2. wild animal, creature — A wild animal or beast in the natural/literal sense, as opposed to the apocalyptic Beast of Revelation. Includes: the venomous creature (θηρίον) that fastened on Paul's hand in Malta (Acts 28:4-5, rendered Spa. 'criatura,' Hin. 'जन्तु' = creature/animal); wild beasts among whom Jesus dwelt in the wilderness (Mark 1:13); the animals in Peter's vision (Acts 11:6); beasts of the earth as agents of death (Rev 6:8); the Cretan proverb 'evil beasts, lazy gluttons' (Titus 1:12); and taming of every kind of beast (James 3:7). The shift to Spa. 'criatura/fieras,' Hin. 'जन्तु/जानवर' (animal), and plural forms (θηρία) confirms these are literal wild animals, distinct from the singular apocalyptic Beast of Revelation. 7×
AR["الوُحوشِ","الْوُحُوشِ","وَحشَ","وُحوشٌ","وُحوشِ","وُحُوشَ"]·ben["জন্তু","জন্তুকে","পশুদের","বন্য-পশু;","বন্যপশু"]·DE["Tier","θηρία","θηρίον"]·EN["beasts","creature","of-beasts","wild-beasts"]·FR["bête"]·heb["הַחַיָּה","חַיּוֹת","רָעוֹת"]·HI["के","जंगली-जन्तु","जनवर,","जन्तुको","जानवरों","जानवरों-की"]·ID["binatang","binatang-binatang-buas","binatang-binatang-buas;","binatang-buas","binatang-buas,"]·IT["bestia","therion"]·jav["kewan,","kewan-galak,","kéwan","kéwan-kéwan-galak;","sato-kéwan","satè"]·KO["짐승들","짐승들-의","짐승들을","짐승을"]·PT["bestas,","criatura","de-feras","feras","feras;"]·RU["зверей","звери","зверя","зверями"]·ES["bestias","criatura","de-fieras","fieras"]·SW["mnyama","wanyama","wanyama-mwitu,","wanyama-wa-mwitu;","wanyama-wakali","ya-wanyama"]·TR["-içine","-o","canavarlar,","eli","hayvanları","hayvanların","vahşi-hayvanların;"]·urd["جانور","جانوروں","جانوروں-کے","درندوں-کے"]
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
1. beast (apocalyptic) — The apocalyptic Beast of Revelation, a supernatural malevolent figure symbolizing opposition to God and his people. The dominant NT use of θηρίον (39 occurrences, almost entirely in Revelation). Rendered Ger. 'Tier,' Fr. 'bête,' Heb. 'חַיָּה' (living creature), Spa. 'bestia,' Arb. 'وَحش,' Kor. '짐승,' Hin. 'पशु.' Includes the beast from the sea (Rev 13:1-4), the beast from the earth/false prophet (Rev 13:11-15), references to the beast's mark/image/number (Rev 13:14-18), and the beast's final destruction. Also Heb 12:20 where a beast touching the mountain must be stoned (OT allusion, but still 'beast' generically). This cluster represents the overwhelmingly Revelation-centered usage of θηρίον as a specific apocalyptic entity. 39×
AR["-آخَرَ","حَيَوَان","وَحشًا","وَحشُ","وَحشِ","وَحشِ؟"]·ben["পশু","পশুকে","পশুর","পশুর?"]·DE["Tier"]·EN["a-beast","beast"]·FR["bête"]·heb["בְּהֵמָה","הַחַיָּה","חַיָּה"]·HI["पशु","पशु-भी","पशु?","पशु।"]·ID["binatang","binatang,","binatang.","binatang:","binatang;","binatang?"]·IT["bestia"]·jav["kewan","kéwan-galak"]·KO["짐승","짐승-에게","짐승-을","짐승-의","짐승과","짐승을","짐승이"]·PT["animal","besta"]·RU["зверем,","зверь","зверю","зверю,","зверю;","зверю?","зверя","зверя,","зверя.","зверя:"]·ES["bestia"]·SW["mnyama"]·TR["canavar","canavara","canavarın","hayvan"]·urd["جانور","حیوان","حیوان-کا","حیوان-کو","حیوان-کی","حیوان-کے"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
θηρίον, τό (in form diminutive of θήρ), wild animal, especially of such as are hunted, μάλα γὰρ μέγα θηρίον ἦεν, of a stag, Refs 8th c.BC+; in Trag. only in Satyric drama, Refs 5th c.BC+; of the spider's prey, Refs 4th c.BC+; frequently of elephants, Refs 2nd c.BC+: plural, beasts, opposed to men, birds, and fishes, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 generally, animal, Refs; of men, ἄνθρωπος πάντων θ.…