What Does the Bible Say About Hunting?
Here are 13 Bible verses about hunting, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #1Genesis 27:3
Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;
BSBTake your weapons—your quiver and bow—and go out into the field to hunt some game for me.
- #2Genesis 9:3
Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
BSBEverything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things.
- #3Genesis 10:9
He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.
BSBHe was a mighty hunter before the LORD; so it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD.”
- #4Genesis 21:20
And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
BSBAnd God was with the boy, and he grew up and settled in the wilderness and became a great archer.
- #5Jeremiah 16:16
Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
BSBBut for now I will send for many fishermen, declares the LORD, and they will catch them. After that I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down on every mountain and hill, even from the clefts of the rocks.
- #6Acts 10:13
And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
BSBThen a voice said to him: “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!”
- #7Genesis 1:29-30
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
BSBThen God said, “Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food. And to every beast of the earth and every bird of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth—everything that has the breath of life in it—I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.
- #8Proverbs 12:27
The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.
BSBA lazy man does not roast his game, but a diligent man prizes his possession.
- #9Proverbs 12:10
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
BSBA righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are only cruelty.
- #10Genesis 27:33
And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed.
BSBIsaac began to tremble violently and said, “Who was it, then, who hunted the game and brought it to me? Before you came in, I ate it all and blessed him—and indeed, he will be blessed!”
- #11Genesis 27:5
And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
BSBNow Rebekah was listening to what Isaac told his son Esau. So when Esau went into the field to hunt game and bring it back,
- #12Leviticus 11:1-47
And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. …
BSBThe LORD spoke again to Moses and Aaron, telling them, “Say to the Israelites, ‘Of all the beasts of the earth, these ones you may eat: You may eat any animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud. But of those that only chew the cud or only have a divided hoof, you are not to eat the following: The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. The rock badger, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. The rabbit, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. …
- #13Leviticus 17:13
And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.
BSBAnd if any Israelite or foreigner living among them hunts down a wild animal or bird that may be eaten, he must drain its blood and cover it with dirt.
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).