The Bible often uses animals to symbolize spiritual truths or to describe God’s creation. Owls, mentioned several times in Scripture, are associated with desolation and solitude. These nocturnal creatures are used in metaphorical ways to convey themes of abandonment, judgment, and solitude. Below, we explore key Bible verses that mention owls, providing insights into their symbolic meaning in Scripture.
Also Read: Bible Verses About Eagles
Owls as Symbols of Desolation
In the Bible, owls are often linked with desolation and abandonment. These birds are described as inhabiting ruined places, highlighting the consequences of disobedience or divine judgment. Here are some verses that illustrate this imagery:
Isaiah 13:21
“Desert animals will mingle there with hyenas, their howls filling the night. Wild goats will bleat at one another among the ruins, and night creatures will come there to rest.”
Jeremiah 50:39
“Soon Babylon will be inhabited by desert animals and hyenas. It will be a home for owls. Never again will people live there; it will lie desolate forever.”
Psalm 102:6
“I am like an owl in the desert, like a little owl in a far-off wilderness.”
Zephaniah 2:14
“The proud city will become a pasture for flocks and herds, and all sorts of wild animals will settle there. The desert owl and screech owl will roost on its ruined columns, their calls echoing through the gaping windows.”
Isaiah 34:11
“It will be haunted by the desert owl and the screech owl, the great owl and the raven. For God will measure that land carefully; he will measure it for chaos and destruction.”
Owls in the Context of Solitude
Owls are also used in Scripture to symbolize loneliness and isolation. Their haunting cries and solitary nature represent feelings of abandonment and grief. These verses reflect the emotional depth associated with owls:
Micah 1:8
“Because of this, I will mourn and lament. I will walk around barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and moan like an owl.”
Job 30:29
“I am a brother to jackals and a companion to owls.”
Psalm 102:7
“I lie awake, lonely as a solitary bird on the roof.”
Isaiah 34:13
“Thorns will overrun its palaces; nettles and brambles will grow in its forts. The ruins will become a haunt for jackals and a home for owls.”
Jeremiah 9:11
“I will make Jerusalem into a heap of ruins, says the Lord. It will be a place haunted by jackals. The towns of Judah will be ghost towns, with no one living in them.”
Owls Representing Divine Judgment
Owls frequently appear in passages that describe divine judgment and destruction. Their presence in desolate places underscores the aftermath of God’s righteous judgment. These verses highlight their role in such settings:
Isaiah 34:14
“Desert creatures will meet hyenas, and wild goats will bleat to each other. There the night creatures will also lie down and find for themselves places of rest.”
Isaiah 14:23
“I will make Babylon a desolate place of owls, filled with swamps and marshes. I will sweep the land with the broom of destruction, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
Jeremiah 51:37
“Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a haunt of jackals. It will be an object of horror and contempt, a place where no one lives.”
Ezekiel 26:20
“I will send you to the pit to join those who descended there long ago. I will make you a desolate city, no longer inhabited. You will be sought out, but you will never be found again, says the Sovereign Lord.”
Lamentations 5:18
“For Jerusalem is empty and desolate, a place haunted by jackals.”
The Loneliness of the Owl in the Psalms
In the Psalms, owls are associated with feelings of deep sorrow and loneliness. They are used as metaphors for individuals experiencing hardship or isolation. These poetic verses bring to light the emotional weight symbolized by owls:
Psalm 102:6
“I am like an owl in the desert, like a little owl in a far-off wilderness.”
Psalm 102:7
“I lie awake, lonely as a solitary bird on the roof.”
Psalm 55:6
“Oh, that I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest!”
Psalm 25:16
“Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress.”
Psalm 31:12
“I am ignored as if I were dead, as if I were a broken pot.”
Also Read: Bible Verses About Wings
Owls in Prophetic Imagery
The prophets often used owls to communicate divine warnings and visions. These passages employ the owl’s solitary nature and haunting presence to symbolize God’s messages of judgment or abandonment. Here are key prophetic references:
Isaiah 34:11
“It will be haunted by the desert owl and the screech owl, the great owl and the raven. For God will measure that land carefully; he will measure it for chaos and destruction.”
Zephaniah 2:14
“The proud city will become a pasture for flocks and herds, and all sorts of wild animals will settle there. The desert owl and screech owl will roost on its ruined columns, their calls echoing through the gaping windows.”
Jeremiah 50:39
“Soon Babylon will be inhabited by desert animals and hyenas. It will be a home for owls. Never again will people live there; it will lie desolate forever.”
Isaiah 13:21
“Desert animals will mingle there with hyenas, their howls filling the night. Wild goats will bleat at one another among the ruins, and night creatures will come there to rest.”
Micah 1:8
“Because of this, I will mourn and lament. I will walk around barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and moan like an owl.”
Owls and the Wilderness
Owls are often depicted as inhabitants of the wilderness in the Bible. Their presence emphasizes the untamed and desolate aspects of these regions. These verses showcase how owls are connected to the wilderness in Scripture:
Isaiah 43:20
“The wild animals in the fields will thank me, the jackals and owls, too, for giving them water in the desert. Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed.”
Psalm 74:14
“You crushed the heads of Leviathan and let the desert animals eat him.”
Job 28:7
“These are treasures no bird of prey can see, no falcon’s eye observe.”
Isaiah 35:6-7
“Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland. The parched ground will become a pool, and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land; marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived.”
Jeremiah 17:6
“They will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.”
Owls as a Reminder of God’s Sovereignty
Despite their association with desolation, owls can also remind us of God’s sovereignty over all creation. Their role in the natural order reflects God’s care and purpose for every creature. These verses help us understand how even the owl has its place in God’s plan:
Job 12:7-9
“Just ask the animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you. Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you. Let the fish in the sea speak to you. For they all know that my disaster has come from the hand of the Lord.”
Psalm 50:11
“I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine.”
Genesis 1:21
“So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water, and every sort of bird—each producing offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.”
Matthew 6:26
“Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?”
Colossians 1:16
“For through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.”