a native of the mountain regions of Western Asia, frequently mentioned in Scripture. David defended his flocks against the attacks of a bear (
1 Samuel 17:34-37 ). Bears came out of the wood and destroyed the children who mocked the prophet Elisha (
2 Kings 2:24 ). Their habits are referred to in
Isaiah 59:11 ;
Proverbs 28:15 ;
Lamentations 3:10 . The fury of the female bear when robbed of her young is spoken of (
2 Samuel 17:8 ;
Proverbs 17:12 ;
Hosea 13:8 ). In Daniel's vision of the four great monarchies, the Medo-Persian empire is represented by a bear (
7:5 ).
These dictionary topics are from
M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition,
published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.