Complete Bible Study Guide
What Does the Bible Say About Animal Cruelty?
14 Scripture references with full text and commentary
Understanding Animal Cruelty in the Bible
What does the Bible say about animal cruelty? Browse 14 carefully selected verses that illuminate this biblical theme.
Top 10 Verses About Animal Cruelty
- 1Genesis 1:28
“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. moveth: Heb. creepeth”
KJV - 2Genesis 1:30
“And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life , I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. life: Heb. a living soul”
KJV - 3Exodus 23:5
“If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him. and: or, wilt thou cease to help him? or, and wouldest cease to leave thy business for him: thou shalt surely leave it to join with him”
KJV - 4Numbers 22:32
“And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: to: Heb. to be an adversary unto thee”
KJV - 5Deuteronomy 25:4
“Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. treadeth: Heb. thresheth”
KJV - 6
- 7Proverbs 12:10
“A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. tender: or, bowels”
KJV - 8Proverbs 27:23
“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. look: Heb. set thy heart”
KJV - 9Ecclesiastes 3:19
“For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.”
KJV - 10Isaiah 1:11
“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. he goats: Heb. great he goats”
KJV
Old Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Animal Cruelty? (11 Verses)
“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. moveth: Heb. creepeth”
“And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life , I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. life: Heb. a living soul”
“If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him. and: or, wilt thou cease to help him? or, and wouldest cease to leave thy business for him: thou shalt surely leave it to join with him”
“And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: to: Heb. to be an adversary unto thee”
“Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. treadeth: Heb. thresheth”
“The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.”
“A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. tender: or, bowels”
“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. look: Heb. set thy heart”
“For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.”
“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. he goats: Heb. great he goats”
“He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. lamb: or, kid burneth: Heb. maketh a memorial of”
New Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Animal Cruelty? (3 Verses)
“Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?”
“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?”
“What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?”
How to Study What the Bible Says About Animal Cruelty
- 1
Begin by reading through every verse listed on this page, noting which ones speak most directly to your current season of life. Write them down and revisit them throughout the week.
- 2
Use a concordance or the search tools on this site to find additional passages about animal cruelty. Look for patterns across both the Old and New Testaments to gain a complete picture of what God reveals on this subject.
- 3
Study the context of each verse. Read the surrounding chapter to understand who was speaking, who the audience was, and what circumstances prompted the passage. Context prevents misapplication.
- 4
Memorise at least one key verse about animal cruelty and meditate on it daily. Scripture memory transforms thinking and equips you to apply God's Word in real-time situations.
Practical Application
Studying what the Bible says about animal cruelty is only the beginning. Scripture is meant to be lived out in daily obedience and faith. Here are practical steps to apply these truths:
Identify one area of your life where the biblical teaching on animal cruelty needs to be applied more consistently. Write a specific, actionable step you can take this week.
Share what you have learned about animal cruelty with a fellow believer or in a small group setting. Teaching others solidifies your own understanding and encourages mutual growth.
Pray through the key verses about animal cruelty, asking God to reveal how His Word applies to your relationships, decisions, and daily habits.
How Well Do You Know What the Bible Says About Animal Cruelty?
You have studied 14 verses about animal cruelty. Now test your knowledge with chapter-by-chapter quizzes covering the books where these verses appear.