The boar, a wild pig, is mentioned in the Bible primarily in the context of its destructive nature. In the ancient Near East, the boar was known for its strength and ferocity, often symbolizing chaos and devastation. The Hebrew word for boar is "חֲזִיר" (chazir), and it appears in the Old Testament in a metaphorical sense.

Biblical References:

1. Psalm 80:13 : "The boar from the forest ravages it, and the creatures of the field feed upon it." This verse is part of a lamentation by Asaph, where Israel is depicted as a vine brought out of Egypt and planted by God. The boar from the forest represents foreign invaders or destructive forces that threaten the well-being and prosperity of Israel. The imagery of the boar ravaging the vine underscores the severity of the threat and the need for divine intervention.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

In biblical literature, the boar is often associated with destruction and impurity. The wild boar's behavior of rooting and tearing up the ground makes it a fitting symbol for forces that disrupt and destroy. In the context of Psalm 80, the boar's destructive actions serve as a metaphor for the enemies of Israel who seek to uproot and devastate the nation.

The boar's mention in the Bible also reflects the cultural and religious views of the Israelites. Pigs, including boars, were considered unclean animals according to Levitical law (Leviticus 11:7), and their presence in a metaphorical sense would evoke notions of impurity and defilement. This unclean status further amplifies the negative connotations associated with the boar in biblical texts.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In the ancient Near East, wild boars were common in the forests and thickets, and they posed a real threat to agriculture and human settlements. Their presence in the biblical narrative would have been understood by the original audience as a symbol of untamed and destructive power. The boar's reputation for being difficult to domesticate and its aggressive nature made it a fitting representation of chaos and opposition to divine order.

Theological Implications:

The use of the boar as a metaphor in Scripture highlights the theme of divine protection and the need for God's intervention against overwhelming and destructive forces. The imagery calls the faithful to rely on God's strength and deliverance in times of trouble, recognizing that human efforts alone are insufficient against such formidable adversaries.

In summary, the boar in the Bible serves as a powerful symbol of destruction and impurity, reflecting the cultural and religious context of the ancient Israelites. Its mention in Scripture underscores the need for divine protection and the hope for restoration amidst chaos and devastation.Boar

[SWINE]

Boar

The wild boar is considered as the parent stock of the common hog. He is a furious and formidable animal. The tusks are larger and stronger than in the tame herds, the color is iron-grey, inclining to black. His snout is long, and his ears are short. At present wild boars frequent the marshes around the upper Jordan, and have been found on Mount Carmel, and in large herds near the sea of Tiberias. They were frequent in the time of the Crusades. Richard Coeur de Lion encountered one, ran him through with a lace, and while the animal was still endeavoring to gore his horse, leaped over him, and slew him with his sword. The destructive ravages of the animal are referred to in Psalm 80:13.

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). The Hebrews abhorred swine's flesh, and accordingly none of these animals were reared, except in the district beyond the Sea of Galilee. In the psalm quoted above the powers that destroyed the Jewish nation are compared to wild boars and wild beasts of the field. (n.) The uncastrated male of swine; specifically, the wild hog.BOAR

bor (chazir): In lamenting the troubled state of the Jewish nation the Psalmist (Psalm 80:13) says: "The boar out of the wood doth ravage it, and the wild beasts of the field feed on it," with evident reference to Israel's enemies, the Assyrians, etc. The wild boar is abundant in certain parts of Palestine and Syria, especially in the thickets which border the lakes and rivers, as about the Chuleh, the sea of Galilee, the Jordan, and in the deltas of streams flowing into the Dead Sea, as Ghaur-us-Cafiyeh. Several fountains in Lebanon bear the name, `Ain-ul-Chazir, though chazir is not an Arabic word, khanzir being the Arabic for "swine."

See SWINE.

Alfred Ely Day

THREE CHILDREN, SONG OF THE

See SONG OF THE THREE CHILDREN.

