Topical Bible

What Does the Bible Say About Taking Care of Animals?

Here are 19 Bible verses about Taking Care of Animals, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.

  1. #1Proverbs 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.

  2. #2Proverbs 27:23

    Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.

    BSBBe sure to know the state of your flocks, and pay close attention to your herds;

  3. #3Genesis 1:26

    And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

    BSBThen God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.”

  4. #4Matthew 6:26

    Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

    BSBLook at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns—and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

  5. #5Luke 12:6

    Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?

    BSBAre not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.

  6. #6Jonah 4:11

    And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

    BSBSo should I not care about the great city of Nineveh, which has more than 120,000 people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well?”

  7. #7Deuteronomy 25:4

    Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

    BSBDo not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.

  8. #8Psalms 50:10-11

    For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.

    BSBfor every beast of the forest is Mine— the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are Mine.

  9. #9Genesis 2:15

    And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

    BSBThen the LORD God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.

  10. #10Exodus 20:10

    But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

    BSBbut the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates.

  11. #11Exodus 23:4-5

    If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.

    BSBIf you encounter your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him. If you see the donkey of one who hates you fallen under its load, do not leave it there; you must help him with it.

  12. #12Job 12:7-10

    But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

    BSBBut ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you. Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.

  13. #13Matthew 10:29

    Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

    BSBAre not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.

  14. #14Genesis 1:28

    And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

    BSBGod blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”

  15. #15Deuteronomy 22:6-7

    If a bird’s nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young: But thou shalt in any wise let the dam go, and take the young to thee; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days.

    BSBIf you come across a bird’s nest with chicks or eggs, either in a tree or on the ground along the road, and the mother is sitting on the chicks or eggs, you must not take the mother along with the young. You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days.

  16. #16Exodus 23:11

    But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.

    BSBbut in the seventh year you must let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor among your people may eat from the field and the wild animals may consume what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and olive grove.

  17. #17James 3:7

    For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

    BSBAll kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,

  18. #18Psalms 147:9

    He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.

    BSBHe provides food for the animals, and for the young ravens when they call.

  19. #19Genesis 9:1-3

    And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

    BSBAnd God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you will fall on every living creature on the earth, every bird of the air, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are delivered into your hand. Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things.

Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).

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