Turtle Symbolism in the Bible: A Unique Perspective

A Tale of Two Turtles: Understanding Reptiles and Turtledoves in the Bible

Isn’t it amazing how God speaks to us through His creation? The Bible is just filled with wonderful pictures from the world around us, each one packed with powerful lessons for your life. But when we hear the word “turtle” in the Bible, sometimes a little confusion can pop up. We often picture that slow-moving, hard-shelled reptile, don’t we? But let me ask you, is that the creature God is really pointing us to?

This article is here to shine a bright light on what the Bible says about “turtles.” And you’re going to see that most of the time, especially in those older, cherished translations, “turtle” actually means a beautiful bird—the turtledove! There are other times when a word translated as “tortoise” in some versions is talking about a type of reptile, probably a lizard, which was seen as not quite fitting in with the special rules God gave His people in the Old Testament. By looking at the original words God inspired, the exact places they show up in Scripture, how folks lived back then, and what wise teachers of the past thought, a much clearer picture is going to unfold before your eyes. We’re going to explore where these creatures are mentioned, what they meant to God’s people long ago, and what wonderful lessons you and I, as Christians, can take to heart today. Getting these details straight is so important to truly grasping the powerful message God has for us in His Word.

Is it a Turtle or a Turtledove? Understanding the Biblical Terms

the main reason we sometimes scratch our heads about “turtles” in the Bible comes down to the English word itself, especially in those treasured older translations like the King James Version (KJV). What you and I think of as a “turtle”—that shelled reptile—isn’t usually what the Bible writers were thinking about when they used words that later got translated as “turtle” or “tortoise.” It all comes down to two different Hebrew words, and they point to two very different kinds of God’s creatures.

And this is the one you’ll see most often, is the turtledove. Yes, a bird! In almost every single place the KJV uses the word “turtle,” it’s talking about this lovely bird.¹ The Hebrew word for this turtledove is tor (תּוֹר).³ And all the smart folks who study these things agree that tor means the turtledove, or a bird very much like it, such as a ring-dove.³ It’s believed that the name tor sounds like the soft, sweet cooing sound the bird makes – isn’t that neat?¹ That connection between its name and its special song makes it pretty certain we know which bird it is. That’s why most of our modern Bible translations, like the NIV and ESV, get it just right and translate tor as “turtledove”.⁶ A perfect example is in the beautiful Song of Solomon 2:12, where the KJV says, “the voice of the turtle is heard in our land”.⁸ But today’s versions correctly say, “the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land”.⁷ See the difference?

There’s the creature mentioned when God was giving instructions about clean and unclean foods. The KJV calls this one a “tortoise.” You’ll find this in Leviticus 11:29, in a list of animals that God’s people, the Israelites, were told not to eat.⁹ The Hebrew word here is tsab (צָב).¹¹ even though the KJV says “tortoise,” just about all the Bible experts and language scholars believe that tsab isn’t talking about the shelled tortoise we know. Instead, it was likely a type of big lizard.¹¹ Many of these experts connect tsab with an Arabic word, dabb, which means the spiny-tailed lizard (Uromastix spinipes) – a reptile you’d find quite a bit in the Middle East back then.⁹ The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia even says that it’s a bit of a puzzle why the KJV translators chose “tortoise” for tsab.¹¹ And to add another layer, the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, called the Septuagint (LXX), when it gets to Leviticus 11:29, translates tsab as ho krokodeilos ho chersaios, which means “land-crocodile,” or in some versions, just “lizard”.¹¹ So again, all signs point to a strong land reptile, not our slow-and-steady tortoise.

Understanding the difference between these two Hebrew words and the creatures they stand for is so important. The KJV, a wonderful translation from its time, used “turtle” for the bird and “tortoise” for the reptile (that was likely a lizard), because that’s how people talked about them in older English. But with all we’ve learned about language and animals today, these identifications are much clearer. So, let’s keep tor (the beautiful turtledove) and tsab (the lizard) separate in our minds. It’s the key to understanding their roles and the special messages God has for us through them in the Bible.

