Humans are given dominion over animals by God, as seen in Genesis 1:26, where they are instructed to rule over the earth and its creatures. After the flood, God permits humans to eat meat, as stated in Genesis 9:3, while also establishing principles for the treatment of animals. The Bible teaches kindness and compassion towards animals, as expressed in Proverbs 12:10, and holds humans accountable for their actions towards them, as seen in Leviticus 24:21. Additionally, Genesis 1:29-30 reveals that God's original intention was for humans and animals to coexist on a plant-based diet, highlighting the importance of responsible stewardship.
Relevance Score
47%
Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things.
Whoever kills an animal must make restitution, but whoever kills a man must be put to death.
A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are only cruelty.
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.”
Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food. And to every beast of the earth and every bird of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth—everything that has the breath of life in it—I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.
Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who slays a man; whoever sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood; whoever offers frankincense is like one who blesses an idol. Indeed, they have chosen their own ways and delighted in their abominations.
The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat; the calf and young lion and fatling will be together, and a little child will lead them. The cow will graze with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play by the cobra’s den, and the toddler will reach into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the sea is full of water.
I said to myself, “As for the sons of men, God tests them so that they may see for themselves that they are but beasts.” For the fates of both men and beasts are the same: As one dies, so dies the other—they all have the same breath. Man has no advantage over the animals, since everything is futile. All go to one place; all come from dust, and all return to dust. Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and the spirit of the animal descends into the earth? I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him?