Dove

18 Bible references 14 Old Testament 4 New Testament

The mourning dove is named for is haunting and sad cooing sound. Its call is sometimes mistaken for the call of an owl. When the mourning doves flies, its wings make a whistling sound. The Dove family contains 344 species divided into 49 genera. The first mention of a Dove is in Genesis 8:8-12 when Noah sent forth a Dove from the Ark to see if there was any dry ground.

Psalm 55:6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.
Psalm 68:13 Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.

King Solomon refers to one of his lovers as my Dove.
Song of Solomon 2:14 O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock…
Song of Solomon 5:2 I sleep, but … saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: …
Song of Solomon 6:9 My dove, my undefiled is but one; …

Isaiah 38:14 Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.
Jeremiah 48:28 O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the hole’s mouth.
Hosea 7:11 Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
Hosea 11:11 They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the LORD.

All of the gospel writers record the baptism of the Lord Jesus and compare the Holy Spirit descending upon Him as or “like a Dove”.
Matthew 3:16, (Mark 1:10, Luke 3:22, John 1:32) And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Mark 1:10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
Luke 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
John 1:32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

It’s interesting that Holy Spirit was like a dove that descended on the Lord Jesus (peace?) and in Acts 2:1-4 the Holy Spirit was given to the disciples in the form of “cloven tongues like as of fire” (power to witness).

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⇛ also see Bird, Birds, Eagle, Fowl, Hawk, Owl, Peacock, Pelican, Pigeon, Quail, Raven, Sparrow, Stork, Swallows, Turtledove