### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **keleb**, represented by `{{H3611}}`, primarily means **dog**. It appears **32 times** across **31 unique verses**. Derived from an unused root suggesting to yelp or attack, its meaning extends beyond the literal animal. It is often used figuratively as a term of extreme contempt or self-abasement, and by euphemism, can refer to a **male prostitute**.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical narratives, `{{H3611}}` is used in several distinct contexts. As a term of insult, the Philistine asks David, "Am I a **dog**, that thou comest to me with staves?" [[1 Samuel 17:43]]. It is also used to express profound humility, as when Mephibosheth refers to himself as a "dead **dog**" before King David [[2 Samuel 9:8]]. The term is frequently associated with divine judgment, where dogs are prophesied to devour the bodies of the wicked, such as Jezebel [[2 Kings 9:10]] or those of the house of Ahab [[1 Kings 21:24]]. The law also designates dogs as unclean, stipulating that flesh torn by beasts in the field should be cast to them [[Exodus 22:31]], and that the "price of a **dog**" is an abomination to the LORD [[Deuteronomy 23:18]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify the biblical perception of dogs:
* `{{H5024}}` **nâbach** (to bark): This verb is used to describe ineffective leaders as "dumb **dogs**, they cannot bark" [[Isaiah 56:10]].
* `{{H3952}}` **lâqaq** (to lick or lap): This action is characteristic of a dog. It is used to describe how Gideon's chosen men drank water, lapping it with the tongue as a **dog** lappeth [[Judges 7:5]], and how dogs licked the blood of the judged [[1 Kings 21:19]].
* `{{H6892}}` **qêʼ** (vomit): This word is used in a proverb illustrating foolish behavior, stating that "As a **dog** returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly" [[Proverbs 26:11]].
### Theological Significance
The term `{{H3611}}` carries significant figurative and theological weight.
* **Symbol of Contempt and Unworthiness:** It is used as a metaphor for something worthless or despised. Individuals express extreme humility by calling themselves a "dead **dog**" [[2 Samuel 16:9]], and Job states he would have disdained to set the fathers of his accusers with the **dogs** of his flock [[Job 30:1]].
* **Instrument of Divine Judgment:** Dogs act as agents of God's wrath, consuming the bodies of those who die under a curse. This fate is repeatedly pronounced upon wicked rulers and their households, ensuring a dishonorable end without burial ([[1 Kings 14:11]]; [[1 Kings 16:4]]; [[1 Kings 21:24]]).
* **Metaphor for Corrupt Leadership:** Isaiah employs the image of dogs to critique Israel's leaders, calling them "dumb **dogs**" who are ignorant watchmen and "greedy **dogs** which can never have enough" [[Isaiah 56:10-11]].
* **Representation of Impurity:** The word is tied to ritual and moral uncleanness. Comparing a forbidden sacrifice to cutting off a **dog's** neck highlights its impurity [[Isaiah 66:3]], and forbidding the "price of a **dog**" in the house of the LORD links the term to abomination [[Deuteronomy 23:18]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H3611}}` **keleb** is far more than a simple animal designation in scripture. It is a powerful symbol of contempt, impurity, and divine judgment. Whether used as a term of self-abasement, an insult against an enemy, a metaphor for failed leaders, or an instrument of God's wrath, the word consistently points to a state of being low, unclean, or cursed. Its use as a euphemism for a male prostitute further solidifies its association with what is considered an abomination before God.
TRV