To help us see these differences even more clearly, here’s a little table for you:

Table 1: “Turtle” in the Bible: Two Different Creatures

Feature	Hebrew: Tsab (צָב)	Hebrew: Tor (תּוֹר)
Likely Animal Type	Large lizard (e.g., spiny-tailed lizard) 11	Turtledove (a bird) 3
Common KJV Translation	“Tortoise” 9	“Turtle” 8
Common Modern Translation	“Great lizard,” “large lizard” 10	“Turtledove” 7
Key Biblical Mentions	Leviticus 11:29 9	Song of Solomon 2:12; Leviticus (sacrifices); Jeremiah 8:7 6
Primary Biblical Association	Ritually unclean 9	Positive: love, peace, spring, acceptable sacrifice 3

This table really helps to show the big differences in what they were, how they’re translated, and what God was teaching through them.

The “Tortoise” in Leviticus: An Unclean Creature?

When we open the book of Leviticus, especially chapter 11, God lays out a very specific set of dietary laws for His people, the Israelites. These laws helped them understand the difference between animals that were “clean”—meaning they were okay to eat and use in special ceremonies—and those that were “unclean,” which they were told to avoid. It’s right here, in Leviticus 11:29, that the King James Version mentions the “tortoise” as one of those unclean “creeping things that creep upon the earth”.⁹

But as we’ve already discovered, the Hebrew word translated “tortoise” here is tsab.¹¹ And the overwhelming agreement among wise scholars, based on language clues and how it connects to other ancient languages, is that tsab means a “great lizard” or a “large lizard,” not the shelled tortoise we usually think of.⁹ The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia even mentions that it’s not quite clear why the KJV translators went with “tortoise,” because other evidence points in a different direction.¹¹ And remember that old Greek translation, the Septuagint? It called the tsab a “land-crocodile” 11 or “lizard” 15, which again shows us it was a major land reptile, very different from the shelled creature we call a tortoise.

This creature, the tsab, was put in the category of “creeping things” (that’s sherets in Hebrew) or “swarming things that swarm on the land”.¹¹ And generally, this whole group of animals was declared unclean under God’s Law to Moses. When God called something “unclean” in Leviticus, it didn’t mean the animal was evil or bad in itself. No, it was a special term used in a system designed to teach Israel about God’s holiness, about purity, and about being set apart for Him. The reasons for these rules were deep, involving spiritual lessons, keeping Israel as a unique people for God, and sometimes, even practical things for their well-being. It can be a challenge for us today to know exactly which animal every single name on those ancient lists refers to. But the evidence is strong, friends: the “tortoise” of Leviticus 11:29 (in the KJV) was a type of lizard, and God said it was unclean as part of a bigger picture of ground-dwelling, swarming creatures.

What Did the Unclean “Tortoise” (or Lizard) Symbolize?

You see, when God said the tsab (that lizard, or “tortoise” in the KJV) was “unclean” in Leviticus 11:29, it wasn’t just a random rule. It was part of a beautiful, intricate system of symbols in the Old Testament dietary laws, a system designed to teach God’s people, the Israelites, powerful truths about His incredible holiness and their special calling as His chosen ones.⁹

One really insightful way to understand why certain animals were called unclean comes from a smart anthropologist named Mary Douglas. In her well-known book Purity and Danger, she suggested that animals often seen as “unclean” in systems like Leviticus were those that didn’t quite fit perfectly into the neat categories of God’s creation as people saw them.²⁵ For example, clean land animals were supposed to have split hooves and chew the cud. Clean fish needed to have fins and scales. So, creatures that “swarm” or “creep,” like our friend the tsab, moved in a way or lived in a way that might have seemed to blur these clear lines. Maybe they looked like they didn’t quite belong, or they lived in those in-between spaces (not quite land, not quite water, not quite air).²⁵ These “creeping things” were generally linked with the earth in a way that could symbolize being distant from the pure, amazing holiness of God, who is connected with the heavens above.⁹ This idea that holiness is tied to being whole, complete, and fitting into God’s perfect order meant that creatures that seemed a bit unusual or mixed could be seen as ritually not quite right.

And there’s more, friends! These dietary laws were like a daily, hands-on reminder to the Israelites of their special covenant relationship with God and their need to be separate (that’s what holy means!) from the nations around them who didn’t know God.⁹ Many of the things those other nations did, even what they ate, were all mixed up with their idol worship. Some of the very animals God told Israel were unclean were actually worshipped or used in pagan rituals by their neighbors!24 So, by sticking to these unique food laws, Israel kept a practical boundary that helped them not to just blend in and forget who they were – God’s special people.

