Jackals are frequently mentioned in the Bible, often symbolizing desolation, destruction, and abandonment. These animals are native to the Middle East and are known for their scavenging behavior, which makes them apt symbols for desolate and forsaken places. In the biblical context, jackals are often associated with ruins and wilderness, reflecting their natural habitat and behavior.

Biblical References:

1. Isaiah 13:22 : "Hyenas will howl in their fortresses, and jackals in their luxurious palaces. Babylon’s time is at hand; her days will not be prolonged." In this passage, jackals are depicted as inhabitants of desolate ruins, emphasizing the complete destruction and abandonment of Babylon. The presence of jackals signifies the end of human habitation and the triumph of nature over once-mighty cities.

2. Jeremiah 9:11 : "I will make Jerusalem a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant." Here, the prophet Jeremiah conveys God's judgment upon Jerusalem and Judah. The imagery of jackals inhabiting the ruins underscores the severity of the desolation that will befall these places due to their disobedience.

3. Lamentations 5:18 : "because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate, patrolled by jackals." This verse reflects the sorrow and lament over the destruction of Zion. The presence of jackals in this sacred place highlights the extent of its devastation and the reversal of its former glory.

4. Psalm 44:19 : "But You have crushed us in the lair of jackals; You have covered us with deepest darkness." In this psalm, the psalmist uses the imagery of jackals to express a sense of abandonment and divine judgment. The lair of jackals symbolizes a place of danger and desolation, reflecting the psalmist's feelings of being forsaken.

5. Micah 1:8 : "Because of this I will lament and wail; I will walk barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and mourn like an ostrich." The prophet Micah uses the behavior of jackals to express profound grief and mourning. The howling of jackals is likened to the prophet's own lamentation over the impending judgment on Israel.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

In the biblical narrative, jackals are often used as symbols of judgment and desolation. Their presence in prophetic literature serves as a vivid reminder of the consequences of sin and disobedJACKAL'S WELL

(`en ha-tannin; Septuagint has pege ton sukon, "fountain of the figs"; the King James Version dragon well): A well or spring in the valley of Hinnom between the "Gate of the Gai" and the Dung Gate (Nehemiah 2:13). No such source exists in the Wady er Rababi (see HINNOM, VALLEY OF) today, although it is very probable that a well sunk to the rock in the lower parts of this valley might strike a certain amount of water trickling down the valley-bottom. G.A. Smith suggests (Jerusalem, I, chapter iv) that this source may have arisen as the result of an earthquake, hence, the name "dragon," and have subsequently disappeared; but it is at least as likely that it received its name from the jackals which haunted this valley, as the pariah dogs do today, to consume the dead bodies which were thrown there.

See HINNOM, VALLEY OF; JACKAL.

E. W. G. Masterman

By the Wayside
... lead. Over the tangle of marks lay a slim paw-printed, confident, careless
trail of a jackal, following the scent to a well. The ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the city of delight/chapter v by the wayside.htm

The Political Constitution of Egypt
... They compelled the god therein invoked, whether Osiris or the jackal Anubis, to
act as mediator between the living and the departed; they granted to the god ...
/.../chapter ithe political constitution of.htm

The Gods of Egypt
... Why, towards Graeco-Roman times, should they have worshipped the jackal, or even
the dog, at Siut?[**] How came Sit to be incarnate in a fennec, or in an ...
/.../chapter ii the gods of egypt.htm

Jackal's (1 Occurrence)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia JACKAL'S WELL. ... See HINNOM, VALLEY OF; JACKAL. EWG
Masterman. Multi-Version Concordance Jackal's (1 Occurrence). ...
/j/jackal's.htm - 7k

Jackals (20 Occurrences)
... (WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV NIV). Psalms 63:10 They shall be given over to the
power of the sword. They shall be jackal food. (See RSV NIV). ...
/j/jackals.htm - 12k

Well (2882 Occurrences)
... Arch. C. Dickie. DRAGON WELL. (Nehemiah 2:13 the King James Version). See JACKAL'S
WELL. HAROD, WELL OF. ... See ESDRAELON. W. Ewing. JACKAL'S WELL. ...
/w/well.htm - 39k

Viewed (9 Occurrences)
... Nehemiah 2:13 I went out by night by the valley gate, even toward the jackal's well,
and to the dung gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken ...
/v/viewed.htm - 9k

Jackal (3 Occurrences)
... thought to kill game which lions appropriated. Int. Standard Bible
Encyclopedia. JACKAL. jak'-ol: (1) tannim, "jackals," the King ...
/j/jackal.htm - 15k

Inspecting (5 Occurrences)
... Nehemiah 2:13 I went out by night by the valley gate, even toward the jackal's well,
and to the dung gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken ...
/i/inspecting.htm - 8k

Inspected (18 Occurrences)
... Nehemiah 2:13 I went out by night by the valley gate, even toward the jackal's well,
and to the dung gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken ...
/i/inspected.htm - 11k

Examining (7 Occurrences)
... Nehemiah 2:13 I went out by night by the valley gate, even toward the jackal's well,
and to the dung gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken ...
/e/examining.htm - 8k

Dung (27 Occurrences)
... Nehemiah 2:13 I went out by night by the valley gate, even toward the jackal's well,
and to the dung gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken ...
/d/dung.htm - 20k

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