Eagles in the Bible
Hebrew: נֶשֶׁר —transliteration: nesher —occurrences: 26 in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, 2 Samuel, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Hosea, Obadiah, and Micah
In Scripture, eagles are referred to for their swift flight (Deuteronomy 28:49; 2 Samuel 1:23), their high flights in the air (Job 39:27), their strength (Psalm 103:5), their nesting in high places (Jeremiah 49:16), and their great power of vision (Job 39:27-30).
Like an eagle
This bird is a symbol of those nations whom God employs and sends forth to do a work of destruction, sweeping away whatever is decaying and putrescent (Matthew 24:28; Isaiah 46:11; Ezek. 39:4; Deuteronomy 28:49; Jeremiah 4:13; 48:40).
It is said that the eagle sheds his feathers in the beginning of spring, and with fresh plumage assumes the appearance of youth. Allusion is made to this in one of the Psalms.
…your youth is renewed like the eagle —Psalm 103:5 excerpt
God’s care over his people is likened to that of the eagle in training its young to fly (Exodus 19:4; Deuteronomy 32:11-12). An interesting illustration of this was recorded by Sir Humphry Davy:
“I once saw a very interesting sight above the crags of Ben Nevis [Scotland’s highest mountains].
Two parent eagles were teaching their offspring, two young birds, the maneuvers of flight. They began by rising from the top of the mountain in the eye of the sun. It was about mid-day, and bright for the climate. They at first made small circles, and the young birds imitated them. They paused on their wings, waiting till they had made their flight, and then took a second and larger gyration, always rising toward the sun, and enlarging their circle of flight so as to make a gradually ascending spiral. The young ones still and slowly followed, apparently flying better as they mounted; and they continued this sublime exercise, always rising till they became mere points in the air, and the young ones were lost, and afterwards their parents, to our aching sight.” —Sir Humphry Davy
Promise
The book of Isaiah provides this encouraging promise,
Yet those who hope in Yahweh
Will gain new power;
They will mount up with wings like eagles;
They will run and not get tired;
They will walk and not become weary. —Isaiah 40:31 LSB
Types of eagles
4 distinct species of eagles have been observed in Israel.
- Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
- Spotted Eagle (Aquila naevia)
- Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
- Circaetos gallicus (aka short-toed snake eagle), which mainly preys on reptiles
Unclean
The eagle is unclean by Levitical law (Leviticus 11:13; Deuteronomy 14:12) and not to be eaten by the children of Israel.
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