At the very heart of it all, being obedient to these laws, including staying away from creatures like the tsab, was a way of showing faithfulness to God’s covenant and reflecting His own perfect holiness (you can read about that in Leviticus 11:44-45).⁹ some of these rules might have also had some good health benefits by keeping people away from animals that could more easily carry diseases (like predators, scavengers, or certain ground-dwellers that were often on the unclean list) 21 the main purpose was always about God and the spiritual lessons. The tsab, being a “creeping thing,” fell into this category of animals to be avoided. It represented what was considered out of place or not quite pure within a system God carefully designed to teach about order, purity, and being totally dedicated to the one true God.

For us Christians today, it’s so important to understand that these Old Testament dietary laws are generally seen as part of the ceremonial law, and they are not binding on us in the New Covenant. Think about the Apostle Peter’s vision in Acts chapter 10, and what Jesus Himself taught in Mark 7:19. These show us that those laws were fulfilled and transformed! The focus for us shifts from what’s clean or unclean on the outside to what’s pure in our hearts on the inside.⁹ Nevertheless, the principles of God’s holiness, His call for us to be a people set apart for Him, and the need for us to choose wisely – these are still vital spiritual lessons for every single one of us.

The Turtledove in Scripture: A Bird of Positive Meaning

let’s shift gears, because in beautiful contrast to that ritually unclean tsab (the lizard), the turtledove (that’s tor in Hebrew) consistently brings such positive and wonderful symbolism throughout God’s Word.¹ And remember, this bird is the creature most often called “turtle” in the King James Version and other older Bibles.

The turtledove was a familiar sight in ancient Israel and the lands around it, and its special characteristics just lent themselves to rich, meaningful symbolism. It was known for its gentle and peaceful nature, its soft, unmistakable cooing sound, and its habit of pairing up with one mate, making it a perfect symbol of peace, love, and faithfulness.¹ Its migratory patterns were also something people noticed; when the turtledove returned in the spring, it was such a welcome sign! It meant winter was over and a season of renewal, new life, and blooming beauty was here.¹

What’s more, turtledoves were considered ritually pure and innocent. This meant they were acceptable for some of the most important religious sacrifices and purification ceremonies that God laid out in the Law of Moses.¹ This positive picture of the turtledove is steady across all kinds of Bible writings – from the law books of Moses, to the beautiful poetry in the wisdom books, and even in the messages of the prophets. These many appearances just highlight how well-known and understood the turtledove’s symbolic value was in Israelite culture and their worship of God. It paints a picture of a creature linked with some of the most precious virtues and hopeful signs in their relationship with God and the amazing world He created.

What is the Meaning of the “Voice of the Turtle” in Song of Solomon?

One of the most famous Bible verses where we see the “turtle” is in the Song of Solomon, chapter 2, verse 12. The King James Version beautifully says: “The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land”.⁸ But as we’ve learned, the “turtle” in this verse is actually that lovely turtledove, and most modern Bibles make that clear.⁷

The imagery in this passage is just bursting with life and beauty, painting a picture of springtime’s glorious arrival. And the “voice of the turtledove” is a key part of this wonderful scene.

• A Sign of Spring and New Life: You see, the cooing of the turtledove was like a recognized announcement that winter was finally over and the season of fresh starts and new growth was beginning.³ The verse right before it says, “For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone” (Song of Solomon 2:11). The turtledove’s call was like a joyful confirmation of this wonderful change!
• A Symbol of Love and Joy: The Song of Solomon is a powerful celebration of love and closeness. In this beautiful setting, the turtledove’s song adds to an atmosphere filled with romance, delight, and the blossoming of affection.³ Turtledoves were often linked with faithfulness and love because of how they mate 1, so their presence is just perfect in this poetic book about love.
• An Emblem of Peace and Tranquility: That gentle, soothing sound of the turtledove’s coo just adds to the overall picture of a peaceful, harmonious world, alive with the beauty of God’s creation.¹⁷

Some wise Christian teachers through the ages have seen even deeper spiritual meaning in “the voice of the turtledove.” They’ve seen it as a picture of the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit, announcing a brand new season of God’s amazing grace and drawing our hearts closer to Him.¹⁷ The fact that turtledoves migrate is especially important here.¹ Its return in the spring was a dependable sign, making its voice a powerful symbol of a definite and welcome change – whether in the seasons of nature or, as a beautiful metaphor, in the seasons of love and our spiritual lives.

Why Were Turtledoves Used in Biblical Sacrifices?

Turtledoves, along with young pigeons, had a very special role in the Old Testament system of sacrifices. They were one of the few kinds of birds that God allowed the Israelites to offer as sacrifices (you can see this in Leviticus 1:14).¹ And their inclusion was so major for several wonderful reasons.

