About…
pigs in the Bible
Hebrew: חֲזִיר —transliteration: chazir or hazir
Greek: χοῖρος —transliteration: choiros
also known as: swine, hogs, boars, sows
Swine, both wild and domestic, are menioned in Scripture. This evidently included the wild boar (Arabic: khanzir), which was common among the marshes of the Jordan valley (Psalm 80:13).
Swine were regarded as the most unclean and the most abhorred of all animals (Leviticus 11:7; Isaiah 65:4; 66:3; 66:17; Luke 15:15-16).
Demon possession of swine herd
A herd of about 2,000 domesticated pigs were drowned in the Sea of Galilee after being possessed by a legion of demons (Luke 8:32—33; Mark 5:9–13).
Figurative swine
Swine are spoken of figuratively in Matthew 7:6.
“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” —NKJV
Proverbs 11:22 states,
“As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout,
So is a lovely woman who lacks discretion.” —NKVJ
More information