Give it to a Sick ...
... to me; thou shalt have one at once." So he went and took a knife from the kitchen,
and in fervour of spirit went into the forest, where many swine were feeding ...
/.../the little flowers of st francis of assisi/chapter i how brother juniper.htm

Chapter xx.
... were to conceal them altogether and always, He very rightly adds: "Give not that
which is holy to the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/our lords sermon on the mount/chapter xx 2.htm

Lord of Life and Love
... Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. ...
"Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.". ...
/.../mark/jesus of nazareth a biography/chapter v lord of life.htm

Nothing but Leaves
... The only other instance at which I hinted just now was the permission given to the
devils to enter into the swine, and the whole herd ran violently down a ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/nothing but leaves.htm

Spiritual Significance of the Precepts of Moses Respecting ...
... Now, wherefore did Moses say, "Thou shalt not eat the swine, nor the eagle, nor
the hawk, nor the raven, nor any fish which is not possessed of scales?" [1575 ...
/.../barnabas/the epistle of barnabas /chapter x spiritual significance of the.htm

Hell on Earth
... devils, and of his language to our Lord, of our Lord's casting the devils out of
the poor sufferer, and His allowing them to enter into a herd of swine, is one ...
/.../kingsley/twenty-five village sermons/sermon ix hell on earth.htm

Swine (15 Occurrences)
... A herd of swine were drowned in the Sea of Galilee (Luke 8:32, 33). ...Swine secrete
a large amount of subcutaneous fat, which, when extracted, is known as lard. ...
/s/swine.htm - 15k

Swine's (3 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Swine's (3 Occurrences). Proverbs 11:22 As a jewel of
gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion. ...
/s/swine's.htm - 7k

Boar (1 Occurrence)
... Occurs only in Psalm 80:13. The same Hebrew word is elsewhere rendered "swine"
(Leviticus 11:7; Deuteronomy 14:8; Proverbs 11:22; Isaiah 65:4; 66:3, 17). ...
/b/boar.htm - 8k

Violently (92 Occurrences)
... And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the
whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished ...
/v/violently.htm - 35k

Ran (100 Occurrences)
... And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the
whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished ...
/r/ran.htm - 35k

Besought (57 Occurrences)
... Besought (57 Occurrences). Matthew 8:31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou
cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. (KJV ASV DBY WBS). ...
/b/besought.htm - 23k

Forth (1639 Occurrences)
... (ASV YLT). Matthew 8:31 and the demons were calling on him, saying, 'If thou dost
cast us forth, permit us to go away to the herd of the swine;' (YLT). ...
/f/forth.htm - 36k

Waters (386 Occurrences)
... And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the
whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished ...
/w/waters.htm - 42k

Fain (6 Occurrences)
... 2) in Luke 15:16, as the translation of epithumeo, "to fix the mind or desire on,"
"He would fain have filled his belly with the husks which the swine did eat ...
/f/fain.htm - 9k

Root (54 Occurrences)
... 1. (vi) To turn up the earth with the snout, as swine. ... 3. (vt) To turn up
or to dig out with the snout; as, the swine roots the earth. ...
/r/root.htm - 28k

What did Jesus mean when He said to not cast your pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6)? | GotQuestions.org

Why did the Old Testament Law command against the eating of pork? | GotQuestions.org

Why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the herd of pigs? | GotQuestions.org

Swine: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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