The ostrich, a large flightless bird native to Africa, is mentioned in the Bible as a symbol of neglect and lack of wisdom, particularly in relation to its treatment of its offspring. The biblical portrayal of the ostrich is found primarily in the book of Job, where it serves as an illustration of God's creation and the mysteries of His wisdom.

Biblical References:

1. Job 39:13-18 : In this passage, God speaks to Job about the wonders of creation, highlighting the ostrich as an example of His inscrutable ways. The ostrich is described as having wings that flap joyously, yet it is noted for its apparent lack of maternal instinct. The text states: "The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, but cannot compare with the pinions and feathers of the stork. For she leaves her eggs on the ground and lets them warm in the sand. She forgets that a foot may crush them, or a wild animal may trample them. She treats her young harshly, as if they were not her own, with no concern that her labor was in vain. For God has deprived her of wisdom; He has not endowed her with understanding. Yet when she proudly spreads her wings, she laughs at the horse and its rider."

2. Lamentations 4:3 : The ostrich is also mentioned in the context of lamentation over the destruction of Jerusalem. The verse states: "Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like ostriches in the wilderness." Here, the ostrich is used metaphorically to describe the cruelty and neglect of the people, contrasting with the natural care even wild animals show to their offspring.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

The ostrich's behavior, as described in the Bible, serves as a metaphor for neglect and lack of wisdom. The bird's tendency to leave its eggs on the ground, exposed to danger, is seen as a failure to protect and nurture its young. This characteristic is used to illustrate a broader spiritual truth about the consequences of folly and the absence of divine wisdom.

From a theological perspective, the ostrich's portrayal underscores the sovereignty of God in creation. Despite the bird's apparent deficiencies, it is still part of the divine order, demonstrating that God's ways are beyond human understanding. The passage in Job emphasizes that God's wisdom is not always aligned with human expectations, and His creation, in all its diversity, serves His purposes.

The reference in Lamentations further uses the ostrich as a symbol of the moral and spiritual decline of the people of Jerusalem. By comparing them to the ostrich, the text highlights their failure to care for and protect the vulnerable, drawing a parallel between physical neglect and spiritual abandonment.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In the ancient Near East, the ostrich was known for its speed and size, making it a subject of fascination and symbolism. Its depiction in the Bible reflects a common understanding of the bird's behavior, which was observed and interpreted through the lens of the cultural and religious beliefs of the time.

The biblical portrayal of the ostrich aligns with other ancient literature that often depicted the bird as lacking in parental care. This characterization served as a useful metaphor for illustrating moral and spiritual lessons, resonating with the audience's familiarity with the natural world.

In summary, the ostrich in the Bible is a powerful symbol of neglect and the absence of wisdom, used to convey deeper spiritual truths about God's creation and the moral responsibilities of His people.Job 39:16
She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not her's: her labor is in vain without fear;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Whether There was any Reasonable Cause for the Ceremonial ...
... The ostrich which, though a bird, cannot fly, and is ... but the bowels of the wicked
are cruel." Consequently the Lord ... and to slay "the dam with her young." It may ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether there was any reasonable.htm

Home as a Nursery.
... "The Ostrich, silliest of ... character, builds up and establishes the character of her
offspring ... and screwed into monstrous contortions by the cruel inquisition of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/philips/the christian home/chapter xiii home as a.htm

The Fifth Commandment
... out for their children; and are not like the raven or ostrich, which are cruel to
their ... She not only gave him her breast-milk, but the sincere milk of ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 5 the fifth commandment.htm

The Nile and Egypt
... human voices, sometimes friendly and sometimes cruel to the ... not to raise any objection
to her commands. ... skill, was substituted for it; ostrich feathers waved ...
/.../chapter i the nile and egypt.htm

What have I Done?
... great mass of mankind are like the silly ostrich, which, when ... a mother who was converted
to God in her old age ... tears, and said, "I have been a cruel mother, sir ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/what have i done.htm

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
... widow of his victim, and learning that during her flight she had given birth to
a son, called, like his father, Daskylos, he sent to entreat the young man to ...
/.../chapter iithe power of assyria 2.htm

The High Woods
... feet long, and springs from a huge ostrich plume, which is ... Her breast, and all her
upper plumage and long tail ... or again into the food of a cruel master, could ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter vii the high woods.htm

A Holy Life the Beauty of Christianity: Or, an Exhortation to ...
... The young man in the gospel, (Mark 10:17) did by ... not a love that was 'strong as death,'
'cruel as the ... hidden net, as iniquity makes men go down her steps to ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a holy life the beauty.htm

The Unrivalled Friend
... as it were, by chance, or as the young ostrich bereft of a ... in the season of adversity,
you must adhere to her. ... They are making cruel jokes, they are vexing his ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/the unrivalled friend.htm

La Brea
... God; and beyond the Moriche wood, ostrich plumes packed ... had begun to flee from their
cruel masters into ... loyal and peaceable, as any in Her Majesty's dominions. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter viii la brea.htm

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