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Hunting and FishingAid to Bible Understanding
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and other lands. There is no indication that the Israelites ever hunted for sport, although they did hunt animals such as gazelles and stags for food (1 Ki. 4:22, 23), and killed wild beasts in self-defense (Judg. 14:5, 6) or in defense of domestic animals or of crops.—1 Sam. 17:34-36; Song of Sol. 2:15.
With reference to hunting, the Mosaic law restated the post-Flood prohibition on eating blood. (Gen. 9:4; Lev. 17:12-14; see BLOOD.) Additionally, certain wild animals were designated as unclean for food. (Lev. 11:2-20; Deut. 14:3-20) Another law made it wrong for the Israelites to take both the mother bird and her offspring or eggs. Likely to enable her to have more offspring and because attachment to her young would have made her easy game, the mother bird was to be sent away.—Deut. 22:6, 7.
Various implements and devices were employed for hunting, including bows and arrows (Gen. 21:20; 27:3), slings (1 Sam. 17:34, 40; Job 41:1, 28), traps, nets, pits and hooks. (Ps. 140:5; Ezek. 17:20; 19:4, 9) Swords, spears, darts, clubs and javelins no doubt were also used.—Job 41:1, 26-29.
To capture animals, nets were often set up and then a group of hunters would frighten the animals, commonly by making noise, so that these ran against the nets, which were so constructed as to fall upon them. Also, pits were dug and then camouflaged with a thin cover of sticks and earth. Animals were trapped by being driven over the covering. Snares that entangled the animals’ feet were used, and a combination of pits and nets may also have been employed.—Compare Job 18:8-11; Jeremiah 18:22; 48:42-44; see BIRDCATCHER.
FISHING
Among the Hebrews fishing was an occupation; it is not mentioned as being done merely for sport. Fishermen used nets, harpoons and spears, as well as hook and line. (Job 41:1, 7; Ezek. 26:5, 14; Hab. 1:15, 17; Matt. 17:27) Frequently fishing was done at night. Large nets or dragnets were let down from boats and then either hauled ashore or the catch of fish was emptied into the boats. Afterward the fish were sorted. Those fit for food according to the terms of the Law were put into vessels; the unsuitable kinds were thrown away. (Matt. 13:47, 48; Luke 5:5-7; John 21:6, 8, 11) A net much smaller than the dragnet may have been cast by fishermen wading in the water or standing on the shore.—See DRAGNET.
Fishing was strenuous work. It called for physical exertion, drawing in the nets filled with fish (John 21:6, 11) and rowing the boats, especially when having to do so against the wind. (Mark 6:47, 48) At times fishermen toiled all night without catching anything. (Luke 5:5; John 21:3) Afterward nets had to be dried and repaired.—Ezek. 47:10; Matt. 4:21.
The fishermen Peter, Andrew, James and John worked together as partners. (Matt. 4:18, 21; Luke 5:3, 7, 10) On at least one occasion seven of Jesus’ disciples, including Nathanael and Thomas, fished together. (John 21:2, 3) One of the two fishermen not identified at John 21:2 may have been Peter’s brother Andrew; the other perhaps being Philip, as suggested by the fact that his home was in Bethsaida (meaning “house or place of fishing”).—John 1:43, 44.
Figuratively, fishing may represent military conquest. (Amos 4:2; Hab. 1:14, 15) On the other hand, Jesus likened the work of making disciples to fishing for men. (Matt. 4:19) Jeremiah 16:16, where the reference is to Jehovah’s ‘sending for many fishers and hunters,’ may be understood either in a favorable or an unfavorable sense. If this text is directly related to verse 15, which speaks about the restoration of the Israelites to their land, then the allusion is to the searching out of the repentant Jewish remnant. Otherwise, the fishers and hunters are enemy forces sent out to find the unfaithful Israelites, thus allowing none of them to escape Jehovah’s judgment.—Compare Ezekiel 9:2-7.
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Hupham, HuphamitesAid to Bible Understanding
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HUPHAM, HUPHAMITES
(Huʹpham, Huʹpham·ites).
