the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Dictionaries
Leopard
Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary
or נמר Song of Solomon 4:8; Isaiah 11:6; Jeremiah 5:6; Jeremiah 13:23; Hosea 13:7; Habakkuk 1:8; Daniel 7:6; παρδαλις , Revelation 13:2; Sir_28:23 . There can be no doubt that the pard or leopard is the animal mentioned. Bochart shows that the name is similar in the Chaldee, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic. The LXX uniformly render it by παρδαλις ; and Jerom, pardus. Probably, these animals were numerous in Palestine; as we find places with a name intimating their having been the haunts of leopards: Nimrah, Numbers 32:3; Beth-Nimrah, Numbers 32:36; Joshua 13:27; and "waters of Nimrim," Isaiah 15:6; Jeremiah 48:34; and "mountains of leopards," Song of Solomon 4:8 . Nimrod might have his name from this animal; "He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord," Genesis 10:9 . It is supposed, however, that his predations were not confined to the brute creation. Dr. Geddes remarks, that the word "hunter" expresses too little. He was a freebooter, in the worst sense of the word; a lawless despot:
Proud Nimrod first the bloody chase began, A mighty hunter, and his prey was man.
Isaiah, describing the happy state of the reign of Messiah, says, "The leopard shall lie down with the kid," Isaiah 11:6 . Even animals shall lose their fierceness and cruelty, and become gentle and tame. Jeremiah 5:6 , mentions the artful ambuscades of this animal; and in Jeremiah 13:23 , alludes to his spots: "Can a Cushite change his skin; or a leopard his spots? Then may ye prevail with them to do good who are habituated to do evil;" and Habakkuk 1:8 , refers to its alertness.
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Watson, Richard. Entry for 'Leopard'. Richard Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/wtd/l/leopard.html. 1831-2.
