Tail
Tail
tal (, ‘alyah; , zanabh; , oura): The broad tail of the Syrian sheep, wrongly rendered rump (which see) in the King James Version, is mentioned as one of the portions of sacrifice which was burned on the altar as a sweet savor to God (Exo 29:22). The 2nd Hebrew word is used of the tails of serpents (Exo 4:4), of foxes, which Samson tied together in his cruel sport, in order to destroy the grainfields of the Philistines by means of attached firebrands (Jdg 15:4, etc.). The following seems to be an allusion to this incident: Fear not, neither let thy heart be faint, because of these two tails of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria, and of the son of Remaliah (Isa 7:4).
Figurative: Tail = inferiority, as opposed to head = superiority, leadership. Yahweh will make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if thou shalt hearken unto the commandments of Yahweh (Deu 28:13; compare also Deu 28:44).
In the New Testament we find oura used of the apocalyptic animals, scorpions, horses, and the dragon (Rev 9:10, Rev 9:19; Rev 12:4).
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
TAIL
Tail in Holy Writ, is used symbolically to signify two things which meet frequently both together in one subject, the one being the cause of the other.
First, it signifies subjection or oppression under tyranny. So this symbol is used and explained by God himself, in Deu 28:13, where he promises blessings to the obedient: “And the Lord shall make thee the head and not the tail, and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath.”
And thus in the Oriental Oneirocritics, the tail of a beast, as being the part that follows or comes behind, signifies the retinue, honour, dignity, and riches of the subject concerned; chaps. 233. 236.
The Indian in particular, chap. 152., concerning a horse, the symbol of a warlike conqueror, says: “If any one dreams he rides on a generous steed (such as the Persians call pharas) having a large tail thick of hair and long, he shall have a retinue or train of men or officers, answerable to the fulness or length of the tail.
The other signification of tail is, when it signifies a false prophet, impostor, or deceiver, who infuses the poison of his doctrine, which brings on a curse, as the scorpion cloth with his tail.
Thus in Isa 9:14-15 : “The Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.” So again, Isa 19:15, “Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush may do;” that is, neither the power of the princes, nor the devices of the false prophets and enchanters shall avail any thing.
By this may be explained the symbolical meaning of that great miracle exhibited to Moses, of the serpent transformed out of his staff, and into it again; which was to assure him of his power to overcome the Egyptians.f1
The staff is thrown upon the earth and turned into a serpent, at which Moses was frighted, to shew what terror he and the Israelites were in at the sight of Pharaoh the great Egyptian dragon: he is ordered to take it by the tail, and it was turned into a staff, to shew that he would overcome the tail of the serpent, the false prophets, and retinue of Pharaoh, and by that victory get into his power a sceptre of authority to govern the Israelites.
To the same purpose was the second miracle wrought in consequence of that, when the rod of Moses turned into a serpent, swallowed up those of the magicians;f2 for that plainly shewed and signified the power of Moses to overcome the magicians in their enchantments, and to rescue Israel out of their hands.
F1 Exo 3:3-4.
F2 Exo 7:9; Exo 7:12.
Fuente: A Symbolical Dictionary
Tail
“the tail of an animal,” occurs in Rev 9:10 (twice), Rev 9:19; Rev 12:4.
Fuente: Vine’s Dictionary of New Testament Words
Tail
Deu 28:13 (a) The Lord uses this figure to describe the very low and degraded condition into which Israel would descend when she turned away from the Lord as her leader to follow idols. She would become the lowest of all nations.
Isa 7:4 (a) Here is another description of GOD’s contempt for the two nations who by GOD’s grace were unable to hurt Israel because He was protecting them.
Isa 9:15 (a) The false prophet is thus described. By his evil sayings he becomes the object of contempt instead of the object of praise and honor.