The concept of hunting in the Bible is multifaceted, encompassing both literal and metaphorical meanings. In the ancient Near Eastern context, hunting was a common practice for survival, providing food and resources for families and communities. It also held symbolic significance, often representing the pursuit of goals or the tracking of individuals.

Old Testament References

Hunting is first mentioned in the Bible in the context of Esau, the son of Isaac and Rebekah. Esau is described as "a skillful hunter, a man of the field" (Genesis 25:27). His prowess in hunting is contrasted with his brother Jacob, who is depicted as a "quiet man, dwelling in tents." This distinction sets the stage for the complex relationship between the two brothers, highlighting themes of birthright and blessing.

Nimrod, another prominent figure associated with hunting, is described as "a mighty hunter before the LORD" (Genesis 10:9). Nimrod's reputation as a hunter is linked to his role as a powerful leader and the founder of several cities, including Babel. His hunting skills symbolize strength and dominance, traits that contributed to his legacy as a formidable ruler.

The practice of hunting is also evident in the laws given to the Israelites. Leviticus 17:13 instructs, "When any man from the house of Israel or from the foreigners who reside among them eats any animal or bird that may be eaten, he must drain its blood and cover it with earth." This command underscores the importance of respecting God's creation and adhering to dietary laws, even in the context of hunting.

Metaphorical Use

Beyond its literal application, hunting is used metaphorically in the Scriptures to describe the pursuit of individuals or the entrapment of the unwary. In Proverbs 6:5 , the reader is advised to "free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler." This imagery conveys the urgency and necessity of escaping from dangerous or compromising situations.

Similarly, the prophets often employ hunting metaphors to illustrate the actions of the wicked. In Jeremiah 16:16 , God declares, "But now I will send for many fishermen, declares the LORD, and they will catch them. After that, I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down on every mountain and hill and from the crevices of the rocks." Here, hunting symbolizes divine judgment and the inescapable nature of God's justice.

New Testament Context

While the New Testament does not explicitly focus on hunting, the metaphorical implications continue. The apostle Paul, in his epistles, warns believers to be vigilant against spiritual adversaries. In Ephesians 6:11 , he exhorts, "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes." This call to spiritual readiness echoes the vigilance required in hunting, where one must be prepared and alert to succeed.

Cultural and Theological Implications

Hunting in the biblical narrative reflects the broader cultural practices of the time, where it was both a necessity and a skill. Theologically, it serves as a reminder of humanity's dominion over creation, as granted by God in Genesis 1:28 : "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth."

In summary, hunting in the Bible is a rich and complex theme, encompassing literal practices, symbolic meanings, and spiritual lessons. It highlights the interplay between human responsibility, divine providence, and the moral and ethical considerations inherent in the pursuit of both physical and spiritual sustenance.1. (v. t.) To search for or follow after, as game or wild animals; to chase; to pursue for the purpose of catching or killing; to follow with dogs or guns for sport or exercise; as, to hunt a deer.

2. (v. t.) To search diligently after; to seek; to pursue; to follow; -- often with out or up; as, to hunt up the facts; to hunt out evidence.

3. (v. t.) To drive; to chase; -- with down, from, away, etc.; as, to hunt down a criminal; he was hunted from the parish.

4. (v. t.) To use or manage in the chase, as hounds.

5. (v. t.) To use or traverse in pursuit of game; as, he hunts the woods, or the country.

6. (v. i.) To follow the chase; to go out in pursuit of game; to course with hounds.

7. (v. i.) To seek; to pursue; to search; -- with for or after.

8. (n.) The act or practice of chasing wild animals; chase; pursuit; search.

9. (n.) The game secured in the hunt.

10. (n.) A pack of hounds.

11. (n.) An association of huntsmen.

12. (n.) A district of country hunted over.

2340. thereuo -- to hunt
... to hunt. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: thereuo Phonetic Spelling:
(thay-ryoo'-o) Short Definition: I hunt, seek to catch Definition: I hunt, seek ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2340.htm - 6k

735. Artemis -- Artemis, the name of the Gr. goddess of the hunt
... goddess of the hunt. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Artemis Phonetic
Spelling: (ar'-tem-is) Short Definition: the Persian or Ephesian Artemis ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/735.htm - 6k

2614. katadioko -- to pursue closely
... to pursue closely. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: katadioko Phonetic Spelling:
(kat-ad-ee-o'-ko) Short Definition: I hunt down, follow closely Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2614.htm - 6k

1559. ekdioko -- to pursue out, ie expel or persecute
... 1559 (from 1537 , "completely out of" and 1377 , "chase") -- properly, pursue,
chase ("hunt down") with and (used only in 1 Thes 2:15). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1559.htm - 7k

1376. dioktes -- a persecutor
... Definition: a persecutor. Cognate: 1376 -- a ; one who pursues ("hunt
down"), used only in 1 Tim 1:13. See 1377 (). Word Origin ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1376.htm - 6k

1377. dioko -- to put to flight, pursue, by impl. to persecute
... 1377 -- properly, chase, like a pursuing a catch (prize). 1377 () is used
("earnestly pursue") and ("zealously persecute, hunt down"). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1377.htm - 9k

64. agreuo -- to catch, take by hunting
... entrap, catch. From agra; to hunt, ie (figuratively) to entrap -- catch. see GREEK
agra. (agreusosin) -- 1 Occurrence. 63, 64. agreuo. 65 . Strong's Numbers
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/64.htm - 6k

6679. tsud -- to hunt
... 6678, 6679. tsud. 6680 . to hunt. Transliteration: tsud Phonetic Spelling:
(tsood) Short Definition: hunt. Word Origin a prim. root ...
/hebrew/6679.htm - 6k