A main reason was God’s incredible, compassionate provision for the poor. The Law of Moses often said that if someone couldn’t afford a more expensive sacrificial animal, like a lamb or a goat, they could offer two turtledoves or two young pigeons instead (Leviticus 5:7, Leviticus 12:8).¹ This merciful rule made sure that all Israelites, no matter how much money they had, could take part in the important rituals for forgiveness, purification, and worship. It just shows how much God wanted every single person in His family to have access to Him and the way to stay in a right relationship with Him. This very same provision is so beautifully shown in the New Testament when Mary and Joseph, the parents of Jesus, brought Him to the temple after He was born. Luke 2:24 tells us they offered “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons”—that was the offering for those who didn’t have much, highlighting the humble way the Savior of the world came into our world.¹ Isn’t that amazing?

Beyond being affordable, turtledoves were also chosen because they were symbolically just right. They were widely seen as symbols of purity, innocence, and gentleness.¹ These qualities made them perfect emblems for offerings meant to cover sin or to express heartfelt devotion to God. The fact that turtledoves were known to pair up for life also added to their symbolism of faithfulness and commitment.¹

Turtledoves were required for several important sacred ceremonies, including:

• Burnt offerings, which showed complete dedication to God (Leviticus 1:14).
• Sin offerings, for forgiveness when people sinned unintentionally (Leviticus 5:7).
• Purification offerings after a child was born (Leviticus 12:6-8).⁶
• Cleansing rituals for those who were healed of leprosy (Leviticus 14:22).³⁷
• Offerings connected to finishing a special Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:10).¹

The consistent use of turtledoves in these very important rituals shows how they were accepted as pure offerings and truly highlights God’s inclusive grace, making sure that the path to forgiveness and worship was open to all His people.

What Did the Early Church Fathers Teach About Turtledoves and “Turtles”?

Those early Christian writers and thinkers, the ones we often call the Church Fathers (who lived from about the 2nd to the 8th centuries AD), had a wonderful way of looking at Scripture. They often saw deeper, allegorical meanings, believing that many details in the Old Testament were like signposts pointing to Jesus Christ and the amazing spiritual truths of the New Covenant. What they said about passages with turtledoves gives us precious insight into how these birds were understood in early Christian hearts and minds.

When it came to the turtledove in the Song of Solomon, many Church Fathers didn’t just see it as a human love song. They saw it as a beautiful allegory of Christ’s deep, passionate love for His or, in the Jewish tradition, God’s love for His people Israel.⁴¹ And in this allegorical picture, “the voice of the turtledove” from Song of Solomon 2:12 was often seen as a symbol of the preaching of the apostles, heralding the wonderful good news of the Gospel and the arrival of Christ’s kingdom of grace and power.³² Gregory of Nyssa, a very respected teacher from the 4th century, linked the turtledove with the Holy Spirit, emphasizing its gentle, loving nature as a reflection of the Spirit’s own character.³² He also connected its soft, cooing voice with the repentant call of John the Baptist, who was preparing the way for our Lord.³²

The offering of turtledoves by Mary and Joseph when they presented baby Jesus at the temple (Luke 2:24) also got the Fathers thinking, and they saw rich symbolism in this humble act.

• St. Bede the Venerable (from the 8th century) gave a detailed symbolic interpretation of those two birds. He suggested the pigeon, being a bird that likes to be with others, represented simplicity and the active life of serving God in community. The turtledove, known for being more solitary if its mate is lost, signified chastity and the quiet, contemplative life of prayer and devotion. Bede also noted that the cooing of both birds could represent the heartfelt prayers and cries of the saints—the turtledove for those personal, hidden prayers, and the pigeon for the public prayers of the Church. He beautifully concluded that the law allowing either turtledoves or pigeons showed that God values both the active and the quiet paths to holiness.³⁹ Isn’t that encouraging?
• St. Ambrose of Milan (4th century) saw the offering of a turtledove as representing purity of the body, while a pigeon symbolized the grace of the spirit. Together, he taught, they pointed to the true sacrifice of Christ, which includes both physical purity and spiritual grace.⁴⁶
• St. Athanasius of Alexandria (4th century) interpreted the offering of two birds as signifying the two-fold dedication God desires from us believers: purity and meekness in both our body and our soul.⁴⁶

