Bible verses about killing animals
Killing your house pets would be a problem and that is animal cruelty, but there is nothing wrong with hunting for food. Animals were even used for clothing in Scripture. That doesn’t mean we are to be cruel to them and get out of control, but instead we are to be responsible and use them to our advantage.
Food
1. Genesis 9:1-3 God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fertile, increase in number, and fill the earth. All the wild animals and all the birds will fear you and be terrified of you. Every creature that crawls on the ground and all the fish in the sea have been put under your control. Everything that lives and moves will be your food. I gave you green plants as food; I now give you everything else.
2. Leviticus 11:1-3 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them,“Speak to the people of Israel, saying, These are the living things that you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth. Whatever parts the hoof and is cloven-footed and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat.
Jesus ate animals
3. Luke 24:41-43 The disciples were overcome with joy and amazement because this seemed too good to be true. Then Jesus asked them, “Do you have anything to eat? They gave him a piece of broiled fish. He took it and ate it while they watched him.
4. Luke 5:3-6 So Jesus got into the boat that belonged to Simon and asked him to push off a little from the shore. Then Jesus sat down and taught the crowd from the boat. When he finished speaking, he told Simon, “Take the boat into deep water, and lower your nets to catch some fish.” Simon answered, “Teacher, we worked hard all night and caught nothing. But if you say so, I’ll lower the nets.” After the men had done this, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to tear.
5. Luke 22:7-15 The day came during the Festival of Unleavened Bread when the Passover lamb had to be killed. Jesus sent Peter and John and told them, “Go, prepare the Passover lamb for us to eat.” They asked him, “Where do you want us to prepare it?” He told them, “Go into the city, and you will meet a man carrying a jug of water. Follow him into the house he enters. Tell the owner of the house that the teacher asks, ‘Where is the room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ He will take you upstairs and show you a large furnished room. Get things ready there.” The disciples left. They found everything as Jesus had told them and prepared the Passover. When it was time to eat the Passover meal, Jesus and the apostles were at the table. Jesus said to them, “I’ve had a deep desire to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
6. Mark 7:19 For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
Hunting
7. Genesis 27:2-9 Isaac said, “I am now an old man and don’t know the day of my death. Now then, get your equipment—your quiver and bow—and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me. Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die.” Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back, Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau, ‘Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the Lord before I die.’ Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you: Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it.
8. Proverbs 12:27 The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.
9. Leviticus 17:13 “And if any native Israelite or foreigner living among you goes hunting and kills an animal or bird that is approved for eating, he must drain its blood and cover it with earth.
Care for them, be kind, and be responsible
10. Proverbs 12:10 The godly care for their animals, but the wicked are always cruel.
11. Numbers 22:31-32 Then the Lord allowed Balaam to see the angel. The Lord’s angel was standing in the road, holding a sword in his hand. Balaam bowed low to the ground. Then the Lord’s angel asked Balaam, “Why did you hit your donkey three times? I am the one who came to stop you. But just in time
Reminders
12. Romans 13:1-3 All of you must obey the government rulers. Everyone who rules was given the power to rule by God. And all those who rule now were given that power by God. So anyone who is against the government is really against something God has commanded. Those who are against the government bring punishment on themselves. People who do right don’t have to fear the rulers. But those who do wrong must fear them. Do you want to be free from fearing them? Then do only what is right, and they will praise you.
13. Leviticus 24:19-21 Anyone who injures their neighbor is to be injured in the same manner: fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The one who has inflicted the injury must suffer the same injury. Whoever kills an animal must make restitution, but whoever kills a human being is to be put to death.
Example
14. 1 Samuel 17:34-36 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.”
Clothing
15. Matthew 3:3-4 Isaiah the prophet spoke about this man when he said, “A voice cries out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!’” John wore clothes made from camel’s hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His diet consisted of locusts and wild honey.