5300. hus -- a hog
... a hog. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: hus Phonetic Spelling: (hoos)
Short Definition: a hog, boar, or sow Definition: a hog, boar, or sow. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5300.htm - 6k2386. chazir -- swine, boar
... 2385, 2386. chazir. 2387 . swine, boar. Transliteration: chazir Phonetic
Spelling: (khaz-eer') Short Definition: swine's. ... boar, swine. ...
/hebrew/2386.htm - 5k

The Adventures of Saint James of Spain.
... Away scoured the Knight and his Squire over the plain till they reached a forest,
in the confines of which they beheld a monstrous wild boar, devouring the ...
/.../kingston/the seven champions of christendom/chapter six the adventures of.htm

Psalm LXXX.
... a time. 8. "There hath laid her waste the boar from the wood" (ver.13).
In the boar from the wood what do we understand? To the ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxxx.htm

Argument. From the Prison they are Led Forth with Joy into the ...
... Therefore, when a wild boar was supplied, it was the huntsman rather who had supplied
that boar who was gored by that same beast, and died the day after the ...
/.../chapter vi argument from the prison.htm

"Being Accustomed to Eat Fish at the Time of Easter...
... to which some poet gave utterance (for we use a learned verse, inasmuch as we are
conversing with learned people)"And brought his captive boar [135] to ...
/.../life and writings of sulpitius severus /chapter x being accustomed to.htm

My Brother Eusebius Writes to Me That, when He was at a Meeting of ...
... I am the householder who finds that while he slept the enemy has sown tares among
his wheat. "The wild boar out of the wood has rooted up my vineyard, and the ...
/.../24 my brother eusebius writes.htm

On the Animals
... wolf. [Matt.7:15; Gen.49:27]. The boar is the devil; in the psalm: the boar
has driven him from the forest. [Ps.79(80):14(13)]. The ...
/.../eucherius/the formulae of st eucherius of lyons/iv on the animals.htm

Croesus.
... displeased with Solon."Solon treated with neglect."The two sons of Croesus."The
king's dream."Arrival of Adrastus."The wild boar."Precautions of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/cyrus the great/chapter iv croesus.htm

The visit to Media.
... with his attendants."Pursuit of a stag."Cyrus's danger."Cyrus's recklessness."
He is reproved by his companions."Cyrus kills a wild boar."He is ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/cyrus the great/chapter iii the visit to.htm

Period iv. The Age of the Consolidation of the Church: 200 to 324 ...
... Therefore, when a wild boar was supplied, it was the huntsman who had supplied that
boar, and not Saturus, who was gored by that same beast and who died the ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period iv the age of.htm

The Apology of Aristides as it is Preserved in the History of ...
... Artemis also as his sister, who is a huntress and has a bow with a quiver; and she
roams alone upon the hills with the dogs to hunt the stag or the wild boar. ...
/.../kay/the apology of aristides the philosopher/the apology of aristides as.htm

Boar (1 Occurrence)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BOAR. ... Multi-Version Concordance Boar (1
Occurrence). Psalms 80:13 The boar out of the wood ravages it. ...
/b/boar.htm - 8k

Swine (15 Occurrences)
... It is frequently mentioned as a wild animal, and is evidently the wild boar (Arab. ...
The male is specifically called boar, the female, sow, and the young, pig. ...
/s/swine.htm - 15k

Wild (147 Occurrences)
... inhabiting natural haunts, as the forest or open field; not familiar with, or not
easily approached by, man; not tamed or domesticated; as, a wild boar; a wild ...
/w/wild.htm - 50k

Tammuz (1 Occurrence)
... became. The Babylonian myth represents Dumuzu, or Tammuz, as a beautiful
shepherd slain by a wild boar, the symbol of winter. Ishtar ...
/t/tammuz.htm - 10k

Beast (243 Occurrences)
... The Targum ziza', "worm," is possible in Psalm 80:13, though not probable in view
of the parallel "boar": "The boar out of the wood doth ravage it, and the ...
/b/beast.htm - 50k

Javelin (16 Occurrences)
... spear, to be thrown or cast by the hand; anciently, a weapon of war used by horsemen
and foot soldiers; now used chiefly in hunting the wild boar and other ...
/j/javelin.htm - 12k

Willows (5 Occurrences)
... precious moisture. The wild boar lies safely ensconced under its impervious
cover.". Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. WILLOWS. wil ...
/w/willows.htm - 11k

Feeds (14 Occurrences)
... He eats grass as an ox. (See NIV). Psalms 80:13 The boar out of the wood doth ravage
it, that which moveth in the field feedeth on it. (See NAS). ...
/f/feeds.htm - 10k

Feedeth (11 Occurrences)
... DBY JPS). Psalms 80:13 The boar out of the wood doth ravage it, And the
wild beasts of the field feed on it. (See JPS). Proverbs 15 ...
/f/feedeth.htm - 9k

Ravages (4 Occurrences)
... lions. (See NAS RSV NIV). Psalms 80:13 The boar out of the wood ravages it.
The wild animals of the field feed on it. (WEB RSV). Jeremiah ...
/r/ravages.htm - 7k

Who was Tammuz? | GotQuestions.org

Boar: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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