About that reptilian “tortoise” (tsab) listed among the unclean animals in Leviticus 11:29, specific comments from the Church Fathers focusing on this particular creature as a distinct symbol aren’t as easy to find. But the Church Fathers generally understood the Old Testament dietary laws, including the rules against “creeping things,” as part of God’s big plan to teach Israel about holiness, moral purity, and staying separate from pagan ways.²³ They often saw these laws as having a teaching purpose, like little previews of deeper spiritual realities that would be fully revealed in Christ and the New Covenant.⁴⁸ The general category of “creeping things” was typically seen in that negative light of ritual uncleanness, representing what was considered lowly or defiling. While someone like Jerome, for example, did talk about the migratory nature of the turtledove in his writings on Jeremiah 8:7 and Song of Solomon 2:12 32, agreeing with its symbolism of spring and new beginnings, specific allegorical meanings for the tsab itself aren’t highlighted as often. The main focus of the Fathers, when they talked about “turtles,” was clearly on the rich, positive, and uplifting symbolism of the turtledove.

What Else Does the Bible Say About “Turtles” (Turtledoves)?

Beyond its important role in sacrifices and its beautiful imagery in the Song of Solomon, the turtledove shows up in other major places in the Bible, often used as a metaphor to teach us powerful spiritual lessons.

One very striking instance is in Jeremiah 8:7: “Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons, and the turtledove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration. But my people do not know the requirements of the LORD” (NIV).¹ In this powerful passage, the prophet Jeremiah uses the natural, God-given instincts of migratory birds, including our friend the turtledove, to show a sharp contrast with the spiritual unawareness and disobedience of the people of Judah. These birds faithfully follow the rhythms God built into creation, knowing exactly when to migrate with the seasons. But Judah, even though they had God’s law and His prophets speaking to them, failed to recognize God’s “appointed times” or understand His ways and what He required of them.¹⁶ The turtledove’s built-in wisdom in observing its seasons becomes a strong wake-up call about humanity’s spiritual blindness and tendency to wander off course.

Another deeply moving use of turtledove imagery is found in Psalm 74:19: “Do not deliver the soul of your turtledove to the wild beast; do not forget the life of your afflicted people forever” (ESV).¹ This psalm is a heartfelt cry from the whole community, a desperate prayer to God during a time of national trouble when the temple had been violated. Here, Israel, or perhaps the faithful few who remained true, is metaphorically called God’s “turtledove.” This beautiful image likely draws on the turtledove’s known characteristics of being gentle, harmless, and vulnerable. By comparing His people to a turtledove threatened by a “wild beast” (which represented their enemies or those oppressing them), the psalmist is appealing to God’s incredible compassion, His faithfulness to His promises, and His protective care for His suffering ones. The symbol brings out a sense of preciousness and fragility, urging God to step in and save His beloved.

These examples from Jeremiah and Psalms show just how versatile the turtledove is as a biblical symbol. Its observable natural traits—its faithful migration and its gentle vulnerability—were powerfully used by the Bible writers to communicate powerful messages from God about our relationship with Him, the importance of obedience, and our deep need for His divine protection and mercy. The meaning we get from the creature isn’t just stuck in one place; it’s used dynamically, depending on what God is teaching in that specific passage.

Can Reptilian Turtles Hold Symbolic Meaning for Christians Today?

While God’s Word itself doesn’t give direct symbolic meaning to that shelled reptile we know as a turtle (because, as we’ve seen, the “tortoise” in Leviticus was likely a lizard, and the KJV “turtle” was the lovely turtledove 2), that doesn’t mean we Christians can’t draw inspiring lessons from observing all of God’s amazing creation, including these fascinating creatures! In many cultures, and often just in our own Christian reflections, the reptilian turtle has come to be linked with several positive qualities based on its natural characteristics.

• Patience and Perseverance: Perhaps the most common thing we think of is patience, because of the turtle’s famously slow and steady way of moving.⁵⁰ This can be such a helpful picture for our Christian lives, which are often described as a long journey or a race that requires us to keep going and not give up. We are encouraged to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1), and that turtle’s steady pace can be a great reminder to stay faithful for the long haul, not getting discouraged if progress seems slow.⁵¹ God is with you every step!
• Protection and Security: That turtle’s hard shell, its very own portable safe place, is a powerful image of protection.⁵⁰ Some have compared this to the “shield of faith” we read about in Ephesians 6:16, which protects us believers from spiritual attacks, or even more broadly, to God’s wonderful, encompassing protection and care for every one of His children.⁵¹ You are safe in His hands!
• Longevity and Wisdom: Turtles are known for living a long, long time, and this has led people to associate them with ancient wisdom and the ability to endure.⁵⁰
• Humility and Steadfastness: The picture of a turtle carrying its home on its back and moving at a contented, unhurried pace can also speak to us of humility and a steady, grounded way of living life.⁵⁰

