In biblical literature, the term "lair" is often associated with the dwelling places of wild animals, symbolizing danger, desolation, or the abode of the wicked. The imagery of a lair is used throughout Scripture to convey various spiritual and moral lessons.

Old Testament References

The concept of a lair is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, often in the context of desolation or judgment. In Isaiah 35:7, the prophet speaks of a transformation where "the haunt of jackals, its resting place, will become grass with reeds and rushes." Here, the lair of wild animals symbolizes a place of desolation that will be renewed and restored by God's intervention.

In Job 38:39-40, God challenges Job with questions about the natural world, asking, "Can you hunt the prey for the lioness or satisfy the hunger of the young lions when they crouch in their dens and lie in wait in their lairs?" This passage highlights the lair as a place of waiting and preparation, emphasizing God's sovereignty over creation.

Jeremiah 9:11 uses the imagery of a lair to describe the desolation of Jerusalem: "I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant." The lair here is a metaphor for the devastation that results from the people's disobedience to God.

Symbolism and Spiritual Lessons

The lair, as a dwelling place for wild animals, often symbolizes danger and the presence of evil. In Psalm 10:9, the wicked are compared to a lion in its lair: "He lies in wait near the villages; in ambush he slays the innocent." This imagery serves as a warning against the deceitful and predatory nature of the wicked, who seek to harm the innocent.

The lair can also represent a place of refuge and safety for those who trust in God. In Psalm 104:21-22, the psalmist describes how "the young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God." Here, the lair is a place where God's provision is evident, illustrating His care for all creation.

New Testament Insights

While the New Testament does not explicitly mention lairs, the concept can be related to the spiritual battles faced by believers. In 1 Peter 5:8, Christians are warned to "be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." This passage echoes the Old Testament imagery of the lair as a place of lurking danger, urging believers to remain vigilant against spiritual threats.

Conclusion

The biblical use of the term "lair" serves as a powerful metaphor for both the dangers posed by evil and the protective care of God. Through the imagery of lairs, Scripture communicates themes of judgment, desolation, and divine provision, offering valuable insights into the spiritual realities faced by God's people.1. (n.) A place in which to lie or rest; especially, the bed or couch of a wild beast.

2. (n.) A burying place.

3. (n.) A pasture; sometimes, food.

5583. pseustes from the same as NG5574 -- liar.
... Cognate: 5583 (from 5574 , "to falsify, lie") -- properly, a lair; a person
who falsifies, misrepresents (distorts, misleads). Word ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5583.htm - 7k

5454. pholeos -- a hole, den
... Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: pholeos Phonetic Spelling:
(fo-leh-os') Short Definition: a burrow, hole Definition: a burrow, hole, den, lair ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5454.htm - 6k

695. ereb -- a lying in wait, a covert, lair
... 694, 695. ereb. 696 . a lying in wait, a covert, lair. Transliteration:
ereb Phonetic Spelling: (eh'-reb) Short Definition: lair. ...
/hebrew/695.htm - 6k

5520. sok -- a thicket, covert, lair
... 5519, 5520. sok. 5521 . a thicket, covert, lair. Transliteration: sok
Phonetic Spelling: (soke) Short Definition: tabernacle. Word ...
/hebrew/5520.htm - 6k

5521. sukkah -- a thicket, booth
... Word Origin from sakak Definition a thicket, booth NASB Word Usage booth (1), Booths
(9), booths (8), canopies (1), canopy (1), hut (1), lair (1), pavilion (1 ...
/hebrew/5521.htm - 6k

4908. mishkan -- dwelling place, tabernacle
... From shakan; a residence (including a shepherd's hut, the lair of animals, figuratively,
the grave; also the Temple); specifically, the Tabernacle (properly ...
/hebrew/4908.htm - 6k

4583. maon -- dwelling, habitation
... 1 Chronicles 4:41) {maw-een'}; from the same as ownah; an abode, of God (the Tabernacle
or the Temple), men (their home) or animals (their lair); hence, a ...
/hebrew/4583.htm - 6k

1482. gur -- a whelp
... whelp, young one. Or (shortened) gur {goor}; perhaps from guwr; a cub (as still
abiding in the lair), especially of the lion -- whelp, young one. ...
/hebrew/1482.htm - 6k

Oracles on the Edge of Doom. (vii. 16-xviii Passim, xxii, Xlv. )
... are gone. I will make Jerusalem heaps, 11 Of jackals the lair, And the
townships of Judah lay waste, With never a dweller. Who is ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/3 oracles on the edge.htm

What is the Christian Home?
... of merry childhood. It is not simply a habitation. This would identify it
with the lion's lair and the eagle's nest. It is not the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/philips/the christian home/chapter i what is the.htm

The Festival of Games, in Honor of Augustus, were About to Begin ...
... unlikeness. These were mostly the children of Hatred, each heart a lair
of wild passions, each brain teeming with catlike gods. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bacheller/vergilius/chapter 24 the festival of.htm

(On the Mysteries. Ii. )
... For since the adverse powers made their lair in your members, ye may no longer wear
that old garment; I do not at all mean this visible one, but the old man ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture xx on the mysteries.htm

Almighty God! Thy Power Controls
... O'erthrow the reign of primal night,. Shall bring the sunshine that shall scare.
Those prowling terrors in their lair. O Christ our Lord, Thy power proclaim,. ...
/.../brownlie/hymns of the early church/almighty god thy power controls.htm

Moreover Isaiah Himself yet Further Says. ...
... And a sucking child shall put his hand on the hole of the asps, and on the lair
of the offspring of the asps, and they shall not hurt him. ...
/.../chapter 59 moreover isaiah himself.htm

A String of Pearls
... now. The proverb warns that it is no trifle to rouse the lion from his lair,
and that when he begins to growl there is danger. The ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/a string of pearls.htm

Light in the Wood
... Of loving hearts forbids all harm to come. Within the limits of its sacred
lair,. Makes difference in those who dwell therein;". ...
/.../palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/cccxc light in the wood.htm

Petilianus Said: "On You, Yes You, You Wretched Men...
... But the cautious son, who, while he stands in dread of his father's rod, keeps away
from the lair of the serpent, escapes both blows and destruction; whereas ...
/.../chapter 99 225 petilianus.htm

"That Ye through his Poverty Might be Rich. "
... 2 The weary bird hath left the air, And sunk into his sheltered nest; The wandering
beast has sought his lair, And laid him down to welcome rest. ...
/.../adams/hymns for christian devotion/219 that ye through.htm

Lair (8 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Lair (8 Occurrences). Job 37:8 And the wild beast goeth
into its lair, and they remain in their dens. (DBY NAS RSV). ...
/l/lair.htm - 8k

Covert (18 Occurrences)
... generally spelt "cover." "A covered way" (2 Kings 16:18 the King James Version);
also a shelter of any kind (Isaiah 4:6); "a hiding place," "a lair," "a hut ...
/c/covert.htm - 12k

Swelling (14 Occurrences)
... Jordan (Jeremiah 12:5), literally the "pride" of Jordan (as in RV), ie, the luxuriant
thickets of tamarisks, poplars, reeds, etc., which were the lair of lions ...
/s/swelling.htm - 13k

Lairs (2 Occurrences)

/l/lairs.htm - 6k

Drags (5 Occurrences)
... Psalms 10:9 He lieth in wait in a secret place as a lion in his lair, he lieth in
wait to catch the poor; he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him up in his ...
/d/drags.htm - 7k

Den (19 Occurrences)
... A lair of wild beasts (Psalm 10:9; 104:22; Job 37:8); the hole of a venomous reptile
(Isaiah 11:8); a recess for secrecy "in dens and caves of the earth ...
/d/den.htm - 16k

Couch (55 Occurrences)
... 12. (n.) A bed or place for repose or sleep; particularly, in the United States,
a lounge. 13. (vt) Any place for repose, as the lair of a beast, etc. 14. ...
/c/couch.htm - 25k

Lain (57 Occurrences)

/l/lain.htm - 24k

Ten (234 Occurrences)
... All his ethical teaching might be said to be founded on the 10th commandment,
which tracks sin to its lair in the mind and soul of man. ...
/t/ten.htm - 60k

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