Reference: Lions
Easton
the most powerful of all carnivorous animals. Although not now found in Palestine, they must have been in ancient times very numerous there. They had their lairs in the forests (Jer 5:6; 12:8; Am 3:4), in the caves of the mountains (Song 4:8; Na 2:12), and in the canebrakes on the banks of the Jordan (Jer 49:19; 50:44; Zec 11:3).
No fewer than at least six different words are used in the Old Testament for the lion. (1.) Gor (i.e., a "suckling"), the lion's whelp (Ge 49:9; Jer 51:38, etc.). (2.) Kephir (i.e., "shaggy"), the young lion (Jg 14:5; Job 4:10; Ps 91:13; 104:21), a term which is also used figuratively of cruel enemies (Ps 34:10; 35:17; 58:6; Jer 2:15). (3.) 'Ari (i.e., the "puller" in pieces), denoting the lion in general, without reference to age or sex (Nu 23:24; 2Sa 17:10, etc.). (4.) Shahal (the "roarer"), the mature lion (Job 4:10; Ps 91:13; Pr 26:13; Ho 5:14). (5.) Laish, so called from its strength and bravery (Job 4:11; Pr 30:30; Isa 30:6). The capital of Northern Dan received its name from this word. (6.) Labi, from a root meaning "to roar," a grown lion or lioness (Ge 49:9; Nu 23:24; 24:9; Eze 19:2; Na 2:11).
The lion of Palestine was properly of the Asiatic variety, distinguished from the African variety, which is larger. Yet it not only attacked flocks in the presence of the shepherd, but also laid waste towns and villages (2Ki 17:25-26) and devoured men (1Ki 13:24-25). Shepherds sometimes, single-handed, encountered lions and slew them (1Sa 17:34-35; Am 3:12). Samson seized a young lion with his hands and "rent him as he would have rent a kid" (Jg 14:5-6). The strength (Jg 14:18), courage (2Sa 17:10), and ferocity (Ge 49:9) of the lion were proverbial.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, thou art gone up; he stooped down, he couched as a lion and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, thou art gone up; he stooped down, he couched as a lion and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, thou art gone up; he stooped down, he couched as a lion and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
Behold the people, who shall rise up as a great lion and lift up himself as a young lion; he shall not lie down until he eats of the prey and drinks the blood of the slain.
Behold the people, who shall rise up as a great lion and lift up himself as a young lion; he shall not lie down until he eats of the prey and drinks the blood of the slain.
He couched, he lay down as a lion and as a great lion; who shall awaken him? Blessed is he that blesses thee, and cursed is he that curses thee.
Then Samson went down with his father and his mother to Timnath, and when they came to the vineyards of Timnath, behold, a young lion came roaring against him.
Then Samson went down with his father and his mother to Timnath, and when they came to the vineyards of Timnath, behold, a young lion came roaring against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand, but he did not make known unto his father or his mother what he had done.
And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye would have never discovered my enigma.
And David replied unto Saul, Thy slave was the pastor of his father's sheep, and if a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after him and smote him and delivered it out of his mouth; and if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and smote him and slew him.
Thus even the valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt, for all Israel knows that thy father is a mighty man and those who are with him are valiant men.
and as he went, a lion met him by the way and slew him, and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, and the lion also stood by the carcase. And, behold, men passed by and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase; and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.
And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there that they did not fear the LORD; therefore, the LORD sent lions against them, which slew some of them. Therefore, they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, The Gentiles, which thou hast removed and placed in the cities of Samaria, do not know the judgment of the God of that land; therefore, he has sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them because they do not know the judgment of the God of the land.
The roaring of the lion and the voice of the fierce lion and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
The roaring of the lion and the voice of the fierce lion and the teeth of the young lions, are broken. The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.
Jod The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but those that seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Restore my soul from their destructions, my life from the lions.
Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth; break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
The young lions roar after their prey and seek their food from God.
The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
With me from Lebanon, my spouse, thou shalt come with me from Lebanon; thou shalt look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions' dens, from the mountains of the leopards.
The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent; they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.
The young lions roared upon him and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are deserted without inhabitant.
Therefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the desert shall destroy them and a tiger shall lie in wait over their cities; anyone that goes out from there shall be torn in pieces because their rebellions have been multiplied, and their backslidings are increased.
My heritage was unto me as a lion in the forest; it cried out against me, therefore I have hated it.
Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan to the strong habitation: for I will make rest and make him run from upon her, and he who is chosen I shall appoint over her; for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?
Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto the strong habitation; but I will rest and will make him run from upon her; and he who shall be chosen I will appoint over her. For who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?
They shall roar together like lions; they shall roar as lions' whelps.
and thou shalt say, How hast thy mother, the lioness, lain down among the lions? She raised her whelps among the young lions.
For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion and as a young lion to the house of Judah; I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and there shall be no one left to escape.
Will a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den if he has taken nothing?
Thus hath the LORD said: As the pastor takes out of the mouth of the lion two legs or a piece of an ear, so shall the sons of Israel escape that dwell in Samaria in the corner of the bed and at the border of the couch.
What of the dwelling of the lions and of the feeding place of the young lions where the lion and the lioness walked and the lion's whelps, and no one made them afraid? The lion tore in pieces enough for his whelps and strangled for his lionesses and filled his holes with prey and his dens with robbery.
There is a voice of the howling of the pastors; for their magnificence is destroyed; a voice of the roaring of young lions, for the pride of the Jordan is destroyed.