Biblical References:

Bats are mentioned in the Bible primarily in the context of dietary laws and as symbols of uncleanness. In the Old Testament, they are listed among the creatures that the Israelites were forbidden to eat. The relevant passages are found in Leviticus and Deuteronomy:

· Leviticus 11:19 : "the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat."
· Deuteronomy 14:18 : "the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat."

In these passages, bats are grouped with birds, which reflects the ancient classification system that categorized flying creatures together, regardless of their biological differences. The prohibition against eating bats is part of the broader dietary laws given to the Israelites, which distinguished between clean and unclean animals. These laws were intended to set the Israelites apart from other nations and to promote holiness and obedience to God's commands.

Symbolism and Cultural Context:

In biblical symbolism, bats are often associated with darkness and desolation. This is due to their nocturnal nature and their habitation in caves and other dark places. In Isaiah, bats are mentioned in a prophetic context, symbolizing the casting away of idols:

· Isaiah 2:20 : "In that day men will cast away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and gold, the idols they made to worship."

This imagery underscores the futility and worthlessness of idol worship, as the idols are discarded in places associated with creatures that dwell in darkness. The use of bats in this context highlights the contrast between the light of God's truth and the darkness of idolatry.

Natural History:

Bats are the only mammals capable of sustained flight, and they are found in various regions throughout the world, including the Middle East. They are nocturnal creatures, using echolocation to navigate and hunt for insects. In ancient times, their mysterious and elusive nature may have contributed to their association with uncleanliness and darkness.

Theological Implications:

From a theological perspective, the inclusion of bats in the list of unclean animals serves as a reminder of the importance of obedience to God's laws. The dietary restrictions in the Old Testament were not merely about physical health but were deeply connected to spiritual purity and the covenant relationship between God and His people. By adhering to these laws, the Israelites demonstrated their commitment to living according to God's standards.

In summary, bats in the Bible are primarily associated with uncleanness and darkness, serving as a symbol of the rejection of idolatry and the call to holiness. Their mention in the dietary laws underscores the broader theme of separation and sanctification that is central to the Old Testament covenant.1213. Batsluth -- "stripping," an Israelite
... 1212, 1213. Batsluth. 1214 . "stripping," an Israelite. Transliteration: Batsluth
Phonetic Spelling: (bats-looth') Short Definition: Bazlith. ...
/hebrew/1213.htm - 6k

7257. rabats -- stretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched out
... 7256, 7257. rabats. 7258 . stretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched out.
Transliteration: rabats Phonetic Spelling: (raw-bats') Short Definition: down. ...
/hebrew/7257.htm - 6k

8339. Sheshbatstsar -- a prince of Judah
... 8338, 8339. Sheshbatstsar. 8340 . a prince of Judah. Transliteration:
Sheshbatstsar Phonetic Spelling: (shaysh-bats-tsar') Short Definition: Sheshbazzar. ...
/hebrew/8339.htm - 6k

1226. batstsoreth -- a dearth
... 1225, 1226. batstsoreth. 1227 . a dearth. Transliteration: batstsoreth
Phonetic Spelling: (bats-tso'-reth) Short Definition: drought. ...
/hebrew/1226.htm - 6k

6908. qabats -- to gather, collect
... 6907, 6908. qabats. 6909 . to gather, collect. Transliteration: qabats Phonetic
Spelling: (kaw-bats') Short Definition: gather. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/6908.htm - 6k

8340. Sheshbatstsar -- a prince of Judah
... 8339, 8340. Sheshbatstsar. 8341 . a prince of Judah. Transliteration:
Sheshbatstsar Phonetic Spelling: (shaysh-bats-tsar') Short Definition: Sheshbazzar. ...
/hebrew/8340.htm - 6k

7660. shabats -- probably to weave in checker (or plaited) work
... 7659, 7660. shabats. 7661 . probably to weave in checker (or plaited) work.
Transliteration: shabats Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-bats') Short Definition: set. ...
/hebrew/7660.htm - 6k

5847. atalleph -- a bat
... Word Origin of uncertain derivation Definition a bat NASB Word Usage bat (2), bats
(1). bat. Of uncertain derivation; a bat -- bat. 5846, 5847. ...
/hebrew/5847.htm - 5k

Soul-Rest.
... VAMPIRES AND BATS. It is wonderful how elusive rest is. You may search for
it all your days and grow gray and haggard, and sit down ...
//christianbookshelf.org/rees/the heart-cry of jesus/chapter viii soul-rest.htm

On the Animals
... [Matt.23:37]. Bats are considered portents of the idols of darkness; in
the prophet: that you may love moles and bats. [Is.2:20]. ...
/.../eucherius/the formulae of st eucherius of lyons/iv on the animals.htm

The Creation of Fowl and Water Animals.
... Some, as eagles, have been called Schizoptera, others Dermoptera, as the bats, others
Ptilota, as wasps, others Coleoptera, as beetles and all those insects ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/homily viii the creation of.htm

Monos
... Birds we fancied them at first, of the colour and size of starlings; but they proved
to be bats, and bats, too, which have the reputation of catching fish. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter vi monos.htm

Christ is All
... While other religions have sunk into the darkness of the past, and the idols have
been cast to the moles and to the bats, the name of Jesus is still mighty ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 61 1915/christ is all.htm

Prov. 22:06 the Duties of Parents
... They will be quick sighted as eagles in detecting mistakes abroad, and yet blind
as bats to fatal errors which are daily going on at home. ...
/.../the upper room being a few truths for the times/chapter xvi prov 22 6 the.htm

The Prince Returns
... Since the scourge of war had passed over Palestine, there were scores of such hovels,
vacant and abandoned to the bats and the small wild life about the ...
/.../miller/the city of delight/chapter xii the prince returns.htm

The Schoolboy of Madaura
... Little asses, turned loose, save themselves at a gallop towards the tents of the
nomads, spread out, black and hairy, like immense bats on the whiteness of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bertrand/saint augustin/v the schoolboy of madaura.htm

Empedocles Increased the Absurdity of Pythagoras by Developing the ...
... Then opposed to light are those things which are either wholly blind, or possess
eyes for the darkness only, such as moles, bats, and owls. ...
/.../a treatise on the soul/chapter xxxii empedocles increased the absurdity.htm

'He is Beside Himself'
... And wherever you get men smitten with such, or with anything like it, you will find
all the low-aimed people gathering round them like bats round a torch in a ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/he is beside himself.htm

Bats (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Bats (1 Occurrence). Isaiah 2:20 In that day,
men shall cast away their idols of silver, and their idols ...
/b/bats.htm - 6k

Bat (2 Occurrences)
... To cast idols to the "moles and to the bats" means to carry them into dark caverns
or desolate places to which these animals resort (Isaiah 2:20), ie, to ...
/b/bat.htm - 10k

Vampire
... 3. (n.) Either one of two or more species of South American blood-sucking
bats belonging to the genera Desmodus and Diphylla. These ...
/v/vampire.htm - 7k

Battalion (6 Occurrences)

/b/battalion.htm - 8k

Mole (2 Occurrences)
... to the moles and to the bats," chaphar-peroth, variously written as one word or
two, is translated "moles" in English Versions of the Bible, but has given rise ...
/m/mole.htm - 12k

Moles (1 Occurrence)
... day, men shall cast away their idols of silver, and their idols of gold, which have
been made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats; (WEB KJV ...
/m/moles.htm - 6k

Makebates
... mik'-bats: This is the plural of the word makebate, which means "one who stirs up
strife." It occurs only in the King James Version margin of 2 Timothy 3:3 and ...
/m/makebates.htm - 6k

Batos (1 Occurrence)

/b/batos.htm - 6k

Cricket (2 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) A game much played in England, and sometimes in America, with a ball, bats,
and wickets, the players being arranged in two contesting parties or sides. ...
/c/cricket.htm - 7k

Cat
... In Baruch 6:22 cats are mentioned with "bats, swallows and birds" as sitting with
impunity on the images of the heathen gods which are unable to drive them off ...
/c/cat.htm - 8k

Is it true that fear is a liar? | GotQuestions.org

What can we learn from church softball? | GotQuestions.org

Bats: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus