Owls are mentioned several times in the Bible, and there are some interesting symbolic meanings associated with them. Here is an overview of the owl’s significance in Scripture:
Owls as symbols of desolation and ruin
One of the most common symbolic meanings for the owl in the Bible is that it represents desolation, ruin, and judgment. For example:
- “But desert creatures will lie there, jackals will fill her houses; there the owls will dwell, and there the wild goats will leap about.” (Isaiah 13:21)
- “The hyenas will howl in its towers, and jackals in the pleasant palaces; its time is close at hand and its days will not be prolonged.” (Isaiah 34:13)
- “I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a lair of jackals, and will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.” (Jeremiah 9:11)
In these verses, owls are mentioned alongside jackals and hyenas as inhabiting the ruins of destroyed cities. The owl was associated with desolation because it would roost in abandoned buildings and cities that had been reduced to rubble. So the owl became a symbolic representation of judgement and ruin.
Owls connected to idolatry and false gods
Another symbolic meaning for owls in Scripture is their connection to idolatry and false gods. For instance:
- “On that day I will punish all who avoid stepping on the threshold, who fill the temple of their gods with violence and deceit.” (Zephaniah 1:9)
Here the “avoiding of the threshold” likely refers to the Philistine custom of not treading on the threshold of Dagon, their idol. As it mentions filling “the temple of their gods”, this points to idol worship.
Some scholars believe the “birds roosting on the upper lintels” in the next verse refers to owls roosting in the deserted ruins of the temple of a false god:
- “On that day I will punish all who leap over the threshold, who fill the house of their master with violence and fraud. On that day, says the LORD, a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate, a wail from the Second Quarter, a loud crash from the hills.” (Zephaniah 1:9-10)
So the owl was seen as closely associated with false gods and pagan temples.
Owls unclean animals under Levitical law
In the Torah, owls are included in the lists of unclean birds that the Israelites were forbidden from eating:
- “And these you shall detest among the birds; they shall not be eaten; they are detestable: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture, the kite, the falcon of any kind, every raven of any kind, the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any kind, the little owl, the cormorant, the short-eared owl, the barn owl, the tawny owl, the carrion vulture, the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.” (Leviticus 11:13-19)
- “And all winged insects are unclean for you; they shall not be eaten.” (Deuteronomy 14:19)
As unclean animals, owls were not to be eaten or touched by the Israelites. They were considered ceremonially unclean. This may be due to their association with night and darkness, death, and desolation.
Owls associated with witchcraft and demonic spirits
There are some passages in the Bible that potentially connect owls to demonic spirits and practices of magic/witchcraft:
- “There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD.” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)
The Hebrew word translated here as “one who inquires of the dead” is sho’el ‘ov which literally means “one who inquires of the Ob.” Some scholars believe Ob refers to obscure demonic spirits or pagan gods. The passage condemns trying to communicate with such spirits.
Interestingly, Ob sounds very close to the word Owlb, which refers to spirits of the dead that some cultures believed could be contacted through owls. So this potential connection may be why owls were seen as tied to illegitimate supernatural arts.
Symbolic meaning in prophecy
In a few prophetic passages, owls seem to take on symbolic meaning related to prophecy about judgment and desolation:
- “For I will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who live there will be appalled. I will scatter you among the heathen and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins. Then the land will enjoy its sabbath years all the time that it lies desolate and you are in the country of your enemies; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. All the time that it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not have during the sabbaths you lived in it.” (Leviticus 26:32-35)
- “Therefore desert creatures will live there, and hyenas will inhabit it. It will not be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation. As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah along with their neighboring towns, declares the LORD, so no one will live there; no human being will dwell in it.” (Jeremiah 50:39-40)
In these prophecies, God speaks of punishing and scattering his people, laying waste their land so that it lies empty, inhabited only by desert creatures like hyenas and owls. The images of emptiness, ruin, and wild animals depict how thorough the prophesied devastation would be.
Associated with mourning and sadness
In a few poetic passages, owls seem to reflect themes of mourning and grief over desolation:
- “Therefore wild beasts will live with hyenas in Babylon, and ostriches will dwell in her. She will never again be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation.” (Jeremiah 50:39)
- “Therefore desert creatures will live there, and hyenas will inhabit it. It will not be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation.” (Isaiah 13:20-22)
The mournful crying of owls reflecting sadness and grief over the destruction of a city or land. Their presence in ruins and deserted places evokes mourning over the loss and devastation.
Association with Lilith
In some ancient Near Eastern cultures, including Hebrew folklore, the owl is associated with Lilith – a demonic figure and first wife of Adam before Eve. Lilith represents chaos, sexuality, and immorality:
- “The wild beasts will meet with the hyenas, and the goat demon will call to his neighbor; indeed, there Lilith will repose and find for herself a resting place.” (Isaiah 34:14)
Here Lilith is mentioned as living in the ruins of Edom. The association between the owl and Lilith offers another viewpoint on how owls came to be viewed negatively at times in the Bible – their connection to a figure representing disorder, harm, and evil.
New Testament references
There are a couple references to owls in the New Testament, though no major symbolic meaning is attached:
- “As for Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It will never be inhabited or lived in for all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there, no shepherds will make their flocks lie down there.” (Isaiah 13:19-20)
- “The light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” (John 3:19)
In these passages, owls are simply mentioned in the context of uninhabited ruins and preferring darkness to light. But no major symbolic significance is developed.
Summary of owl symbolism
In summary, here are some of the key symbolic meanings associated with owls in the Bible:
- Desolation, abandonment, and ruin
- Judgment from God
- False gods and idol worship
- Unclean animals tied to darkness and death
- Associations with magic, divination, and occult practices
- Imagery related to mourning and grief
- Connection to demonic figures like Lilith
So in most cases, owls had negative connotations and symbolized destruction, death, false gods, demons, and divine judgment. However, they could also reflect grief and mourning when picturing the emptiness left by desolation. But overall, owls were not seen positively in biblical culture.
Through their presence in deserted ruins, unclean status, and connection to darkness, owls served as symbols of abandonment, sadness, and spiritual evil. Their significance in Scripture provides intriguing insight into ancient perspectives on animals, purity, idolatry, and divine judgment.