כֶּ֫לֶב
ke.lev (H3611)
dog
AI Word Study
# The Hebrew Word for Dog (H3611) The Hebrew term *kelev* (כֶּ֫לֶב) appears 32 times throughout the biblical text and carries the straightforward meaning of "dog." Based on its frequency and distribution across the biblical corpus, this word represents a common animal known to the Hebrew-speaking audience, warranting its regular appearance in the scriptural record. The relatively modest occurrence count—32 instances across the entire Hebrew Bible—suggests that while dogs were present in ancient Israelite society, they were not central to the primary concerns of biblical narratives. This pattern is typical for animal terms used primarily for literal reference rather than as extended metaphors or theological symbols. The consistent definition across all occurrences indicates the word maintained a stable, concrete meaning rather than developing specialized or symbolic applications within different biblical contexts. Without additional usage data provided, we can note only that *kelev* functioned as a standard lexical item for identifying this domesticated animal. Its presence in the biblical vocabulary reflects the ordinary reality of ancient Near Eastern life, where dogs—whether as working animals, scavengers, or companions—formed part of the everyday world that biblical writers and audiences inhabited.
AI synthesis uses only provided lexicon data -- never training knowledge.
But against any of the children of Israel a dog won’t even bark or move its tongue, against man or animal, that you may know that Yahweh makes a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel.
“You shall be holy men to me, therefore you shall not eat any meat that is torn by animals in the field. You shall cast it to the dogs.
You shall not bring the hire of a prostitute, or the wages of a male prostitute, into the house of Yahweh your God for any vow; for both of these are an abomination to Yahweh your God.
So he brought down the people to the water; and Yahweh said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps of the water with his tongue, like a dog laps, you shall set him by himself; likewise everyone who bows down on his knees to drink.”
The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” The Philistine cursed David by his gods.
Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?
Then Abner was very angry about Ishbosheth’s words, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to Saul’s house your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman!
He bowed down, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look at such a dead dog as I am?”
Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head.”
The dogs will eat he who belongs to Jeroboam who dies in the city; and the birds of the sky will eat he who dies in the field: for Yahweh has spoken it.” ’
The dogs will eat Baasha’s descendants who die in the city; and he who dies of his in the field, the birds of the sky will eat.”
You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Yahweh says, “Have you killed and also taken possession?” ’ You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Yahweh says, “In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs will lick your blood, even yours.” ’ ”
Yahweh also spoke of Jezebel, saying, “The dogs will eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel.
The dogs will eat he who dies of Ahab in the city; and the birds of the sky will eat he who dies in the field.”
They washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood where the prostitutes washed themselves; according to Yahweh’s word which he spoke.
Hazael said, “But what is your servant, who is but a dog, that he could do this great thing?” Elisha answered, “Yahweh has shown me that you will be king over Syria.”
The dogs will eat Jezebel on the plot of ground of Jezreel, and there shall be no one to bury her.’ ” Then he opened the door and fled.
Therefore they came back, and told him. He said, “This is Yahweh’s word, which he spoke by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘The dogs will eat the flesh of Jezebel on the plot of Jezreel,
“But now those who are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I considered unworthy to put with my sheep dogs.
For dogs have surrounded me. A company of evildoers have enclosed me. They have pierced my hands and feet.
Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog.
They return at evening, howling like dogs, and prowl around the city.
At evening let them return. Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.
that you may crush them, dipping your foot in blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.”
As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.
Like one who grabs a dog’s ears is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own.
For to him who is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
His watchmen are blind. They are all without knowledge. They are all mute dogs. They can’t bark— dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.
Yes, the dogs are greedy. They can never have enough. They are shepherds who can’t understand. They have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.
He who kills an ox is as he who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as he who breaks a dog’s neck; he who offers an offering, as he who offers pig’s blood; he who burns frankincense, as he who blesses an idol. Yes, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations:
“I will appoint over them four kinds,” says Yahweh: “the sword to kill, the dogs to tear, the birds of the sky, and the animals of the earth, to devour and to destroy.