By Babu Tendu Hunting has been a part of human history for centuries, and the Bible reflects this reality. In both the Old and New Testaments, references to hunting appear as metaphors and literal activities. These Bible verses about hunting offer insight into the relationship between mankind and nature.
They highlight themes of provision, skill, and stewardship over creation. For many, hunting is not just a pursuit but also a means to reflect on God’s bounty. The Bible presents hunting with a sense of reverence for life and the natural order. These verses remind us of the responsibility we have while engaging with God’s creation.
List of 44 Bible verses about hunting
Genesis 10:9
“He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; so it is said, ‘Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.'”
Proverbs 12:27
“The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.”
Jeremiah 16:16
“‘But now I will send for many fishermen,’ declares the Lord, ‘and they will catch them. After that I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down on every mountain and hill and from the crevices of the rocks.'”
Psalm 91:3
“Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.”
Leviticus 17:13
“Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among you who hunts any animal or bird that may be eaten must drain out the blood and cover it with earth.”
1 Samuel 24:11
“See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life.”
Isaiah 51:20
“Your children have fainted; they lie at every street corner, like antelope caught in a net. They are filled with the wrath of the Lord, with the rebuke of your God.”
Genesis 25:27
“The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents.”
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Job 10:16
“If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion and again display your awesome power against me.”
Deuteronomy 14:5
“The deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep.”
Ezekiel 13:18
“And say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own?'”
1 Kings 19:10
“He replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.'”
Psalm 124:7
“We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.”
Exodus 23:29
“But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you.”
Jeremiah 5:26
“Among my people are the wicked who lie in wait like men who snare birds and like those who set traps to catch people.”
2 Samuel 22:34
“He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights.”
Proverbs 6:5
“Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.”
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Isaiah 11:6
“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.”
Genesis 27:3
“Now then, get your equipment—your quiver and bow—and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me.”
Job 18:10
“The noose is hidden for him on the ground; a trap lies in his path.”
Deuteronomy 7:22
“The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you.”
Ezekiel 17:20
“I will spread my net for him, and he will be caught in my snare; I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment on him there because he was unfaithful to me.”
Psalm 35:8
“May ruin overtake them by surprise—may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.”
1 Samuel 26:20
“Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the Lord. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea—as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
Isaiah 24:18
“Whoever flees at the sound of terror will fall into a pit; whoever climbs out of the pit will be caught in a snare. The floodgates of the heavens are opened, the foundations of the earth shake.”
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Genesis 21:20
“God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer.”
Job 19:6
“Then know that God has wronged me and drawn his net around me.”
Deuteronomy 12:15
“Nevertheless, you may slaughter your animals in any of your towns and eat as much of the meat as you want, as if it were gazelle or deer, according to the blessing the Lord your God gives you.”
Jeremiah 4:29
“At the sound of horsemen and archers every town takes to flight. Some go into the thickets; some climb up among the rocks. All the towns are deserted; no one lives in them.”
Psalm 140:5
“The arrogant have hidden a snare for me; they have spread out the cords of their net and have set traps for me along my path.”
Leviticus 26:22
“I will send wild animals against you, and they will rob you of your children, destroy your cattle and make you so few in number that your roads will be deserted.”
Isaiah 7:24
“Hunters will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers and thorns.”
Job 8:16
“They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden.”
Genesis 49:9
“You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?”
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Ezekiel 19:8
“Then the nations came against him, those from regions round about. They spread their net for him, and he was trapped in their pit.”
1 Samuel 17:34-35
“But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.'”
Proverbs 7:23
“Till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.”
Isaiah 66:3
“But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a person, and whoever offers a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig’s blood, and whoever burns memorial incense is like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations.”
Deuteronomy 32:24
“I will send wasting famine against them, consuming pestilence and deadly plague; I will send against them the fangs of wild beasts, the venom of vipers that glide in the dust.”
Jeremiah 18:22
“Let a cry be heard from their houses when you suddenly bring invaders against them, for they have dug a pit to capture me and have hidden snares for my feet.”
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Genesis 27:5
“Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back.”
Job 38:39
“Do you hunt the prey for the lioness and satisfy the hunger of the lions?”
Psalm 91:13
“You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.”
Isaiah 43:20
“The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen.”
2 Kings 9:20
“The lookout reported, ‘He has reached them, but he isn’t coming back either. The driving is like that of Jehu son of Nimshi—he drives like a maniac.'”
Job 18:8
“His feet thrust him into a net; he wanders into its mesh.”
Genesis 49:27
“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.”
Jeremiah 50:17
“Israel is a scattered flock that lions have chased away. The first to devour them was the king of Assyria; the last to crush their bones was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.”
Psalm 10:9
“Like a lion in cover he lies in wait. He lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.”
Proverbs 6:26
“For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, but another man’s wife preys on your very life.”
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Isaiah 11:7
“The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.”
Leviticus 11:27
“Of all the animals that walk on all fours, those that walk on paws are unclean for you; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening.”
Jeremiah 2:15
“Lions have roared; they have growled at him. They have laid waste his land; his towns are burned and deserted.”
Psalm 142:3
“When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way. In the path where I walk, people have hidden a snare for me.”
Genesis 37:20
“Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”
Job 5:22
“You will laugh at destruction and famine, and need not fear the wild animals.”
Isaiah 5:29
“Their roar is like that of the lion, they roar like young lions; they growl as they seize their prey and carry it off with no one to rescue.”
Jeremiah 12:9
“Has not my inheritance become to me like a speckled bird of prey that other birds of prey surround and attack? Go and gather all the wild beasts; bring them to devour.”
Psalm 7:15
“Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made.”
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1 Kings 13:24
“As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was left lying on the road, with both the donkey and the lion standing beside it.”
Conclusion
The Bible verses about hunting offer more than just guidance on the activity itself. They provide spiritual reflections on the balance between man, nature, and God’s provision. Whether through symbolic teachings or direct references, the Bible ties hunting to themes of responsibility and gratitude. For those who hunt, these verses can deepen their understanding of the practice as a part of their faith journey.
As we hunt, we are reminded of God’s control over all living things and our role in stewardship. Reflecting on these Bible verses about hunting encourages a heart of thankfulness. It’s a reminder that every aspect of life, including hunting, can honor God’s creation.