Topical Bible: The Dog: Sacrificing of, an Abomination

◄ The Dog: Sacrificing of, an Abomination ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical context, the dog is often viewed with a degree of disdain and is associated with uncleanness. The sacrificing of dogs, or the use of dogs in sacrificial rituals, is considered an abomination within the scriptural narrative. This perspective is rooted in the broader biblical condemnation of practices that deviate from the worship and sacrificial system ordained by God.

Biblical References and Context

The Bible does not explicitly mention the sacrificing of dogs in the same manner as it does other prohibited practices, such as child sacrifice or the worship of foreign gods. However, the negative connotations associated with dogs in the biblical text suggest that their use in sacrificial rituals would be considered abhorrent.

In Deuteronomy 23:18 , the text states, "You must not bring the wages of a prostitute or the earnings of a dog into the house of the LORD your God to pay any vow, because both are detestable to the LORD your God." Here, the term "dog" is often interpreted as a reference to male cult prostitutes, indicating a broader cultural and religious disdain for practices associated with pagan worship and immorality.

Cultural and Religious Significance

In ancient Near Eastern cultures, dogs were sometimes associated with certain deities and used in various religious rituals. However, the Israelites were called to be distinct from surrounding nations, adhering strictly to the worship of Yahweh as prescribed in the Mosaic Law. The sacrificial system outlined in Leviticus and other parts of the Torah was specific and exclusive, allowing only certain animals to be offered as sacrifices, such as bulls, goats, and lambs (Leviticus 1-7).

The use of dogs in sacrificial practices would have been seen as a violation of the purity and holiness required in worship. The Israelites were repeatedly warned against adopting the religious customs of their neighbors, which often included practices deemed abominable by God (Deuteronomy 12:31).

Symbolism and Implications

Dogs in the Bible are often symbolic of impurity and are used metaphorically to describe those who are outside the covenant community or who engage in morally reprehensible behavior. For instance, in Philippians 3:2 , Paul warns, "Watch out for those dogs, those workers of evil, those mutilators of the flesh!" Here, "dogs" is a metaphor for false teachers and those who pervert the gospel.

The association of dogs with impurity and moral corruption underscores the inappropriateness of their use in any form of worship or sacrifice to the God of Israel. Such practices would not only defile the sanctity of worship but also align the worshiper with pagan customs that were strictly forbidden.

Conclusion

While the Bible does not provide a detailed account of the sacrificing of dogs, the cultural and religious context, along with the symbolic use of dogs in Scripture, strongly suggests that such practices would be considered an abomination. The biblical narrative consistently calls for a separation from pagan rituals and a commitment to the holiness and purity of worship as defined by God's covenant with Israel.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 66:3
He that kills an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrifices a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offers an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burns incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yes, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Vile Ingratitude!
... Banyan that we wished we had been a dog or a ... Now we see our abomination in this clear
light, we beseech ... Was not that taking his mercies and sacrificing them to ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/vile ingratitude.htm

"To what Purpose is the Multitude of Your Sacrifices unto Me? ...
... with them in this place for their sacrificing, as if ... was it to him more than "a dog's
neck" or ... the most part of your performances are abomination and iniquity ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon ix to what purpose.htm

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
... and the humbled monarch have equal access to the mercy seat, sacrificing those sinful ...
a minister smell frowish,[9] and look more like a greedy dog, than an ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/solomons temple spiritualized.htm

The Greatness of the Soul,
... 6. The soul is called the good man's darling. 'Deliver,' Lord, saith David, 'my
soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog' (Psalm 22:20). ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the greatness of the soul.htm

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of ...
... Thus he served Saul; he spared the best of the herd and flock, under pretence of
sacrificing to God, and so transgressed the plain command (1 Samuel 15:20-22). ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/an exposition on the first.htm

the Legendary History of Egypt
... of ripe ears and placed it upon her head one day when she was sacrificing to her ...
I have not defaulted, I have not committed that which is an abomination to the ...
/.../chapter iii -the legendary history of.htm

Israel's Hope Encouraged;
The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3. <. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/israels hope encouraged.htm

The Political Constitution of Egypt
... While Pharaoh was engaged in sacrificing, the queen, by her incantations, protected
him from ... the tombs beside their masters in company with his pet dog, or a ...
/.../chapter ithe political constitution of.htm

Of Antichrist, and his Ruin: and of the Slaying the Witnesses.
... leave us to that, to square and govern ourselves in temple-work, and sacrificing
by ... of the OLD one; to the door of the mother of harlots, and abomination of the ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/of antichrist and his ruin .htm