Camel

The Arabian, or one-humped, camel (dromedary) is the species mentioned in the Bible. Used for work and travel, it was valuable not only for its great speed, but also because it needs little grain or green food and can endure long desert journeys without taking on new water. In addition to transportation, the camel was valuable for milk, hides, fat, leather, and hair for weaving into cloth for garments (Mark 1:6) or rugs, and manure for fuel. It might be used for meat in emergencies, although the camel is listed as an unclean animal in Lev. 11:4. It is possible that the donkey was used for travel at an earlier date than the camel, and the early patriarchs may have traveled more by donkey than by camel. Some references to camels are 1 Sam. 30:17; 1 Kgs. 10:2; 2 Kgs. 8:9; Esth. 8:10; Job 1:3; Jer. 49:32; Matt. 19:24; 23:24.