Feeding Time at the Zoo? Exploring the Motif of Animals Eating People in the Bible

The motif of animals eating people is recurrent throughout the biblical texts. Culturally, the image subverts expectations with respect to both diet and burial rites, granting it consistently negative connotations. To be eaten by an animal undermines the dignity of humans made in the divine image and problematises the Bible’s theological anthropology. These issues are accentuated by this ignominy most frequently occurring at divine behest; typically, it is God who summons beast and bird to devour human flesh and blood. But for what reason? This article explores instances of humans being consumed to determine the divine purposes at play in corpse desecration. While judgement is a crucial element, it is not a sufficient explanation. Other themes, including purification and sacrifice, also feature prominently. These interrelated concepts are utilised for rhetorical ends as they convey significant outcomes for both people and land. Thus, a canonical consideration of the motif of animals eating people not only clarifies its force in any given instance but also offers interpretative possibilities for more obscure passages.