A particularly popular Christian illustration that uses the image of a turtle is the “turtle on a fence post” story.⁵⁴ This story points out something very true: if you see a turtle sitting way up high on a fence post, you know for sure that turtle didn’t get there all by itself; someone must have put it there. This becomes a wonderful metaphor for our Christian lives and what we achieve: any spiritual height, any accomplishment, or any position of influence a believer reaches is not because of their own efforts or how good they are solely by the amazing grace of God who has lifted them up.⁵⁴ This is a modern way of using the turtle’s known physical limitations to teach a beautiful truth about God’s grace, rather than a symbolic meaning of the turtle found right in the Bible.

It’s so important, to see the difference between these metaphorical lessons we can draw from observing the nature of the reptilian turtle, and the specific symbolism God assigned to the turtledove (tor) or the ritual status of the tsab (lizard) right there in the Bible. We Christians can find inspiration and create meaningful analogies from every part of God’s creation, because the natural world often reflects our Creator’s amazing attributes (just like Romans 1:20 says). But these are ways of explaining spiritual truths using nature, rather than interpretations of what the Bible directly says that animal symbolizes. The main and direct biblical symbolism connected to the word “turtle” points overwhelmingly to the turtledove, with its rich associations of love, peace, purity, and God’s wonderful provision, or to the ancient ritual uncleanness of a specific type of lizard.

Conclusion: Key Lessons About “Turtles” in God’s Word

as we’ve explored “turtle” symbolism in the Bible, it’s been a fascinating journey through language, culture, and God’s amazing truth. The most important thing to take away is the wonderful clarification that the word “turtle” in Scripture, especially in those older translations like the King James Version, is almost always talking about the turtledove—a bird filled with so much positive symbolism. And on the other hand, the “tortoise” mentioned in Leviticus as an unclean animal was, as the experts agree, a type of lizard, not the shelled reptile we often picture today.

From the turtledove (tor), we Christians can learn so many lasting lessons. The fact that it was included in the sacrificial system as an affordable offering for the poor just shines a light on God’s incredible compassion and His desire for all people, no matter their bank account, to be able to come to Him for worship and forgiveness. The story of Mary and Joseph offering turtledoves when they presented Jesus powerfully highlights this, connecting our Savior’s humble beginnings with God’s amazing provision for those who are lowly in spirit. The turtledove’s connection with the arrival of spring and its gentle cooing, so beautifully celebrated in the Song of Solomon, speaks to us of joy, new beginnings, fresh starts, and the wonderful blossoming of love and peace. Its characteristics of gentleness and faithfulness made it a perfect symbol of purity and devotion, and some of those wise Church Fathers even saw in its imagery a picture of the Holy Spirit or the powerful preaching of the Gospel.

From the ritually unclean “tortoise” or lizard (tsab) of Leviticus, the main lesson for God’s people back then was about His call to live holy lives, to be distinct, and to stay separate from anything that would pull them away from Him or compromise their special covenant relationship. Although these dietary laws are not binding on us Christians today, they still remind us of the seriousness of sin and how important it is to live lives that are set apart for God—a theme of purity that finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Understanding these distinctions, allows us to read the Bible with more accuracy and a much richer appreciation. It keeps us from making wrong assumptions based on how we use animal names today and opens up a deeper understanding of the specific cultural and spiritual settings in which these creatures were mentioned. And Although the reptilian turtle doesn’t carry direct symbolic weight right there in the biblical text, our Christian tradition of drawing moral and spiritual lessons from observing God’s amazing creation allows its characteristics like patience and perseverance to be helpful and encouraging illustrations for our walk of faith.

Whether we’re thinking about the gentle turtledove or the forbidden lizard, studying these details in God’s Word always points us back to bigger, life-changing themes: God’s sovereign holiness, His compassionate provision for every one of us, His call to a life of purity and devotion, and the incredible unfolding of His redemptive plan throughout all of history. Even the tale of these two “turtles” adds to the grand, beautiful story of Scripture, inviting us believers to dive deeper into its never-ending wisdom and discover more of God’s goodness for our lives.