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Bible Encyclopedias
Hunting
The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia
or Pursuit of wild game; the common means of obtaining food before the pastoral or agricultural stage of development. The Hebrews of the Biblical age, however, seem to have passed this stage, as the heroes of Biblical story (Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, David) are invariably regarded as shepherds. Hunting was at that time regarded as something foreign. Nimrod was "a mighty hunter before the Lord" (Genesis 10:9), and Esau, as a cunning hunter, is contrasted with Jacob (Genesis 35). Yet the pursuit of wild game was frequent even after the Israelites had settled in Canaan (comp. Leviticus 17:13). Provision was made for the undisturbed use of the timber-lands by the beasts of the field in Sabbatical years (Exodus 23:11; Leviticus 25:7). Many wild animals, like the hart, roebuck, chamois, and antelope, were used for food and regarded as clean. A few dangerous beasts of prey, like the bear and the lion, had their habitats in Palestine, and means were taken to destroy them, as shown in the well-known instances of Samson and David. Pitfalls as well as nets were employed to entrap the lion (Ezekiel 19:4,8); bows and arrows (Genesis 27:3) as well as the snare (Psalms 91:3) were used against game. Nets were employed also to capture the gazel (Isaiah 31:1). Other traps were also utilized (Psalms 92:3; 2 Samuel 23:15). It is doubtful whether Proverbs 12:27 refers to hunting as a sport or as a means of livelihood, though the term "áºedo" seems to imply that part of the food of the Hebrews was derived from the chase.
Hunting is not often mentioned after Bible times, and Herod's proficiency in this direction (Josephus, "B. J." 1:20, § 13) may have been a result of his Hellenistic tendencies. Horses were used regularly for the chase (idem, "Ant." 15:7, § 7; 16:10, § 3). Few references to hunting occur in the Talmud (B. B. 75a; Ḥul. 60b; Ab. Zarah 18b). Objection to hunting seems to have arisen on the ground that it was cruel, and therefore un-Jewish. "He who hunts game with dogs as Gentiles do will not enjoy the life to come," said Meïr of Rothenberg (Responsa, No. 27). Instances occur of Jews enjoying the chase in medieval times (comp. Zunz, "Z. G." p. 173). In Provence they were even skilled in falconry, and followed the game on horseback (Berliner, "Aus dem Innern Leben," p. 17). An instance is on record in which the Jews of Colchester, in 1267, joined some Gentile neighbors in the pursuit of a doe (Jacobs, "Jewish Ideals," p. 226). One objection to hunting on the part of Jews was due to the fact that, owing to the requirements of the dietary laws, they could rarely enjoy the results of the hunt (S. Morpurgo, Responsa, 66b).
- Abrahams, Jewish Life in the Middle Ages, pp. 375-376.
These files are public domain.
Singer, Isidore, Ph.D, Projector and Managing Editor. Entry for 'Hunting'. 1901 The Jewish Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tje/h/hunting.html. 1901.
