Dogs in Scripture

The Bible invokes the image of the dog often, but rarely in a positive light. The Israelites were familiar with dogs, not as cherished pets, but as members of packs that fed at the town dump and roamed the streets at night howling (Ps 59:6). Because of their scavenging function, dogs became synonymous with garbage. “Do not give what is holy to the dogs” (Mt 7:6) means do not throw it out. Cattle killed by wild animals shall be “thrown out for the dogs” (Ex 22:3).

The practice of dishonoring foes by denying burial made dogs, among other animals (1 Sam 17:44; Jer 8:2; 16:4), the de facto undertakers who “licked the blood” of many (Naboth, 1 Kings 21:19; Ahab, 1 Kings 21:24; 22:38; Jeroboam, 1 Kings 14:11; Baasha, 1 Kings 16:4). To fulfill the prophecy, Jezebel’s body does become dung on the face of the field, but only after the dogs have digested it (2 Kings 9:10, 36). The dogs may lick Lazarus’ wounds as a foreshadowing of his death and interment in them (Lk 16:21).

The dog’s regurgitation reflex, useful for transporting food to their pups in their former wild state, served to cement their label as unclean (Prov 26:11). The logical connection between a dog’s diet of refuse and its unclean habits further supported the belief that what enters in through the mouth does defile one.

The struggle for survival at the town dump and a semi-wild existence did not produce friendly dogs. Dogs seemed to know nothing of obedience and were dangerous to pet (Prov 26:17). The fear of being eaten by such dogs is real (Ps 22:16-17).

In return for a begrudging toleration they provided watchmen services, and they were even believed to sense spiritual dangers. The absence of a dog bark during Israel’s exodus indicates that God miraculously silenced either the departure of the Israelites or the dogs so that they did not alert the Egyptians (Ex 11:7).

The prophet likens his defenseless nation to a pack of lazy watchdogs that could not bark anyway (Is 56:10).

ed. Leland Ryken, James C. Wilhoit, Tremper Longman III, Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinios, 1998, pg 29