The Bible Negatively Portrays Fishing Through Metaphor

Within the Bible, fishing is sometimes compared to the unjust actions of enemies. For instance, Jeremiah 16:15–16 compares enemies taking the Israelites captive to the experience of fish caught by humans. Likewise, Habakkuk 1:14–17 likens the adversarial Chaldeans and their repulsive treatment of rival nations to how fishermen handle fish. In the Bible, the Lord sometimes uses fishing as a metaphor for threats of punishment against humans. For example, in Amos 4:1–3, God threatened oppressive and intemperate women, stating they would be dragged away like fish caught on hooks. Similarly, in Ezekiel 29:1–5, the Lord likens Pharaoh to a river monster, threatening to pull him out of the stream with hooks in his jaw, and his corpse will be fed to animals. In Ezekiel 32:1–6, God equates Pharaoh to a sea monster, threatening to catch him in a net and toss him onto land, where wild animals will consume his corpse. Then, the leftovers and his blood will be scattered over the land.

Also, in Ezekiel 38:1–4, a prince is warned of being treated like a fish, as the Lord threatened to drag him away with hooks in his jaw. Sometimes, the Bible uses fishing as a metaphor to portray certain scenarios negatively. For instance, Ecclesiastes 7:26 equates a seductive woman’s love for a man to a fish caught in a net. Finally, Ecclesiastes 9:12 compares humans falling victim to a tragedy to be like fish ending up in a net. The previously cited passages and verses compare bad situations humans face (or may face) to the experience of fished animals. With the help of ‘The Unity of Creation Principle,’ these comparisons should help us empathize with the terrible experience of fished animals (Matt 7:12; Luke 6:31). Thus, the Bible negatively portrays fishing through metaphor.