Reference: FISH, FISHER
American
The Hebrews have very few names of particular species of fish. Moses says in general, that all sorts of river, lake, or sea fish, which have scales and fins, may be eaten; all others shall be to the Hebrews an abomination, Le 11:9-12; De 14:9-10. The Nile had an early celebrity, which it still retains, for the abundance and excellence of its fish, Ex 7:18-21; Nu 11:5. The Sea of Tiberias also still abounds in fish, Lu 5:5; Joh 21:6-11. They were a common article of food among the Jews, Mt 7:10, and were obtained from the Mediterranean, Ne 13:16, and from the Jordan. They were caught with hooks, Am 4:2, spears, Job 41:7, and nets, Isa 19:8-10. The "great fish," Jon 1:17, which swallowed Jonah, may have been of the shark genus, as this animal is common in the Mediterranean. The original word, both in Hebrew and Greek, Mt 12:40, means a fish, and not specifically a "whale." See WHALE. Fishermen are often spoken of in the Bible, and a large proportion of the twelve apostles of our Lord were of that occupation. Christ made them "fishers of men," Mt 4:18-22.
The early Christians, in times of persecution, used to engrave the form of a fish on their medals, seals, and tombs, as a tacit confession of their faith; as the five letters of the Greek word for fish are the initial letters of five words, signifying "Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior." This symbol has thus become the subject of a superstitious regard.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and, the fish that is in the river shall die and the river shall be loathsome, - and the Egyptians, shall disdain, to drink water out of the river. And Yahweh said unto Moses, - Say unto Aaron - Take thy staff, and stretch forth thy hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams over their rivers, and over their pools and over all their collections of water - that they may become blood, - so shall there be blood in all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone. read more. And Moses and Aaron, did so, as Yahweh commanded, and he lifted high the staff, and smote the waters which were in the river, before the eyes of Pharaoh, and before the eyes of his servants, - and all the waters which were in the river were turned to blood; and the fish that was in the river, died and the river became loathsome, so that the Egyptians could not drink water out of the river, - thus came it to pass that blood was in all the land of Egypt.
these, may ye eat, of all that are in the waters, - all that have fins and scales in the waters, in the seas and in the rivers, them, may ye eat. But, all that have not fins and scales, in the seas and in the rivers, of all that swarm in the waters, and of all the living souls that are in the waters, an abomination, they are unto you; read more. and an abomination, shall they remain to you, - of their flesh, ye shall not eat, and their carcases, shall ye abhor. Whatsoever hath not fins and scales in the waters, an abomination, it is unto you.
We remember the fish that we did eat in Egypt, without money, - the cucumbers, and the water-melons, and the leeks and the onions, and the garlick.
These, may ye eat of all that that are in the waters, - whatsoever hath fins and scales, ye may eat; and, whatsoever hath not, fins and scales, ye may not eat, - unclean, it is unto you.
And, men of Tyre, dwelt therein, who were bringing in fish - and every kind of ware for sale, - and were selling, on the sabbath, to the sons of Judah, and in Jerusalem;
Wilt thou fill, with darts, his skin? or, with fish-spears, his head?
Then shall the fishers, lament, And all shall mourn who cast in the Nile a hook, - And they who spread nets on the face of the waters shall languish; Then shall turn pale The workers in combed flax, - and The weavers of white linen; read more. Then shall her pillars be crushed, - All who make wages, be bowed down in soul.
Sworn hath My Lord, Yahweh, by his own holiness, That lo! days, are coming upon you, - when he will take you away with hooks, and your followers with fishhooks;
Now Yahweh had appointed a great fish, to swallow up Jonah, - and Jonah was in the belly of the fish, three days and three nights.
And, walking round beside the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren - Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, - casting a large fishing-net into the sea, for they were fishers; and he saith unto them, Come after me, - and I will make you fishers, of men. read more. And, they, straightway, leaving the nets, followed him. And, going forward from thence, he saw other two brethren - James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother - in the boat with Zebedee their father, putting in order their nets, - and he called them. And, they, straightway, leaving the boat and their father, followed him.
For, just as was Jonah in the belly of the sea-monster three days and three nights, so, will be the Son of Man, in the heart of the earth, three days and three nights.
And Simon, answering, said - Master! although through the whole night we toiled, we took, nothing; howbeit, at thy bidding, I will let down the nets.
And, he, said unto them - Cast the net, on the right side of the boat, - and ye shall find. They cast, therefore; and, no longer, were they able, to draw, it, for the multitude of the fishes. That disciple, therefore, whom Jesus loved, saith unto Peter - It is, the Lord! Simon Peter, therefore, hearing that it was the Lord, girded about him, his upper garment, - for he was naked; and cast himself into the sea; read more. but, the other disciples, came, by the little boat, - for they were not farther from the land than about two hundred cubits off, - dragging the net of fishes. So, when they got out upon the land, they behold a coal fire lying, and fish lying over, and bread. Jesus saith unto them - Bring of the fish which ye caught just now. Simon Peter, therefore, went on board, and drew the net on to the land, - full of large fishes, a hundred and fifty-three; and, though they were so many, the net was not rent.