What does the Bible say about dogs?
Dogs might be man’s best friend today, but in the Bible, they’re more often portrayed as something far less flattering.
Unlike our modern associations with loyalty, companionship, and even therapy animals, dogs in biblical literature are usually symbols of impurity, scavenging, and spiritual uncleanness. They’re not cuddly companions curled up by the fire—they’re dangerous, dirty, and, often, metaphorical. The Bible uses them to represent outsiders, enemies of God, and at times, Gentiles in contrast to Israel.
To understand what the Bible really says about dogs, we have to explore their literal place in ancient Israelite society and then dive into the rich, sometimes unsettling symbolic weight they carried in Scripture.
Scavengers, Not Pets
In the ancient Near East, dogs were not commonly domesticated in the way we know them today. Most were semi-wild animals that roamed in packs, living off garbage, dead animals, or whatever scraps they could find. Their habits—eating carrion, licking wounds, returning to their own vomit—cemented their reputation as unclean. Proverbs 26:11 famously says, “Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.” That image stuck, and it’s not exactly flattering.
Dogs show up several times in stories of judgment or humiliation. In 1 Kings 14:11 and 1 Kings 21:19, we’re told that the dogs would eat the bodies of those cursed by God, particularly in relation to the wicked kings and queens of Israel. The fate of Jezebel is perhaps the most graphic: “Dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel” (1 Kings 21:23). Dogs here are not noble or heroic—they’re agents of dishonor and divine judgment.
Cultural Background and Symbolism
This deeply negative view of dogs isn’t just a quirk of Hebrew storytelling. It’s rooted in the broader Jewish emphasis on purity and sacred space. The Bible is full of laws and imagery concerning what is clean and unclean, holy and profane. Animals that lived outside the boundaries of domestication or ritual cleanliness were often seen as symbolic of moral or spiritual impurity.
Dogs, living on the margins of society, eating unclean things, and behaving in ways that defied order, became perfect symbols for that impurity.
Interestingly, not every culture viewed them the same way. The Egyptians, for example, had a more favorable view of dogs, sometimes even associating them with gods like Anubis. The Phoenicians also used dogs in various cultic contexts. But Israel’s emphasis on holiness and distinction meant dogs were cast firmly in the role of “unclean outsider.”
This helps us make sense of the Bible’s symbolic use of dogs to refer to certain people. In Deuteronomy 23:18, male cult prostitutes are referred to as “dogs,” highlighting not just their immorality, but their spiritual uncleanness. Philippians 3:2 echoes that intensity when Paul warns the church to “Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.” This wasn’t just harsh language—it was a direct challenge to those outside the covenant community who distorted the Gospel.
Dogs as a Symbol for Gentiles
Perhaps the most theologically charged use of the term “dog” in the Bible comes in the Gospels, where Jesus interacts with a Gentile woman from Syrophoenicia. In Matthew 15:26, He says, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” To modern ears, this sounds almost cruel. But Jesus is making a loaded theological point—He’s speaking into the deeply held Jewish assumption that Gentiles were outsiders to the covenant.
But the woman’s reply is stunning: “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Her humility and faith flip the moment. Jesus praises her, and her daughter is healed. The dog imagery is retained, but it’s redeemed. The outsider becomes a recipient of grace. It’s a foreshadowing of the Gospel going out to the nations, a preview of Pentecost, and the ingathering of the Gentiles into the people of God.
Echoes of Eschatology
Even in the closing chapters of Scripture, the image persists. Revelation 22:15 paints a picture of the new Jerusalem and who is excluded from its gates: “Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral...” The term here, again, is symbolic—meant to represent those who are unrepentant, those who remain outside of God's covenant blessing.
This isn’t a biological judgment on literal dogs. It’s theological language for those who live in rebellion, defiled by sin, and separated from the holy presence of God. In that light, “dogs” becomes a moral category as much as a metaphor. It reminds readers of the need for repentance and purity before entering the presence of the Lamb.
And yet, through the Gospel, those once considered “dogs” can become part of the people of God. That’s the hope offered in Christ—that outsiders become insiders, that the unclean are made clean.
Canine Imagery, Judgment, and Redemption
In Psalm 22:16, a prophetic psalm about the suffering of Christ, David writes, “Dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me.” This is messianic language, pointing forward to Jesus on the cross, surrounded by mockers and tormentors. The dog imagery underscores both the shame and hostility Jesus experienced.
But here again, the narrative turns. The One surrounded by “dogs” becomes the Redeemer of both Jews and Gentiles. In this way, the Bible’s imagery is not static—it’s dynamic. God uses even these harsh metaphors to point toward redemption. Just as the Cross transformed a Roman execution into the doorway to eternal life, so too does God transform the outsider into the beloved.
Today’s Relevance: Purity, Outsiders, and Mercy
So what do these ancient canine references mean today?
First, they remind us that God is holy. The Bible’s consistent distinction between what is clean and unclean isn’t just ceremonial—it’s moral and theological. Sin is not something to flirt with. And those who live in persistent rebellion—whether through sexual immorality, idolatry, or injustice—stand outside the gate.
That includes how we think about abortion, for example. The widespread devaluing of life, often rooted in cultural convenience or fear, is a spiritual issue at its core. It reflects a society that treats the vulnerable as disposable. The Bible’s imagery of dogs—those who scavenge and devour without thought—can become a sobering critique of a world that sees unborn life as expendable.
Second, this imagery calls us to humility. If the Syrophoenician woman could accept the “dog” label and still cling to Christ for mercy, so can we. We all begin outside the camp. We all need grace. And in the Gospel, that grace overflows.
Final Thoughts: More Than Metaphor
Dogs in Scripture are not merely dirty animals—they’re theological signposts. They point to boundaries between clean and unclean, insider and outsider, holy and profane. But more than that, they become part of the grand narrative of redemption. Because in Christ, even the unclean are invited to the table.
Bible Verses about dogs:
Proverbs 26:11, "Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly."
Matthew 15:26-27, "And he answered, 'It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.' She said, 'Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.'"
Exodus 11:7, "But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel."
Philippians 3:2, "Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh."
2 Peter 2:22, "What the true proverb says has happened to them: 'The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.'"
Luke 16:21, "Who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores."
Revelation 22:15, "Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood."
1 Kings 14:11, "Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat, for the Lord has spoken."
Psalm 22:16, "For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet."
Job 30:1, "But now they laugh at me, men who are younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock."
