Leopard
Much of Israel's native wildlife is mentioned in the Bible, which takes place primarily in and around the land of Israel. Not all the animals mentioned in the Bible are easy to identify, while others have since become extinct in the region. Most however are still part of the landscape to this day, serving as a living exegesis of the text.
Below is a sample of biblical animal verses, with the Hebrew and English names of native species.
Leopard |
"...from atop Snir and Hermon from the arayot (lion's) dens, from the mountains of the nemerim (leopards)" (Song of Songs, 4:8)
"Can...the namer (leopard) change its spots? Then you can also do good who are schooled in evil." (Jeremiah, 13:23)
"Their susim (horses) are swifter than nemerim (leopards) and fiercer than ze'evei erev (evening wolves)" (Habakkuk, 1:8)
"Therefore an aryeh (lion) from the forest shall smite them, the ze'ev (wolf) of the plains will subdue them, the namer (leopard) shall watch over their cities and all who go out from them will be torn to pieces for their crimes are greater than their repentance" (Jeremiah, 5:6)
 Desert Gazelle |
"My beloved is like a tzvi (gazelle)..." (Song of Songs, 2:17) "And they were swift as tzva'im (gazelles) on the mountains" (Chronicles I, 12:8) "And As'ael was fleet of foot like one of the tzva'im (gazelles) of the field" (Samuel II, 2:18) | |
 Blanford's fox |
"...and that which they build, even if a shu'al (fox) shall go upon it, he shall smash their stone wall." (Nehemiah, 3:35) "He shall fall by the sword, becoming the lot of shu'alim (foxes)." (Psalms, 63:11) | |
 Ibex |
"High mountains for ye'elim (ibex) and rocks to shelter shfanim (hyrax)" (Psalms 104:18) |  Hyrax |
 Arabian Oryx | "And He raised my horn like that of a re'em (oryx)" (Psalms, 92:11) | |
 Onager (wild ass) |
"... Pra'im (onagers) quench their thirst." (Psalms 104:11) | |
 Mediterranean (house)Gecko | "The shmamit (house gecko) climbs with her hands, but dwells in the palaces of kings" (Proverbs, 30:28). | |
 Ostrich |
"The beast of the field shall honour me, tanim (jackals) and bnot ya'anah (ostriches), because I have given water in the desert and rivers in the wilderness so that my chosen people may drink" (Isaiah, 43:20) |  Golden Jackal |
| Arabian Oryx | "And He raised my horn like that of a re'em (oryx)" (Psalms, 92:11) | |
 Ibex | "Do you know when the mountain ya'alei selah (ibex) give birth?" (Job, 39:1) | |
Israeli Wildlife |
Biblical Animals |
Hai Bar Conservation Programme
Israeli Mammals |
Small Israeli Mammals |
Israeli Reptiles |
Israeli Birds |
Israeli wildlife links
Copyright 2005 by Leiah Elbaum. Text and phtographs on this page are by Leiah Elbaum. Last updated 26 June 2005.