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, a lion's whelp; from the green leaf, my son, thou didst go up: bending, lying down, as a lion, and as a lioness: who shall raise him up?
Judah, a lion's whelp; from the green leaf, my son, thou didst go up: bending, lying down, as a lion, and as a lioness: who shall raise him up?
Judah, a lion's whelp; from the green leaf, my son, thou didst go up: bending, lying down, as a lion, and as a lioness: who shall raise him up?
Behold, the people will rise up as a lioness, and as a lion he will be lifted up: he will not lie down till he shall eat the prey and drink the blood of the wounded.
Behold, the people will rise up as a lioness, and as a lion he will be lifted up: he will not lie down till he shall eat the prey and drink the blood of the wounded.
He bowed; he lay down as a lion, and as a lioness: who shall raise him up? Praised he praising thee, and cursed he cursing thee.
And Samson will go down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and they will come even to the vineyards of Timnath: and behold, a young lion roared at his meeting.
And Samson will go down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and they will come even to the vineyards of Timnath: and behold, a young lion roared at his meeting. And the spirit of Jehovah will fall suddenly upon him, and he will rend him as rending a kid, and nothing whatever in his hand: and he announced not to his father and to his mother what he did.
And the men of the city will say to him in the seventh day before the sun will go down, What is sweet above honey? and what is strong above the lion? and he will say to them, Unless ye ploughed with my heifer ye found not out my enigma.
And David will say to Saul, Thy servant was feeding for his father among the sheep, and there came the lion and with the bear, and lifted up a sheep from the flock. And I went forth after him, and I smote him, and I delivered from his mouth: and he arose upon me and I seized upon his beard, and I struck him and killed him.
And he also the son of strength whose heart according to the heart of the lion, melting, will melt away: for all Israel knew that thy father is mighty, and the sons of strength which are with him.
And he will go, and a lion will find him in the way and kill him: and his corpse will be cast in the way, and the ass standing by it., and the lion standing by the corpse. And behold, men passing by, and they will see the corpse cast in the way, and the lion standing by the corpse: and they will come and speak in he city where the prophet, the old man, dwelt in it
And it will be in the beginning of their dwelling there, they will not fear Jehovah; and Jehovah will send against them lions, and they will be killing among them. And they will say to the king of Assur, saying, The nations which thou carriedst into exile, and thou wilt set in the cities of Shomeron, knew not the judgment of the God of the land, and he will send among them lions, and behold them slaying them because they knew not the judgment of the God of the land.
The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lion, and the teeth of the young lions were broken.
The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lion, and the teeth of the young lions were broken. The lion perished from failure of prey, and the sons of the lioness shall be scattered.
The young lions suffered want and were hungry: and they seeking Jehovah shall not want any good.
O Jehovah, how long wilt thou see? Turn back my soul from their destruction, my only one from the lions.
God destroyed their teeth in their mouth: Jehovah broke down the young lions' grinders.
Upon the lion and the asp, shalt thou tread: thou shalt tread down the young lion and the dragon.
Upon the lion and the asp, shalt thou tread: thou shalt tread down the young lion and the dragon.
The young lions roaring for prey, and to seek from God their food.
The slothful one said, A lion in the way; a lion between the broad places.
The lion strong among cattle, and he will not turn back from the face of all;
Thou shalt come with me from Lebanon, O bride, with me from Lebanon: thou shalt go round about from the head of faith, from the head of Shenir and Hermon, from the dwellings of lions, from the mountains of panthers.
The burden of quadrupeds of the south: into the land of straits and distress, the lioness and the lion from them, the viper and the burning flying they will lift up upon the shoulder of young asses, their riches, and upon the humps of camels their treasures, for a people who shall not profit
Upon him the young lions roared, they gave their voice, they will set his land for a desolation: his cities were burned from not being inhabited.
For this, a lion from the forest struck them, a wolf of the deserts will destroy them, the panther watched over their cities: every one going forth from thence shall be torn in pieces; for their transgressions were multiplied, their turnings away were strong.
My inheritance was to me as a lion in the forest; she gave upon me with her voice: for this I hated her.
Behold, as the lion he shall come up from the excellency of Jordan against the habitation of strength: for I will wink, I will cause him to run from her: and who the chosen I shall appoint to her? for who like me? and who shall testify for me? and who this shepherd which shall stand before me?
Behold, as a lion he will come up from the excellency of Jordan to the habitation of strength: for I will wink; I will cause them to run away from her: and who the chosen I shall appoint to her? for who like me? and who shall arraign me? and who that shepherd who shall stand before me?
Together as lions shall they roar: they shook themselves as the lion's whelps.
And say, What thy mother? a lioness: between lions she lay down, in the midst of young lions she brought up her whelps
For I as the lion to Ephraim, and as the young lion to the house of Judah I, I will rend and go away; I will take away and none delivering.
Will the lion roar in the forest and not tearing in pieces for him? will the young lion give his voice from his cave if he took nothing?
Thus said Jehovah: As the shepherd will deliver from the mouth of the lion two legs, and part of an ear, thus shall the sons of Israel be delivered dwelling in Shomeron in the extremity of a tribe, or in Damascus under a roof.
Where is the dwelling of the lions and that pasture for the young lions where the lion went, the lioness there, the lion's whelp, and none terrifying? The lion tore in pieces the sufficiency of his whelps, and strangling for his lionesses; and his holes shall be filled with the prey, and his dens with that torn in pieces.
A voice of wailing of the shepherds, for their greatness was destroyed: a voice of the roaring of young lions, for the pride of Jordan was destroyed.