6658. tsadah -- to lie in wait
... destroy, hunt, lie in wait A primitive root; to chase; by implication, to desolate --
destroy, hunt, lie in wait. 6657, 6658. tsadah. 6658a . ...
/hebrew/6658.htm - 5k

7078. qenets -- a snare, net
... 7077, 7078. qenets. 7079 . a snare, net. Transliteration: qenets Phonetic
Spelling: (keh'-nets) Short Definition: hunt. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/7078.htm - 5k

7291. radaph -- to pursue, chase, persecute
... chase, put to flight, follow after, hunt, be under persecution, pursuer.
A primitive root; to run after (usually with hostile intent ...
/hebrew/7291.htm - 6k

7073. Qenaz -- an Edomite, also two Israelites
... Kenaz. Probably from an unused root meaning to hunt; hunter; Kenaz, the name of
an Edomite and of two Israelites -- Kenaz. 7072, 7073. Qenaz. 7074 . ...
/hebrew/7073.htm - 6k

7760. sum -- to put, place, set
... 5), establishes (1), establishment (1), expected* (1), fasten (1), fix (1), formed
and made (1), gave (2), give (7), grant (1), had (1), hunt* (1), impose (1 ...
/hebrew/7760.htm - 7k

You Chose a Bad Introducer. If You Will Take My Counsel, Both You ...
... man cometh unto the Father but by me.' I lament for you, my brother, if you believe
this; and if you believe it not, I still lament that you hunt through all ...
/.../10 you chose a bad.htm

Letter H
... Thomas "Received 1783, Located 1795 * Humphries, John "Received 1807, Located 1813 *
Humphries, Joshua "Received 1829 * Hunt, Aaron "Received 1791 ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/bangs/an alphabetical list of m e preachers/letter h.htm

The Puritan Beginnings of the Church in virginia ---Its Decline ...
... Rev. Robert Hunt, and all the more radiantly for the dark and discouraging
surroundings in which his ministry was to be exercised. ...
/.../bacon/a history of american christianity/chapter v the puritan beginnings.htm

Preface
... in many ways; to Mr. BP Grenfell, who read the first proof of chapter 7, and enabled
me to strengthen it; and, at last, to Mr. FG Kenyon; to Mr. AC Hunt; to Mr ...
//christianbookshelf.org/ramsay/was christ born in bethlehem/preface.htm

The Outlaw
... Yet I am not a losel and idle, mither, nor a thief that steals; I do but hunt God's
cattle, upon God's ain hills; For no man buys and sells the deer, and the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/andromeda and other poems/the outlaw.htm

The Red King
... from south to north. So tarry at home, and fast and pray, Lest fiends hunt
thee in the judgment-day.' The monk he vanished where ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/andromeda and other poems/the red king.htm

David the Outcast.
... and caves of Engedi. Saul heard of it and took three thousand men to hunt
for him among the rocks of the wild goats. He was very ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxii david the outcast.htm

How Jacob Deceived his Father
... Now, therefore, take your quiver and your bow and go out into the fields and hunt
game for me and prepare for me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/how jacob deceived his father.htm

He Next Proceeds Further to Object against Himself what is Said on ...
... man, viz., that the irrational animals were created on his account, saying: "If
one were to call us the lords of the animal creation because we hunt the other ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter lxxviii he next proceeds.htm

Thankfulness to God.
... We have dominion over the fishes of the sea, we strew the net and bring them in
for our food; we hunt the whale for his oil and for the fringe of bone in his ...
/.../the village pulpit volume ii trinity to advent/lxiii thankfulness to god.htm

Ensnare (15 Occurrences)
... 18 and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the women who sew pillows on all elbows,
and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls ...
/e/ensnare.htm - 10k

Pillows (6 Occurrences)
... 18 and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the women who sew pillows on all elbows,
and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls ...
/p/pillows.htm - 8k

Cushions (5 Occurrences)
... say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the women that sew pillows upon all elbows,
and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! ...
/c/cushions.htm - 8k

Charms (10 Occurrences)
... 18 and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the women who sew pillows on all elbows,
and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls ...
/c/charms.htm - 9k

Venison (10 Occurrences)
... ven'-iz'-n, ven'-z'-n: Is derived (through the French venaison) from the Latin venari,
"to hunt," and means properly "the spoils of the chase." As, however ...
/v/venison.htm - 10k

Chase (14 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To pursue for the purpose of killing or taking, as an enemy, or game; to
hunt. ... 4. (vi) To give chase; to hunt; as, to chase around after a doctor. ...
/c/chase.htm - 12k

Kerchiefs (2 Occurrences)
... 18 and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the women who sew pillows on all elbows,
and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls ...
/k/kerchiefs.htm - 7k

Joints (7 Occurrences)
... the Lord Jehovah: Wo to those sowing pillows for all joints of the arm, And to those
making the kerchiefs For the head of every stature -- to hunt souls, The ...
/j/joints.htm - 9k

Lengths (2 Occurrences)
... 18 and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the women who sew pillows on all elbows,
and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls ...
/l/lengths.htm - 7k

Wolf (4 Occurrences)
... and the prairie wolf, or coyote. Wolves often hunt in packs, and may thus
attack large animals and even man. 2. (a.) One of the ...
/w/wolf.htm - 13k

What does the Bible say about Christians hunting animals for sport? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about animal rights? | GotQuestions.org

Were the Salem Witch Trials biblical? | GotQuestions.org

Hunt: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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