The Fox

Illustration of The Fox

Foxes in Scripture are small, sly and destructive. The Song of Solomon asks for help catching 'the little foxes, that spoil the vines,' a picture of small troubles that ruin something precious. When Nehemiah's builders worked on Jerusalem's wall, Tobiah mocked that a fox could knock it down. Jesus called Herod Antipas 'that fox,' and described his own homeless ministry with the words, 'The foxes have holes... but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.' The Hebrew word can also mean jackal, which may be intended in some passages, such as Samson's three hundred 'foxes.'

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Strongest connections in Scripture
Luke 13

Key Passages

Go Ye, and Tell That Fox

Luke 13:31-32

Warned that Herod wants to kill him, Jesus calmly calls the king 'that fox' and keeps to the path his Father has set.

T31he same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.

32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

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Did You Know?

1

Jesus called Herod Antipas 'that fox' after being warned that Herod wanted to kill him.

2

Samson tied burning torches between pairs of 'foxes' to burn the Philistines' grain.

3

Tobiah sneered that a fox could break down Nehemiah's wall.

4

The Hebrew word for fox can also mean jackal.