H2061 H2061
Wolf; a predatory canid used literally and as a figure for violent, rapacious persons or enemies.
The common Hebrew word for the wolf (Canis lupus), a fierce predator well known in the ancient Near East. Never appearing in narrative description of actual animals, it is always used in prophecy, poetry, or simile. Benjamin is a 'ravenous wolf' (Gen 49:27), and Jerusalem's judges are 'evening wolves' (Zeph 3:3). Most strikingly, Isaiah's messianic vision has the wolf dwelling with the lamb (Isa 11:6) and feeding alongside it (Isa 65:25)--images of radical peace. Cognate with Arabic dhi'b, Aramaic deba, and Ethiopic zi'b, the word reflects a widely shared Semitic awareness of this predator.
Senses
1. wolf — A wolf (Canis lupus), the predatory canid used throughout Scripture as a symbol of ferocity, violence, and rapacity. In Jacob's blessing, Benjamin is called a ravenous wolf that tears its prey (Gen 49:27). Prophetic texts use wolves as figures for corrupt leaders and enemies: Jerusalem's princes are wolves tearing prey (Ezek 22:27), her judges are wolves of the evening (Zeph 3:3), and Habakkuk 1:8 compares Chaldean cavalry to evening wolves. Isaiah's messianic visions reverse this imagery: the wolf will dwell with the lamb (Isa 11:6) and feed with the young goat (Isa 65:25). Spanish 'lobo,' French 'loup,' and German cognates all reflect the same animal. Cognate with Arabic dhi'b and Aramaic deba. 7×
AR["الذِّئْبُ", "ذِئَابُ", "ذِئْبٌ", "ذِئْبُ", "كَذِئَابٍ", "مِنَ-ذِئابِ"]·ben["-মতো-নেকড়েদের", "নেকড়া", "নেকড়ে", "নেকড়ে-", "নেকড়ের-চেয়েও-"]·DE["[זאב]", "[זאבי]", "[כזאבים]", "[מזאבי]", "ein-Wolf"]·EN["The-wolf", "are-wolves-of", "like-wolves", "than-wolves-of", "wolf", "wolf-of"]·FR["[זאב]", "[כזאבים]", "loup", "loups-de", "que-les-loups-de"]·heb["זאב", "זאבי", "כ-זאבים", "מ-זאבי"]·HI["जैसे-भेड़िए", "भेड़िया", "भेड़िये", "भेड़ियों-से"]·ID["Serigala", "dari-serigala-serigala", "seperti-serigala", "serigala", "serigala-serigala"]·IT["[זאבי]", "[כזאבים]", "[מזאבי]", "lupo", "wolf"]·jav["Serigala", "ajag-ajag", "kados-asu-ajag", "serigala", "srigala", "tinimbang-ajag-ajag"]·KO["-이리들-같이", "이리-보다", "이리가", "이리들", "이리와", "이리이다"]·PT["Lobo", "como-lobos", "lobo", "lobo-de", "lobos-de", "que-lobos-de-"]·RU["в-среде", "волк", "волки", "чем-волки"]·ES["El-lobo", "como-lobos", "lobo", "lobo-de", "lobos-de", "que-lobos-de-"]·SW["kama-mbwa-mwitu", "mbwa-mwenye-kinyonga", "mbwa-mwitu", "mbwa-mwitu-wa"]·TR["-den-kurtlar", "kurt", "kurtlar-gibi", "kurtları-"]·urd["بھیڑیا", "بھیڑیوں-سے", "بھیڑیے", "جیسے-بھیڑیے"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. זְאֵב n.m. Is 11:6 wolf (NH id., Arabic ذِئْبٌ (jackal according to HomNS 303 ff.; but see RSZMG 1880, 373 and DoughtyArabic Deserta i. 327; ii, 144, 145) Aramaic דֵּיבָה, ܕܺܐܒܳܐ, Assyrian zîbu DlS 47; Ethiopic ዝእብ hyena Di1056 (on format. cf. LagBN 58); Ph. in cpd.n.pr. זיבקם)—זְאֵב abs. Gn 49:27 + 2 times; cstr. Je 5:6; pl. זְאֵבִים Ez 22:27; cstr. זְאֵבֵי Hb 1:8 Zp 3:3;—wolf, never in…