Creeping Things: A General Term for Animals

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.”

All flying insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you. …

The following creatures that move along the ground are unclean for you: the mole, the mouse, any kind of great lizard, …

Do not eat any creature that moves along the ground, whether it crawls on its belly or walks on four or more feet; for such creatures are detestable.

You bring darkness, and it becomes night, when all the beasts of the forest prowl.

Here is the sea, vast and wide, teeming with creatures beyond number, living things both great and small.

…and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.