Job 30:28–29 reads, “I go about blackened, but not by the sun I stand up in the assembly and cry for help. In his misery, Job likened his voice to that of the owl. Job compared his lament and grief because of his tragic circumstances to those of these nocturnal creatures. Job’s children perished and his possessions vanished because of the divine testing he was going through. In the Bible, several passages refer to the owl’s symbolism as representing death, mourning, and grief. I will howl like a jackal and moan like an owl. Symbol Of Grief And Mourningīecause of this, I will weep and wail I will go about barefoot and naked. Secondly, its astounding binocular vision allows it to see objects at great distances. The notion of the owl’s profound wisdom is probably brought about by its solitary character and nature. Despite the fact that they only possess average intelligence, cultures have thought that they possess remarkable insight. Since ancient times, owls have been considered symbols of knowledge and wisdom. In art, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, is frequently depicted with an owl. But the origins of this phrase can be traced back to the legends of ancient Greece.

Growing into adulthood, we have learned the phrases “as wise as an owl” or “as wise as Solomon.” In the Bible (1 Kings Chapter 3), Solomon is portrayed as a king who possessed great wisdom and wealth. Knowledge And Wisdomīut ask the animals, and they will teach you, or ask the birds in the sky, and they will tell you. If a person broke these laws, they were to show repentance to God by offering sacrifices to cleanse themselves. Moreover, if an unclean person touches a clean person or thing, uncleanliness is also transmitted. When a Jew partakes of tainted meat, they will commit a sin and be separated from God.

In particular, an owl is a scavenger that feasts on dead prey, which is considered unclean in the laws of the Jews. Moreover, the uncleanliness of these creatures is associated with what they eat. The Jews considered these animals and birds unclean because they were predatory creatures that fed on flesh with blood still on it. These include birds and animals slaughtered for their meat to be taken as food. According to the rules of Kosher, some foods are considered unclean and should not be eaten. The Bible clearly illustrates what the Israelites could and could not consume. But these you may not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, the black kite, any kind of falcon, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, the little owl, the great owl, the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, and the cormorant. What Do Owls Symbolize In The Bible? Symbol Of Impurity And Uncleanliness These predatory birds thrive with wild beasts in far-off wildernesses or ruined cities. In addition, Bible owls are referenced to indicate many different things and meanings. In the Book of Psalms, the owl is represented by the loneliness of the afflicted heart of the Psalmist. The prophet Jeremiah reveals the destruction of Babylon and the lingering desolation of the city, whose only dwellers are owls, hyenas, and other creatures of the desert. They thrived in the barren wastelands and ruined temples of the country. The owl is also mentioned in the Bible to symbolize loneliness, torment, death, darkness, and desolation. Blood is generally considered “unclean” in the Scriptures as it defiles the holy and pure essence of the human body. Just like other birds of prey, owls consume meat with blood still on it. These birds are primarily referenced as “dirty birds,” specifically in Leviticus 11:13–18 and Deuteronomy 14:11–17. He is concerned about the consumption of only “clean food” and advises people to avoid “unclean foods.”īible owls are considered impure in the Old Testament. One important rule that God wrote and told the Israelites is about the food that they may or may not eat.

It also includes the manner in which they dress and instructions on how to observe their feasts. The Torah contains all the mundane things and ways that the Israelites were to observe, including the observance of holy days and rules for dealing with family, neighbors, and foreigners. The Ten Commandments were primarily given by God as the main and primary source of all His essential rules, guidelines, and commands. The Old Testament is filled with God’s laws on how His children, the Israelites, should live or conduct their daily activities. These are the birds you are to regard as unclean and not eat because they are unclean: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, any kind of black kite, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, the white owl, the desert owl, and the Osprey.

Demonic owl sketch