Bear

The bear (Hebrew dob) was native to the mountain regions of ancient Palestine and the broader Near East. It is mentioned frequently in both literal and figurative contexts. David killed a bear that attacked his flock, demonstrating the courage that led him to face Goliath (1 Samuel 17:34–37). Two bears mauled the youths who mocked Elisha at Bethel (2 Kings 2:24). In prophetic imagery, the bear represents ferocity and unpredictability: a bereaved she-bear is the most dangerous animal known (Proverbs 17:12; 2 Samuel 17:8; Hosea 13:8). Daniel's vision depicts Persia as a bear (Daniel 7:5), and Revelation 13:2 applies the same image to the beast from the sea.