In the Bible, the bear is often depicted as a symbol of ferocity and danger, illustrating the formidable nature of this creature in the ancient Near Eastern context. The bear's ferocity is used metaphorically to convey the intensity of certain situations or the character of individuals.

1. Biblical References:

· 2 Kings 2:24: One of the most direct references to the ferocity of bears is found in the account of Elisha. After being mocked by a group of youths, Elisha curses them in the name of the LORD, and two female bears come out of the forest and maul forty-two of the boys. This incident underscores the lethal power and unpredictability of bears, serving as a divine instrument of judgment.

· Proverbs 17:12: "Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly." This proverb highlights the extreme danger posed by a bear that has been deprived of her cubs, suggesting that encountering such a bear is preferable to dealing with a fool. The comparison emphasizes the bear's fierce protective instincts and the peril associated with provoking it.

· Hosea 13:8: "Like a bear robbed of her cubs, I will attack them and tear them open." Here, God uses the imagery of a bear's ferocity to describe His impending judgment on Israel. The metaphor conveys the intensity and inevitability of divine retribution, likening it to the uncontrollable wrath of a bear defending its young.

2. Symbolism and Metaphor:

The bear's ferocity is often used symbolically to represent overwhelming power and danger. In the ancient world, bears were known for their strength and unpredictability, making them apt symbols for situations that are perilous and uncontrollable. The biblical use of bear imagery serves to communicate the severity of divine judgment or the foolishness of certain human behaviors.

3. Cultural Context:

In the regions surrounding ancient Israel, bears were common in the forests and mountainous areas. The Syrian brown bear, in particular, was known to inhabit these regions. The bear's presence in the natural environment of the biblical authors would have made it a familiar and potent symbol of danger and strength.

4. Theological Implications:

The ferocity of the bear, as depicted in the Bible, often serves to illustrate the seriousness of God's judgment and the folly of human arrogance. The bear's unpredictable nature and formidable strength are reminders of the power and authority of God, who can use even the wildest elements of creation to fulfill His purposes. The imagery calls believers to a reverent fear of the Lord and a recognition of the consequences of straying from His commandments.

In summary, the bear's ferocity in the Bible is a powerful metaphor for danger, judgment, and the protective instincts of a mother. It serves as a vivid reminder of the strength and unpredictability of both the natural world and the divine will.2 Samuel 17:8
For, said Hushai, you know your father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.
Nave's Topical Index

Proverbs 17:12
Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
Nave's Topical Index

Proverbs 28:15
As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.
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Isaiah 11:7
And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
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Isaiah 59:11
We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.
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Lamentations 3:10
He was to me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
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Hosea 3:3
And I said to her, You shall abide for me many days; you shall not play the harlot, and you shall not be for another man: so will I also be for you.
Nave's Topical Index

715. arkos -- a bear
... bear. Probably from arkeo; a bear (as obstructing by ferocity) -- bear. see GREEK
arkeo. (arkou) -- 1 Occurrence. 714, 715. arkos. 716 . Strong's Numbers.
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/715.htm - 6k

Ep. Lxxvii. I Hear that You are Indignant at the Outrages which ...
... of monks, and the calamity of the poor, who lost even their pity through ferocity. ...
of others)"but it is far greater and more Godlike, to bear with injuries. ...
/.../cyril/select letters of saint gregory nazianzen/ep lxxvii i hear that.htm

The Acquirement of Spiritual Power
... The elements of power are there; but it is only when this ferocity is tamed ... Bring
its searching light to bear upon all your habits, your actions, your speech ...
/.../allen/the way of peace/the acquirement of spiritual power.htm

Jesus and Pilate
... flourish about his own carefulness to bring judicial impartiality to bear on the ...
shouted.' It suggests his feeble effort swept away by the rush of ferocity. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/jesus and pilate.htm

The Scope of the Apocalypse is Indicated by Its Place in the ...
... in his personality the characteristics of the leopard (beauty and subtlety), of
the bear (strength and cruelty), and of the lion (boldness and ferocity). ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/the scope of the apocalypse.htm

2 Timothy iv. 13-Sep
... the man, but to prepare his disciple for the conflicts, that he might bear them
firmly. ... For he calls Nero a lion from his ferocity, and the violent and daring ...
/.../homily x 2 timothy iv.htm

'The Rulers Take Counsel Together'
... What a hideous and tragic picture we have here of the ferocity of the hatred, which ...
explanation of the nature of His kingdom and His mission to bear witness to ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/the rulers take counsel together.htm

Much Less May the Christian Put the Service of Idolatry on his Own ...
... She has the burden of her own humility to bear. ... besides the figure, there is contumely
with ready lip, and dishonour, and infamy, and the ferocity involved in ...
/.../tertullian/the chaplet or de corona/chapter xiv much less may.htm

The Millennium in Relation to Creation.
... The present ferocity of the wild beast is abnormal and due to the fall of man ... And
the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and ...
/.../pink/the redeemers return/6 the millennium in relation.htm

St. Donatus, Bishop of Euroea, and Theotimus, High-Priest of ...
... inhabitants of Isoria, a village in the territory of Euroea, bear testimony to ... Scythia
by their predatory incursions, he tried to subdue the ferocity of their ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of sozomenus/chapter xxvi st donatus bishop of.htm

Righteous Hatred
... prey, thou mayest keep in leash, (like a noble lion, only destitute of ferocity)
against any ... it may devour; or if it come with the hug of a bear, seeking by a ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/righteous hatred.htm

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