{"id":4432,"date":"2025-03-21T22:38:25","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T22:38:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parquediscovery.pt\/de\/?p=4432"},"modified":"2026-04-29T16:45:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T15:45:21","slug":"deer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parquediscovery.pt\/en\/deer","title":{"rendered":"Deer and Gazelles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Among the clean animals that were not sacrificed but could be hunted and eaten are deer and gazelles. Vigour, grace, speed and light-footedness<\/em> are not only repeatedly associated with them but also celebrated in song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For those who are not hunters, it is no easy task to distinguish between red deer, fallow deer and roe deer. The species occurring in southern Europe and western Asia within the family of deer or cervids (Cervidae<\/em>) look quite similar. In Israel, red deer were (and are) represented by the Caucasian red deer (Cervus elaphus maral<\/em>), fallow deer by the Mesopotamian fallow deer (Dama mesopotamica<\/em>), and roe deer by the Kurdish roe deer (Capreolus capreolus coxi<\/em>), which today survives only in zoological gardens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A Mesopotamian fallow deer (Dama mesopotamica<\/em>) leaps through the forest. This cylinder seal from the Middle Assyrian Empire (c. 1300 BC) is made of the mineral chalcedony. The image engraved on it becomes visible only when it is rolled over a soft substance. For this purpose the cylinder is perforated and can be slipped onto a wooden stick.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Much suggests that the Hebrew term ajal<\/em> (11x) denotes the deer in general, ajala<\/em> \/ ajelet<\/em> (10x) the hind, and jachmur<\/em> (Deut 14:5; 1Kgs 5:3) the fallow deer. Two different places in Israel bear the name Aijalon, \u00abdeer field\u00bb, and Ajjelet<\/em>, the hind (an obsolete term is \u00abhindin\u00bb); it also appears in the heading of Psalm 22. The place-name Ophrah may be derived from the term opher<\/em> (5x) for the young of deer and gazelles, or it may equally derive from the root afar<\/em> (sand, dust), perhaps referring to the colour of the coat. The name Tabitha (or Tabea) is translated with the Greek Dorkas<\/em> (Acts 9:36-40), a term for the roe deer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gazelles also belong to the even-toed ungulates (Pecora<\/em>), but not to the antler-bearers; rather, they belong to the horn-bearers (Bovidae<\/em>). In behaviour and general appearance, however, they resemble deer, and perhaps they were not clearly distinguished linguistically either. In Israel and the surrounding regions, a whole series of species is native: the Palestine mountain gazelle (Gazella gazella gazella<\/em>), acacia gazelle (Gazella gazella acaciae<\/em>), dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas<\/em>), sand gazelle (Gazella marica<\/em>), and the Persian goitred gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa subgutturosa<\/em>). All gazelles are antelopes (tribe: Antilopini<\/em>), but not all antelopes belong to the genus of gazelles (Gazella<\/em>). The Arabian or white oryx (Oryx leucoryx<\/em>) and the Mendes antelope or addax (Addax nasomaculatus<\/em>) are, in the narrower sense, neither antelopes nor gazelles, but belong to the horse antelopes (tribe: Hippotragini<\/em>). All species are well adapted to life in desert and semi-desert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The magnificent spiral horns of the Mendes antelope or addax (Addax nasomaculatus<\/em>) can grow over a metre long and adorn both males and females. To this day, Jews fashion them into the shofar, which is sounded at the beginning of the New Year festival (Rosh ha-Shanah) and at the end of the Great Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). In the Elberfeld translation (\u00dcElb), this wind instrument is consistently rendered as \u00abtrumpet\u00bb (59x).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In Hebrew, zebi<\/em> (14x) denotes the gazelle in general \u2013 the word occurs in a further 18 verses with the meaning \u00abornament, splendour, glory\u00bb \u2013 while the form zebja<\/em> (Song 4:5; 7:4) denotes the female animals. It also occurs as Zibja<\/em> as a male (1Chr 8:9) and a female name (2Kgs 12:2; 2Chr 24:1), and in the plural Zeboim<\/em> as a place-name (Gen 10:19; 14:2.8; Deut 29:22; Hos 11:8). In the list of returning exiles, the name Pokeret Zebaim<\/em> also appears \u2013 \u00abgazelle-catcher\u00bb (Ez 2:57; Neh 7:59). Probably dischon<\/em> (Deut 14:5), derived from the verb dush<\/em> (to stamp, to tread), is a designation for the addax and oryx. In contrast to gazelles, which are all flight animals, they defend themselves resolutely with their long horn-spears and powerful hind legs, and sometimes even drive lions into flight. In the forms Dischon<\/em> and Dischan<\/em> it occurs a total of twelve times as a male name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Most \u00abforehead-weapon bearers\u00bb use horns and antlers mainly in rivalry fights and seek safety in flight when threatened. Horse antelopes, however, are conscious of their ability to defend themselves, and here a gemsbok (Oryx gazella<\/em>) teaches an aggressive honey badger a lesson he will not soon forget. In Israel, the very similar but somewhat lighter-coloured Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx<\/em>) occurs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra<\/em>) occurs mainly in high mountains and was never native to the Near East. It still appears in some translations, but in this case research was not done carefully (e.g. at Deut 14:5; Job 39:1; Prov 5:19).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The chamois (Rupicara rupicara<\/em>) is an excellent climber and reaches the most impossible places in high mountain terrain. In the Bible, however, it has no place.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

These species were of greatest significance as huntable game. Any animal that both belonged to the even-toed ungulates and was a ruminant was regarded as clean under Jewish dietary law and could be eaten. The relevant enumerations in the law make no claim to completeness, but are to be understood as examples. In Deuteronomy 14, verse 4 first names the domestic animals, which were also sacrificial animals: \u00abcattle, sheep and goat\u00bb, and then in verse 5 the wild animals: \u00abdeer and gazelle and fallow deer and ibex and antelope and mountain goat and wild sheep\u00bb. When domestic animals were slaughtered at home without this being part of a sacrificial act, it is therefore said that they were eaten \u00ablike gazelle and deer\u00bb (Deut 12:15.22; 15:22).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The rock drawings of Satkunda in the Indian state of Gujarat depict hunting with bow and arrow. In this form, the \u00abcraft of hunting\u00bb has been practised for millennia.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Hebrew name Kenas<\/em> (11x) means \u00abhunter\u00bb, as does the word zajid<\/em> (Gen 10:9; also zajad<\/em>: Jer 16:16), which also denotes hunting (Gen 27:30) and in many verses the quarry (e.g. Gen 27:3). It is derived from the verb zud<\/em> (to hunt, to catch), but later it was also used in a more general sense for provisions (Jos 9:5.14) or foodstuffs (Neh 13:15). A more specific word for game from the same root is ziz<\/em> (Ps 50:11; 80:14).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Isaac loved it (Gen 25:28), Solomon had it served at his royal table (1Kgs 5:3), and to this day game meat is highly prized among gourmets. Especially the tender cuts from the loin of roe deer or red deer are considered a delicacy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For centuries, game was regarded as a particularly noble food, and the species that belonged to \u00abhigh game\u00bb in Europe were even reserved for the nobility. No wonder, then, that \u00abdeer, gazelles and fallow deer\u00bb (1Kgs 5:3) are also listed among the daily consumption of Solomon\u2019s royal table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The prevailing ideal of beauty varies from culture to culture and is also subject to constant change. What, then, are we to imagine concretely when it says, for example: \u00abRachel was shapely and beautiful\u00bb (Gen 29:17)? Because of the prohibition of images \u2013 \u00abDo not make for yourself an image of anything in heaven, on earth, or in the sea\u00bb (Exod 20:4) \u2013 there are only few paintings or sculptural depictions from ancient Israel. The representations of neighbouring ancient cultures show almost exclusively slender, tall people. Since this is also the case with depictions of rulers and high-ranking personalities, who were generally idealised in the patron\u2019s interest, one may assume that this corresponded to the general wish-image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Grace in posture, movement and facial expression is the hallmark of almost all deer. The name \u00abdorcas gazelle\u00bb (Gazella dorcas<\/em>) is, however, a tautology, since dorkas<\/em> is the Greek and gazzella<\/em> the Italian designation for the same group of animals.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Instead of graphic and sculptural depictions, we have \u2013 so far as Israelite aesthetics are concerned \u2013 some linguistic images in the Bible: \u00abShe is like a lovely gazelle, like a graceful doe. Let her breasts intoxicate you always; let her love continually captivate you\u00bb (Prov 5:19), \u00abMy beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag\u00bb (Song 2:9), and \u00abYour two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle, that graze among the lilies\u00bb (Song 4:5). Probably the reference to deer and gazelles can be regarded as evidence that their outward appearance reflected the beauty ideal of that time: slender, trained and firm bodies, long, slim legs and necks, clear, smooth complexion, high cheekbones, finely cut features, large eyes, and graceful movements. That comes quite close to the prevailing body ideal today, so we may assume that we too would describe a young woman like Rachel as attractive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This otherwise typical antelope face confuses the viewer because an oxpecker is just busy with grooming. It has grabbed one of the ears and pulled it down, creating the illusion of a second head.