Bible Animals

The Animals in the Bible From A to Z

    By 
    Mary Fairchild
    Updated November 07, 2018

    You'll find lions, leopards, and bears (although no tigers), along with nearly 100 other animals, insects, and non-human creatures, mentioned throughout the Old and New Testaments. And while dogs figure prominently in several Biblical passages, interestingly there is not one mention of a domestic cat in the entire canon of Scripture.

    Although the names of animals in the Bible vary from​ one translation to another, and sometimes these creatures are difficult to identify, we've put together a comprehensive list of what we believe are all the animal mentions, based on the New Living Translation (NLT), with scriptural references.

    • Addax (a light-colored, antelope native to the Saharan Desert) - Deuteronomy 14:5
    • Ant - Proverbs 6:6 and 30:25
    • Antelope - Deuteronomy 14:5, Isaiah 51:20
    • Ape - 1 Kings 10:22
    • Bald Locust - Leviticus 11:22
    • Barn Owl - Leviticus 11:18
    • Bat - Leviticus 11:19, Isaiah 2:20
    • Bear - 1 Samuel 17:34-37, 2 Kings 2:24, Isaiah 11:7, Daniel 7:5, Revelation 13:2
    • Bee - Judges 14:8
    • Behemoth (a monstrous and mighty land animal; some scholars say it's a mythical monster of ancient literature, while others think it could be a possible reference to a dinosaur) - Job 40:15
    • Buzzard - Isaiah 34:15
    • Camel - Genesis 24:10, Leviticus 11:4, Isaiah 30:6, and Matthew 3:4, 19:24, and 23:24
    • Chameleon (a type of lizard with the ability to change color rapidly) - Leviticus 11:30
    • Cobra - Isaiah 11:8
    • Cormorant (a large black water bird) - Leviticus 11:17
    • Cow - Isaiah 11:7, Daniel 4:25, Luke 14:5
    • Crane (a type of bird) - Isaiah 38:14
    • Cricket - Leviticus 11:22
    • Deer - Deuteronomy 12:15, 14:5
    • Dog - Judges 7:5, 1 Kings 21:23–24, Ecclesiastes 9:4, Matthew 15:26-27, Luke 16:21, 2 Peter 2:22, Revelation 22:15
    • Donkey - Numbers 22:21–41, Isaiah 1:3 and 30:6, John 12:14
    • Dove - Genesis 8:8, 2 Kings 6:25, Matthew 3:16 and 10:16, John 2:16.
    • Dragon (a monstrous land or sea creature.) - Isaiah 30:7
    • Eagle - Exodus 19:4, Isaiah 40:31, Ezekiel 1:10, Daniel 7:4, Revelation 4:7 and 12:14
    • Eagle Owl - Leviticus 11:16
    • Egyptian Vulture - Leviticus 11:18
    • Falcon - Leviticus 11:14
    • Fish - Exodus 7:18, Jonah 1:17, Matthew 14:17 and 17:27, Luke 24:42, John 21:9
    • Flea - 1 Samuel 24:14 and 26:20
    • Fly - Ecclesiastes 10:1
    • Fox - Judges 15:4, Nehemiah 4:3, Matthew 8:20, Luke 13:32
    • Frog - Exodus 8:2, Revelation 16:13
    • Gazelle - Deuteronomy 12:15 and 14:5
    • Gecko - Leviticus 11:30
    • Gnat - Exodus 8:16, Matthew 23:24
    • Goat - 1 Samuel 17:34, Genesis 15:9 and 37:31, Daniel 8:5, Leviticus 16:7, Matthew 25:33
    • Grasshopper - Leviticus 11:22
    • Great Fish (whale) - Jonah 1:17
    • Great Owl - Leviticus 11:17
