{
  "id": "dict_003484",
  "term": "Mare",
  "slug": "mare",
  "letter": "M",
  "entry_type": "background_animal_term",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "A mare is a female horse. In Scripture, horses appear in warfare, royal display, trade, and poetic imagery, so \"mare\" belongs to biblical background vocabulary rather than theology proper.",
  "simple_one_line": "A mare is a female horse and a background animal term used to understand biblical references to horses.",
  "tooltip_text": "Female horse; useful as biblical background, especially where horses symbolize power, wealth, or war.",
  "aliases": [
    "Mare (Background)"
  ],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "horse",
    "chariot",
    "cavalry",
    "war horse",
    "Song of Songs"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "horse",
    "stallion",
    "chariot",
    "warfare",
    "Song of Songs"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "A mare is simply a female horse. The Bible does not treat \"mare\" as a distinct theological concept, but horse imagery matters in many passages about warfare, kingship, wealth, and poetic comparison.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "Female horse; biblical background term.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "Ordinary animal vocabulary, not a doctrinal term",
    "Helps readers understand biblical horse imagery",
    "Horses often signal power, war, royal status, or human reliance",
    "Any theological use comes from the surrounding passage, not the word itself"
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "A mare is a female horse. In biblical interpretation, the term is best treated as an ordinary animal and background word, since Scripture’s significance lies in the broader use of horses rather than in \"mare\" as a theological category.",
  "description_academic_full": "A mare is a female horse. Scripture frequently mentions horses in connection with warfare, chariots, royal display, trade, and poetic or figurative language. Those passages may convey themes such as strength, speed, status, or human trust in military power, but the word \"mare\" itself does not carry a distinct doctrinal meaning. For dictionary purposes, this entry is best classified as biblical background vocabulary rather than as a theological term.",
  "background_biblical_context": "The Bible often uses horses as part of scenes involving kings, armies, chariots, and wealth. Because mares are simply female horses, the term matters mainly when reading horse-related passages and images. The theological weight lies in the passage’s message, not in the animal term itself.",
  "background_historical_context": "In the ancient world, horses were valued for transportation, warfare, and prestige. Female horses were part of the larger stock of animals used for breeding and work, though the Bible usually speaks of horses generically rather than distinguishing mare from stallion.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "In ancient Israel and the broader Near East, horses were associated with military strength and royal power more than with ordinary domestic life. Jewish readers would therefore have heard horse language as socially and politically charged background imagery, not as a technical theological term.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "Job 39:19-25",
    "Proverbs 21:31",
    "Zechariah 10:3",
    "Revelation 19:11-16"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "1 Kings 10:26-29",
    "Psalm 20:7",
    "Isaiah 31:1",
    "Song of Songs 1:9"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "English \"mare\" refers to a female horse; biblical references usually use the general term for horse rather than a specialized doctrinal word.",
  "theological_significance": "\"Mare\" has no distinct theological meaning. Its value is interpretive and contextual: it helps readers understand biblical scenes and metaphors involving horses, strength, and military power.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "This is an ordinary created-thing term, not an abstract religious concept. Any significance comes from how Scripture uses the animal in a narrative, poetic, or prophetic setting.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "Do not build doctrine from horse imagery alone. Read any reference to horses in context, and distinguish literal animal description from figurative use.",
  "major_views_note": "There is no major doctrinal debate about the word itself. Interpretation focuses on the surrounding passage and whether horse imagery is literal, symbolic, or poetic.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "Do not attribute theological authority to the animal term. The Bible’s teaching is found in the text’s context, not in a special meaning attached to \"mare.\"",
  "practical_significance": "This entry helps readers follow passages that mention horses, chariots, armies, or poetic comparisons without mistakenly treating the word as a theological category.",
  "meta_description": "Mare in the Bible: a female horse and a background term for understanding biblical horse imagery.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/mare/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/mare.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}