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of how ideals and fashions develop, it is good to remember God\u2019s criteria: \u00abI judge by different standards than people do. People look at what they can perceive with their eyes; I, however, look into the heart\u00bb (1Sam 16:7). This also applies with regard to female attractiveness, which is indeed highlighted in the Bible. In the description of the \u00abideal woman\u00bb in Proverbs 31:10-31, many characteristics are listed, but nothing is said about her appearance. And with regard to excessive styling it says: \u00abDo not worry about outer beauty based on fashionable hairstyles, expensive jewellery, or beautiful clothes. Your beauty should come from within \u2013 this is the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet heart, which God values so highly\u00bb (1Pet 3:3.4). Even of the Lord Jesus it is prophetically said: \u00abHe had no form and no splendour that we should look at him, and his appearance was not such that we should desire him\u00bb (Isa 53:2). Although He impressed no one by His outward appearance, He found \u00abfavour with God and with people\u00bb (Lk 2:52). In a society shaped by \u00abbody cult\u00bb and \u00abyouth obsession\u00bb, the Bible helps us attain a balance in which we thank our Creator for beauty and health, while also accepting what is less pleasing from His hand and not overvaluing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The process of birth in antelopes and gazelles is in principle no less complicated than in humans. It is described as follows: \u00abThey crouch, they bring forth their young, they cast off their labour pains. Their young grow strong, they grow up in the open; they go out and do not return to them\u00bb (Job 39:3.4). The animals instinctively know how to behave so that this process can be completed extraordinarily quickly. Thus they are in the helpless situation of being unable to spring up and flee immediately, should a predator appear, only for a short time. The newborn young are very quickly on their feet and able to run on their own. What a wonder that is \u2013 compared with the training a newborn human needs before taking his first wobbly step!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The fawn is still wet with amniotic fluid and the remnant of the umbilical cord dangles from its belly \u2013 but it is already standing on its own legs. After it has drunk its fill, it will follow its mother back to the herd and the next day simply migrate along with them. After only a short time it reaches the same top speed as the adult animals.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With roe deer it is different. In the first period the fawn is helpless. The mother hides it in tall grass, where it can hardly be discovered. Since it has no individual scent yet, predators cannot smell it. Its excretions are completely taken up by the mother, and even the grass that has received some of it is carefully grazed so that no scent trails remain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The speed and apparent effortlessness with which the lightly built deer and gazelles bound along impress every observer. In the chapter on cheetahs, mention was made of Thomson\u2019s gazelles, which sprint up to 90 km\/h and are thus the fastest grazing animals. This species does not occur in Israel, but the other antelopes scarcely lag behind. When one of King David\u2019s top elite fighters is said to be \u00abAsahel, who could run as fast as a gazelle\u00bb (2Sam 2:18), and of an entire group of warriors: \u00abthey were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains\u00bb (1Chr 12:9), these are powerful comparisons (though certainly not to be taken literally). One of Jacob\u2019s blessings over his sons and their descendants already reads: \u00abYou, Naphtali, are like a hind set free, running on the mountains\u00bb (Gen 49:21). Besides their speed, deer and gazelles are even more to be envied for their agility and light-footedness \u2013 if only we too could overcome obstacles so effortlessly! Perhaps David had this picture in mind when he wrote: \u00abwith my God I can leap over a wall\u00bb (2Sam 22:30; Ps 18:30). In the \u00abPsalm of Habakkuk\u00bb it says: \u00abYes, God the LORD makes me strong; He gives wings to my steps; like a deer I can leap over the mountains\u00bb (Hab 3:19). Their elegant leaps seem exuberant and free, as described in this glorious vision of the future: \u00abthen the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will shout for joy\u00bb (Isa 35:6).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A leaping red deer (Cervus elaphus<\/em>) is the ultimate symbol of powerful dynamism. The biblical future vision \u00abthen the lame will leap like a deer\u00bb (Isa 35:6) sounds simply unbelievable. And yet God shows in a miraculous sign that it is meant exactly so, when a man lame from birth, over forty, stands up in the name of Jesus and leaps about (Acts 3:1-10; 4:22).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Bible, however, does not paint a one-sided picture of a carefree existence. In contrast to antelopes, which are adapted to an extremely dry habitat, deer need much water and suffer in drought: \u00abAs the deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God!\u00bb (Ps 42:2). Moreover, they need fresh grass. When the pastures dry up, they begin to wander and perish if they do not find rich grazing grounds in time: \u00abAnd from the daughter of Zion all her splendour has departed; her princes have become like deer that find no pasture, and powerlessly they went before the pursuer\u00bb (Lam 1:6). The young can be nursed only if the females get enough food. Otherwise milk production stops and the fawns must be left behind: \u00abYes, even the hind in the field gives birth and abandons her young; for there is no grass\u00bb (Jer 14:5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deer and antelopes are indeed forehead-weapon bearers and can look threatening with their pointed antlers, but they use these weapons mainly to fight out their rivalries among themselves. Because of their lightweight build and vulnerability, they have little chance even against much smaller predators and flee until they are out of sight. This picture of panicked flight is taken up to describe how an army is defeated: \u00abThen all people scatter like startled gazelles \u2026 Everyone tries to flee back to his homeland and to his people. Whoever is discovered and caught while fleeing is stabbed with the sword\u00bb (Isa 13:14.15). In their defencelessness they mirror human beings in the face of God\u2019s judgement: \u00abAt all the street corners your children lay helpless, like antelopes in a net, overwhelmed by the wrath of the LORD\u00bb (Isa 51:20).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Moving is how this image is applied to the Lord Jesus: the motif of Psalm 22 is given in the heading: Ajjelet haSchachar<\/em> \u2013 the hind of the dawn. It describes the experience of a person who feels like a hind hunted almost to death. Not only tearing and roaring lions (v. 14.22), dogs and marauders (v. 17.21), but also wild bulls (v. 13.22) are among the pursuers. The situation appears hopeless \u2013 and yet there is rescue, and for the escaped animal a new morning and a new day dawn. Since the psalm is quoted in the New Testament (Matt 27:43.46; John 19:24) and the sufferings associated with a crucifixion are described in it with astonishing accuracy, the earliest Christians already recognised its prophetic character and saw in it the death of Jesus (v. 1-22a) and His victory in the resurrection (v. 22b-32). Just as the defenceless hind carries no antlers, He was unarmed and did not even flee, but allowed Himself to be arrested without resistance and led to execution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mankarios, A: Sch\u00f6nheitsideale im Wandel der Zeit<\/em>. Wissen.de, 10.10.2021; https:\/\/www.wissen.de\/schoenheitsideale-im-wandel-der-zeit<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riesch, R; Martin, RA; Lerp, H: Size and sex matter: reproductive biology and determinants of offspring survival in Gazella marica<\/em>. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 2013; 110(1):116\u2013127; doi: 10.1111\/BIJ.12121<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St\u00fccklschweiger, M: Sch\u00f6nheit im Wandel der Zeit<\/em>. Bachelorarbeit Universit\u00e4t Graz, 15.01.2015<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Image Credits:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wikipedia: chamois \/ Giles Laurent \/\/ Mendes antelope \/ MathKnight \/\/ impala with oxpecker \/ Muhammad Mahdi Karim \/\/ red deer family \/ Lviatour \/\/ fighting deer \/ eike<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other licences: title \u2013 red deer in ferns \/ shutterstock ID_410889532 \/ MZPHOTO. CZ \/\/ Jew with shofar horn \/ shutterstock ID_1166123968 \/ David Cohen 156 \/\/ gemsbok flings honey badger away \/ shutterstock ID_1651459831 \/ Dirk Theron \/\/ venison loin \/ shutterstock ID_1367217872 \/ stockcreations \/\/ dorcas gazelle \/ shutterstock ID_1491167945 \/ Azahara Perez \/\/ birth of a gazelle \/ shutterstock ID_765823813 \/ Maks Maria \/\/ leaping deer \/ shutterstock ID_1828916597 \/ Rolands Linejs \/\/ hunting scene cave painting \/ shutterstock ID_2083366819 \/ maradon 333<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Among the clean animals that were not sacrificed but could be hunted and eaten are deer and gazelles.
Vigour, grace, speed and light-footedness are not[\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4434,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"remove_blocks_before_content":false,"remove_blocks_after_content":false,"disable_reading_progress_bar":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[65],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4432","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-animals-of-the-field"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/parquediscovery.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4432","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/parquediscovery.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/parquediscovery.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parquediscovery.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parquediscovery.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4432"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/parquediscovery.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4432\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5328,"href":"https:\/\/parquediscovery.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4432\/revisions\/5328"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parquediscovery.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4434"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/parquediscovery.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4432"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parquediscovery.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4432"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parquediscovery.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4432"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}