    • Hare - Leviticus 11:6
    • Hawk - Leviticus 11:16, Job 39:26
    • Heron - Leviticus 11:19
    • Hoopoe (an unclean bird of unknown origin) - Leviticus 11:19
    • Horse - 1 Kings 4:26, 2 Kings 2:11, Revelation 6:2-8 and 19:14
    • Hyena - Isaiah 34:14
    • Hyrax (either a small fish or a small, gopher-like animal known as a rock badger) - Leviticus 11:5
    • Kite (a bird of prey.) - Leviticus 11:14
    • Lamb - Genesis 4:2, 1 Samuel 17:34
    • Leech - Proverbs 30:15
    • Leopard - Isaiah 11:6, Jeremiah 13:23, Daniel 7:6, Revelation 13:2
    • Leviathan - (could be an earthly creature like a crocodile, a mythical sea monster of ancient literature, or a reference to dinosaurs.) Isaiah 27:1, Psalms 74:14, Job 41:1
    • Lion - Judges 14:8, 1 Kings 13:24, Isaiah 30:6 and 65:25, Daniel 6:7, Ezekiel 1:10, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 4:7 and 13:2
    • Lizard (common sand lizard) - Leviticus 11:30
    • Locust - Exodus 10:4, Leviticus 11:22, Joel 1:4, Matthew 3:4, Revelation 9:3
    • Maggot - Isaiah 14:11, Mark 9:48, Job 7:5, 17:14, and 21:26
    • Mole Rat - Leviticus 11:29
    • Monitor Lizard - Leviticus 11:30
    • Moth - Matthew 6:19, Isaiah 50:9 and 51:8
    • Mountain Sheep - Deuteronomy 14:5
    • Mourning Dove - Isaiah 38:14
    • Mule - 2 Samuel 18:9, 1 Kings 1:38
    • Ostrich - Lamentations 4:3
    • Owl (tawny, little, short-eared, great-horned, desert.) - Leviticus 11:17, Isaiah 34:15, Psalms 102:6
    • Ox - 1 Samuel 11:7, 2 Samuel 6:6, 1 Kings 19:20–21, Job 40:15, Isaiah 1:3, Ezekiel 1:10
    • Partridge - 1 Samuel 26:20
    • Peacock - 1 Kings 10:22
    • Pig - Leviticus 11:7, Deuteronomy 14:8, Proverbs 11:22, Isaiah 65:4 and 66:3, Matthew 7:6 and 8:31, 2 Peter 2:22
    • Pigeon - Genesis 15:9, Luke 2:24
    • Quail - Exodus 16:13, Numbers 11:31
    • Ram - Genesis 15:9, Exodus 25:5.
    • Rat - Leviticus 11:29
    • Raven - Genesis 8:7, Leviticus 11:15, 1 Kings 17:4
    • Rodent - Isaiah 2:20
    • Roe Deer - Deuteronomy 14:5
    • Rooster - Matthew 26:34
    • Scorpion - 1 Kings 12:11 and 12:14, Luke 10:19, Revelation 9:3, 9:5, and 9:10.
    • Seagull - Leviticus 11:16
    • Serpent - Genesis 3:1, Revelation 12:9
    • Sheep - Exodus 12:5, 1 Samuel 17:34, Matthew 25:33, Luke 15:4, John 10:7
    • Short-eared Owl - Leviticus 11:16
    • Snail - Psalms 58:8
    • Snake - Exodus 4:3, Numbers 21:9, Proverbs 23:32, Isaiah 11:8, 30:6, and 59:5
    • Sparrow - Matthew 10:31
    • Spider - Isaiah 59:5
    • Stork - Leviticus 11:19
    • Swallow - Isaiah 38:14
    • Turtledove - Genesis 15:9, Luke 2:24
    • Viper (a poisonous snake, adder) - Isaiah 30:6, Proverbs 23:32
    • Vulture (griffon, carrion, bearded, and black) - Leviticus 11:13
    • Wild Goat - Deuteronomy 14:5
    • Wild Ox - Numbers 23:22
    • Wolf - Isaiah 11:6, Matthew 7:15
    • Worm - Isaiah 66:24, Jonah 4:7

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