In the context of the Bible, the owl is often associated with desolation and uninhabited places. The Hebrew words often translated as "owl" in various Bible versions can refer to different species of owls or even other birds, depending on the context and translation. In the Revised Version (RV) of the Bible, the term "ostrich" is sometimes substituted for "owl," reflecting the challenges of translating ancient Hebrew bird names into English.

Biblical References:

1. Leviticus 11:16-17 : In the dietary laws given to the Israelites, certain birds are listed as unclean. The Berean Standard Bible translates these verses as: "the ostrich, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl." Here, the "screech owl" and "great owl" are mentioned, indicating their status as unclean animals.

2. Deuteronomy 14:15-16 : This passage reiterates the list of unclean birds, including "the ostrich, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, the little owl, the great owl, the white owl." The inclusion of multiple types of owls underscores their symbolic association with impurity and desolation.

3. Isaiah 34:11-15 : This prophetic passage describes the desolation of Edom, using imagery of wild animals inhabiting the ruins. The Berean Standard Bible states: "The desert owl and screech owl will possess it; the great owl and raven will dwell in it." The presence of owls in this desolate landscape emphasizes the complete abandonment and ruin of the area.

4. Psalm 102:6 : The psalmist, expressing deep distress and loneliness, writes: "I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins." Here, the owl symbolizes solitude and desolation, reflecting the psalmist's emotional state.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

In biblical literature, owls are often symbolic of desolation, loneliness, and uncleanliness. Their nocturnal nature and haunting calls contribute to their association with deserted and forsaken places. The substitution of "ostrich" for "owl" in some translations, such as the Revised Version, highlights the difficulty in identifying specific bird species from ancient texts. The ostrich, like the owl, is also associated with desolate environments, reinforcing the thematic elements of abandonment and ruin.

The owl's presence in prophetic and poetic passages serves as a powerful metaphor for judgment and the consequences of sin, as seen in the desolation of Edom and the personal lament of the psalmist. These references to owls in the Bible provide insight into the cultural and symbolic significance of these birds in ancient Israelite society.Leviticus 11:16
And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
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Deuteronomy 14:15
And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
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Job 30:29
I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.
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Isaiah 13:21
But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.
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Isaiah 34:11,13
But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out on it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness.
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Isaiah 43:20
The beast of the field shall honor me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
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Jeremiah 50:39
Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelled in from generation to generation.
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Micah 1:8
Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.
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Answer to Eunomius' Second Book .
... named is without origin, and from the appellation of simple that He is free from
all admixture (or composition), and these terms cannot be substituted for each ...
/.../gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/answer to eunomius second book.htm

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