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Topic:
Thoughts And Things Of The Bible -- Beast
The word "beast" is used of flocks or herds of grazing
animals (Ex. 22:5; Num. 20:4, 8, 11; Ps. 78:48); of beasts of burden
(Gen. 45:17); of eatable beasts (Prov. 9:2); and of swift beasts or
dromedaries (Isa. 60:6). In the New Testament the word "beast"
is used of a domestic animal as property (Rev. 18:13); as used for food
(1 Cor. 15:39), for service (Luke 10:34; Acts 23:24), and for sacrifice
(Acts 7:42). When used in contradistinction to man (Ps. 36:6), a beast
denotes a brute creature generally, and when in contradistinction to
creeping things (Lev. 11:2-7; 27:26), a four-footed animal. The Mosaic
law required that beasts of labor should have rest on the Sabbath (Ex.
20:10; 23:12), and in the Sabbatical year all cattle were allowed to
roam about freely, and eat whatever grew in the fields (Ex. 23:11; Lev.
25:7). No animal could be castrated (Lev. 22:24). Animals of different
kinds were to be always kept separate (Lev. 19:19; Deut. 22:10). Oxen
when used in threshing were not to be prevented from eating what was
within their reach (Deut. 25:4; 1 Cor.9:9). This word is used
figuratively of an infuriated multitude (1 Cor. 15:32; Acts 19:29; comp.
Ps. 22:12, 16; Eccl. 3:18; Isa. 11:6-8), and of wicked men (2 Pet.
2:12). The four beasts of Daniel 7:3, 17, 23 represent four kingdoms or
kings.
Derived from Easton's and Smith's Bible Dictionaries
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