Also called Huppim; Hupham was a “son,” probably a later descendant, of Benjamin, and ancestral head of the Huphamites.—Gen. 46:8, 21; Num. 26:39; see HUPPIM.
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HuppahAid to Bible Understanding
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HUPPAH
(Hupʹpah) [canopy].
Head of the thirteenth of the twenty-four priestly divisions David organized.—1 Chron. 24:1-3, 7, 13.
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HuppimAid to Bible Understanding
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HUPPIM
(Hupʹpim).
A ‘son’ of Benjamin included in the list of those who came into Egypt with Jacob’s household in 1728 B.C.E. or were born there during Jacob’s lifetime. (Gen. 46:8, 21) Other passages suggest that he was either a grandson or great-grandson through Bela and Iri. (1 Chron. 7:6, 7, 12; in 8:1-5 he is apparently called Huram.) Time barely allows for Benjamin to have had grandsons when entering Egypt, but Genesis 46:8 might be understood to indicate that all these souls had been born while Jacob was still alive even down in Egypt, not necessarily born before he and his household went there. (See BENJAMIN No. 1.) The family that Huppim (Hupham) founded, called Huphamites, is numbered among the tribe of Benjamin in the second wilderness census of the Israelites. (Num. 26:1-4, 38, 39) Huppim is mentioned also at 1 Chronicles 7:14, 15 in association with Manasseh, but the connection is unclear.
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HurAid to Bible Understanding
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HUR
1. A descendant of Judah; son of Caleb and Ephrath; grandfather of the craftsman Bezalel. Some of Hur’s descendants may have settled in Bethlehem. (Ex. 31:2; 35:30; 38:22; 1 Chron. 2:19, 20, 50, 51, 54; 4:1-4; 2 Chron. 1:5; see ATROTH-BETH-JOAB.) Likely the same as No. 2 below.
2. A prominent associate of Moses and Aaron. When, shortly after leaving Egypt, Israel was attacked by the Amalekites, Hur accompanied Moses and Aaron to the top of a hill where he and Aaron supported Moses’ hands until Jehovah gave Israel the victory over the Amalekites. (Ex. 17:8-13) On one occasion not long thereafter, Moses and Joshua went up on Mount Sinai to receive more of the Law, leaving Hur and Aaron in charge of the camp. (Ex. 24:12-14) He is likely the same Hur as the grandfather of the tabernacle craftsman Bezalel (No. 1 above). Josephus wrote that Hur was Miriam’s husband, but the Bible does not say anything about this.—Antiquities of the Jews, Book III, chap. II, par. 4.
3. A king of Midian, one of five dominated by Amorite King Sihon before Israel, moving toward the Promised Land, defeated Sihon. (Josh. 13:15, 16, 21; Num. 21:21-24) Afterward, Hur and his four compatriots apparently allied themselves with Moab’s King Balak in opposition to Israel. (Num. 22:1-7) Later, as directed by Jehovah, the Israelites warred against the Midianites and killed Hur as well as his four allied Midianite kings and the greedy prophet Balaam.—Num. 31:1-8.
4. Father of Solomon’s food deputy in the mountainous region of Ephraim.—1 Ki. 4:7, 8.
5. Father of Rephaiah. Hur’s son Rephaiah helped Nehemiah rebuild Jerusalem’s wall.—Neh. 3:9.
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HuraiAid to Bible Understanding
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HURAI
(Huʹrai) [perhaps, linen weaver].
One of David’s mighty men; from the torrent valleys of Gaash. (1 Chron. 11:26, 32) He is called Hiddai at 2 Samuel 23:30.
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HuramAid to Bible Understanding
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HURAM
(Huʹram).
Probably either a grandson or a great-grandson of Benjamin through Bela and Ir(i); apparently also called Huppim.—1 Chron. 7:6, 7, 12; 8:3-5; see HUPPIM.
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HuriAid to Bible Understanding
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HURI
(Huʹri) [possibly, child].
A Gadite descended through Buz.—1 Chron. 5:11, 14.
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