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, you are gone up: he stooped down, he crouched as a lion, and as a lioness; who shall rouse him up?
Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, you are gone up: he stooped down, he crouched as a lion, and as a lioness; who shall rouse him up?
Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, you are gone up: he stooped down, he crouched as a lion, and as a lioness; who shall rouse him up?
Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up themselves 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 shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up themselves as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eats of the prey, and drinks the blood of the slain.
He crouched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesses you, and cursed is he that curses you.
Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnah, and came to the vineyards of Timnah: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnah, and came to the vineyards of Timnah: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore him as he would have torn a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not 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 you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle.
And David said unto Saul, Your servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and struck him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and struck him, and slew him.
And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and they who are with him are valiant men.
And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcass was cast in the way, and the donkey stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcass. And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcass cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcass: 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 feared not the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which slew some of them. Therefore they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which you have removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he has sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner 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 strong lion's whelps are scattered abroad.
The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
Lord, how long will you look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my precious life from the lions.
Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.
You shall tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the serpent shall you trample under feet.
You shall tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the serpent shall you trample under feet.
The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their food from God.
The slothful man says, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turns not away from any;
Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: 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 concerning the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from where come the lioness and the lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the backs of young donkeys, and their treasures upon the humps of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.
The young lions roared upon him, and growled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.
Therefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the desert shall destroy them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: everyone that goes out there shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.
My heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it cries out against me: therefore have I hated it.
Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the thickets of Jordan against the habitation of the strong: but I will suddenly make him run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will arraign me? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?
Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the thickets of Jordan unto the habitation of the strong: but I will make them suddenly run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will arraign me? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?
They shall roar together like lions: they shall growl as lions' whelps.
And say, What is your mother? A lioness: she lay down among lions, she nourished her cubs among 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 them and go away; I will take them away, and none shall rescue him.
Will a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? will a young lion cry out from his den, if he has taken nothing?
Thus says the LORD; As the shepherd takes out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and on the edge of a couch.
Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion's cub, and none made them afraid? The lion did tear in pieces enough for his cubs, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his caves with prey, and his dens with torn flesh.
There is a sound of the wailing of the shepherds; for their glory is in ruins: a sound of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of the Jordan is in ruins.