Overview:
Pigs, also referred to as swine, are mentioned in various contexts throughout the Bible. They are often associated with uncleanness and are used symbolically to represent impurity and moral degradation. In the cultural and religious context of ancient Israel, pigs were considered unclean animals according to the dietary laws given to the Israelites.

Biblical References:

1. Unclean Animal:
In the Mosaic Law, pigs are classified as unclean animals. Leviticus 11:7-8 states, "And the pig, though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you." This prohibition is reiterated in Deuteronomy 14:8, emphasizing the pig's status as an unclean animal that the Israelites were forbidden to consume or even touch.

2. Symbol of Uncleanness:
The pig is often used metaphorically to illustrate spiritual and moral uncleanness. In Proverbs 11:22 , it is written, "Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion." This proverb uses the image of a pig to convey the incongruity and folly of external beauty without inner virtue.

3. New Testament References:
In the New Testament, pigs are mentioned in the context of Jesus' ministry. One of the most notable accounts is the account of the demon-possessed man in the region of the Gerasenes. In Mark 5:11-13 , it is recorded, "There on the nearby hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding. So the demons begged Jesus, 'Send us to the pigs, so that we may enter them.' He gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the water." This event underscores the association of pigs with uncleanness and the destructive nature of evil spirits.

4. Parable of the Prodigal Son:
In Luke 15:15-16 , the parable of the prodigal son includes a reference to pigs: "So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing." The mention of pigs in this parable highlights the depth of the son's degradation and his fall from grace, as he finds himself tending to unclean animals and desiring their food.

Cultural and Religious Significance:
In ancient Israelite culture, pigs were not only considered unclean but also held a negative connotation due to their association with Gentile practices and idolatry. The prohibition against eating pork was a distinctive marker of Jewish identity and religious observance, setting the Israelites apart from surrounding nations.

Theological Implications:
The biblical portrayal of pigs serves as a reminder of the importance of holiness and separation from impurity. The dietary laws, including the prohibition against consuming pork, were part of the broader covenantal relationship between God and Israel, emphasizing obedience and the pursuit of spiritual purity. In the New Testament, while the dietary laws are fulfilled in Christ, the symbolic use of pigs continues to convey themes of moral and spiritual discernment.3374. melote -- a sheepskin
... Noun, Feminine Transliteration: melote Phonetic Spelling: (may-lo-tay') Short
Definition: a sheepskin Definition: a sheep's (sometimes pig's) hide, sheepskin. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3374.htm - 6k

How Brother Juniper Cut Off the Foot of a Pig to Give it to a Sick ...
... PART TWO. HERE BEGINNETH THE LIFE OF BROTHER JUNIPER CHAPTER I HOW BROTHER JUNIPER
CUT OFF THE FOOT OF A PIG TO GIVE IT TO A SICK BROTHER. ...
/.../the little flowers of st francis of assisi/chapter i how brother juniper.htm

The Mutiny of 1857-58.
... spread like wild-fire, and was firmly believed, that the cartridge was smeared with
bullock's fat to destroy the caste of the Hindus, and with pig's fat to ...
/.../life and work in benares and kumaon 1839-1877/chapter xvi the mutiny of.htm

Homeward Bound
... freely eat it, sauced with brotherly love." When he was asked what he would like
he said that he had read that the sick fathers had been given pig's trotters. ...
/.../marson/hugh bishop of lincoln/chapter x homeward bound.htm

Disclosure of the Monstrous Tenets of the Manich??ans.
... A young pig roasted (for your ideas on this subject force us to discuss good and
evil with you as if you were cooks and confectioners, instead of men of ...
/.../chapter 16 name of the 2.htm

It is Said that on a Recent Occasion Where the Letters of ...
... I am afraid that, according to the old proverbs, I might be like the pig
teaching Minerva, and the man carrying fagots into the wood. ...
/.../14 it is said that.htm

Pig's (4 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Pig's (4 Occurrences). Proverbs 11:22 Like a gold ring
in a pig's snout, is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion. (WEB NIV). ...
/p/pig's.htm - 7k

Pigs (18 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 65:4 Who are seated in the resting-places of the dead, and by night are in
the secret places; who take pig's flesh for food, and have the liquid of ...
/p/pigs.htm - 11k

Pihahiroth (4 Occurrences)

/p/pihahiroth.htm - 10k

Disgusting (149 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 65:4 Who are seated in the resting-places of the dead, and by night are in
the secret places; who take pig's flesh for food, and have the liquid of ...
/d/disgusting.htm - 38k

Vigil (2 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 65:4 Who are seated in the resting-places of the dead, and by night are in
the secret places; who take pig's flesh for food, and have the liquid of ...
/v/vigil.htm - 7k

Lacks (27 Occurrences)
... peace. (See NAS RSV NIV). Proverbs 11:22 Like a gold ring in a pig's snout,
is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion. (WEB NAS). ...
/l/lacks.htm - 13k

Liquid (15 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 65:4 Who are seated in the resting-places of the dead, and by night are in
the secret places; who take pig's flesh for food, and have the liquid of ...
/l/liquid.htm - 11k

Gardens (14 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 66:17 "Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go to the gardens,
behind one in the midst, eating pig's flesh, and the abomination, and ...
/g/gardens.htm - 12k

Worships (7 Occurrences)
... an ox to death puts a man to death; he who makes an offering of a lamb puts a dog
to death; he who makes a meal offering makes an offering of pig's blood; he ...
/w/worships.htm - 8k

Rats (5 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 66:17 As for those who keep themselves separate, and make themselves clean
in the gardens, going after one in the middle, taking pig's flesh for food ...
/r/rats.htm - 8k

What is the meaning of the Parable of the Prodigal Son? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus