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Bible Encyclopedias
Hunting
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
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1. Nimrod and His Like
The Biblical prototype of these heroes of war and the chase is Nimrod, "a mighty hunter before Yahweh" (Genesis 10:9 ), that is perhaps "a hunter who had no equal," a figure not yet clearly identifiable with any historical or mythical character in the Assyro-Bab monuments, but possibly the Gilgamesh of the great epic, who may be the hero represented on seals and reliefs as victorious over the lion (Skinner, "Gen," ICC , 208). We are reminded also of Samson's exploit at Timnah (Judges 14:5 f), but this, like David's encounter with the lion and the bear ( 1 Samuel 17:34 f) and Benaiah's struggle with a lion in a pit on a snowy day ( 2 Samuel 23:20 ), was an occasional incident and scarcely comes under the category of hunting. There is no evidence that hunting for sport was ever practiced by the kings of Judah and Israel. Not until the time of Herod the Great, who had a hunting establishment and was a great hunter of boars, stags, and wild asses (Josephus, BJ , I, xxi, 13), mastering as many as 40 beasts in one day, do we find a ruler of Palestine indulging in this pastime.
2. Hunting in the Old Testament
Hunting, however, for the two other purposes mentioned above was probably as frequent among the Israelites, even after they had ceased to be nomads, as among their neighbors. We know indeed of only two personal examples, both in the patriarchal period and both outside the direct line of Israelite descent: Esau (Genesis 25:27 ) and Ishmael (Genesis 21:20 ); but there are several references and many figurative allusions to the pursuit and its methods and instruments. Hunting (inclusive of following) is mentioned in the Pentateuch in the regulation about pouring out the blood and covering it with dust ( Leviticus 17:13 ); and there is a general reference in the proverb (Proverbs 12:27 ): "The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting." The hunting of the lion is assumed in Ezekiel's allegory of the lioness and her two whelps (Ezekiel 19:1-9; compare Job 10:16 ); of the antelope or oryx (Deuteronomy 14:5; Isaiah 51:20 ); of the roe (Proverbs 6:5 ); of the partridge in the mountains (1 Samuel 26:20 ), and of birds in general in many passages. Hunting is probably implied in the statement about the provision of harts, gazelles and roebucks for Solomon's kitchen (1 Kings 4:23 ), and to some extent in the reference to the den of lions in Babylon (Daniel 6:7 ).
3. Methods of Hunters
The weapons most frequently employed by hunters seem to have been bows and arrows. Isaac (Genesis 27:3 ) commands Esau to take his bow and quiver and procure him venison or game (compare also Isaiah 7:24; Job 41:28 ). This method is amply illustrated by the monuments. Ashur-nazir-pal lII (885-860 bc) and Darius (circa 500 bc), for example, are depicted shooting at lions from the chariot. Use was also made of the sword, the spear, the dart or javelin, the sling and the club (Job 41:26 , Job 41:28 f, where the application of these weapons to hunting is implied). The larger animals were sometimes caught in a pit. The classical reference is in Ezekiel's allegory, "He was taken in their pit" (
4. Fowlers and Their Snares
The hunting of birds or fowling is so often referred or alluded to that it must have been very widely practiced (compare Psalm 91:3; Psalm 124:7; Proverbs 1:17; Proverbs 6:5; Ecclesiastes 9:12; Amos 3:5 , etc.). The only bird specifically mentioned is the partridge, said to be hunted on the mountains (1 Samuel 26:20 ). The method of hunting is supposed by Tristram (NHB , 225) to be that still prevalent - continual pursuit until the creature is struck down by sticks thrown along the ground - but the interpretation is uncertain. Birds were generally caught by snares or traps. Two passages are peculiarly instructive on this point: Job 18:8-10 , where six words are used for such contrivances, represented respectively by "net," "toils," "gin," "snare," "noose," "trap"; and Amos 3:5 , which is important enough to be cited in full: "Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is set for him? shall a snare spring up from the ground, and have taken nothing at all?" The word for "snare" in this passage (
5. Allusions in the New Testament
The New Testament has a few figurative allusions to hunting. The words for "catch" in Mark 12:13 and Luke 11:54 (
Literature
In addition to the works cited in the course of the article, the article "Hunting" in
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Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Hunting'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/isb/h/hunting.html. 1915.
