Mole

Several Hebrew words are rendered "mole" or related burrowing creatures in English translations of the Old Testament, reflecting the difficulty of precisely identifying ancient fauna. The Hebrew tinshameth in Leviticus 11:30, listed among unclean animals, is rendered "mole" in the Authorized Version but "chameleon" in the Revised Version — likely denoting some species of lizard. The Hebrew holed in Leviticus 11:29, rendered "weasel" in most translations, may refer to the mole-rat (Spalax typhlus), a burrowing rodent common in Palestine. The true European mole (Talpa europaea) does not range into the Holy Land. Isaiah 2:20 provides the most vivid biblical image: in the day of the LORD's judgment, people will cast their silver and gold idols "to the moles and to the bats" — creatures inhabiting dark, hidden places, a fitting image for the worthlessness of idolatry before God's presence.