זְאֵב (ze.ev)
ze.ev
wolf
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun ze’ev refers simply to a wolf, an animal known for its strength and predatory nature. In the Old Testament, it appears in six verses, primarily within prophetic books like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zephaniah. The word carries no hidden spiritual code; it describes the literal beast that threatens flocks and lives in the wild.
Prophets use this image to depict sudden, violent destruction. When Isaiah speaks of wolves dwelling among lambs (Isaiah 11:6), he paints a picture of radical peace where natural enemies coexist. Conversely, when Jeremiah warns of coming judgment, he compares invading armies to ravenous wolves tearing at prey (Jeremiah 5:6). The contrast highlights the severity of the threat: just as a wolf cannot help but hunt, so too will these forces relentlessly pursue their target.
Translators consistently render ze’ev as "wolf" because the meaning is concrete and unambiguous. It serves as a vivid metaphor for danger that is both immediate and overwhelming, grounding abstract theological warnings in the tangible reality of the natural world.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for wolf in Hebrew, ze’ev, describes a predator known for its speed and hunger. In the Old Testament, prophets used this animal to show how dangerous enemies could be. When Jeremiah or Zephaniah spoke of evening wolves, they were warning that judgment would come quickly and leave nothing behind. It was a stark picture of vulnerability for those living in ancient Israel.
Yet the Bible also shows a different side of this creature. Isaiah painted a beautiful scene where the wolf lives peacefully with the lamb. This image points to a future time when God will restore creation. It reminds us that peace is possible even between natural enemies. We can trust that God brings order out of chaos and safety out of danger.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- wolf2×
- more than/ wolves of1×
- a wolf of1×
- [is] a wolf1×
- [are] wolves of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִ/זְּאֵ֣בֵי1×
- זְאֵב֙1×
- זְאֵ֨ב1×
- זְאֵ֤ב1×
- זְאֵ֣בֵי1×
- זְאֵ֣ב1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 11:6
The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, the calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf together; and a little child will lead them.
This verse uses the wolf to symbolise a radical peace where natural enemies coexist without harm.
-
Jeremiah 5:6
Therefore a lion out of the forest will kill them. A wolf of the evenings will destroy them. A leopard will watch against their cities. Everyone who goes out there will be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many and their backsliding has increased.
Here the wolf represents the sudden and destructive force of coming judgment against disobedience.
-
Genesis 49:27
“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning he will devour the prey. At evening he will divide the plunder.”
Jacob blesses Benjamin by comparing his tribe to a ravenous wolf, highlighting their fierce strength in battle.