Small, but Mighty – Lessons from the Coney

About the coney

There are things we can learn from the hyrax (coney). Proverbs tell us “There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise.”  We do well to learn about them. The second one listed is the hyrax. 

The words “rabbit”, “hare”, “coney”, or “daman” appear as terms for the hyrax in some English translations of the Bible. They are basically interchangeable. 

Coneys (hyraxes) are “creatures of little power; they make their home in the cliffs (or among crags or rocks).” These little creatures know where to go for safety. Their nests are among rocks or cliffs, where it is hard for enemies to find them. Among the rocks, there is safety and protection. 

Wisdom lessons

A coney recognizes his weakness. He knows he is vulnerable and easy prey for birds above and predators below. This smart fellow knows where to go for safety. He establishes his foothold on the rocks, in crevices, and inside caves. This shows wisdom on his part. He knows his weaknesses and he knows what to do about them.

We should be like the coney, who recognizes and knows his weaknesses. We need to know what to do to be strong despite our weaknesses. 

First, we must recognize and admit the weakness. We must take steps to counter that weakness, like this creature.

For the coney, there is safety inside a cave or under a cliff. In Bible times, people went into caves for protection from the enemy. When David was hiding from Saul, he stayed in a cave. The cave provided shelter and protection. Interestingly, Saul chose to use this cave as a place to relieve himself; David and his men were hiding in the inner part of the cave. David had the opportunity to kill Saul, but he did not.

Jesus is our shelter and our Rock. We must hide in Him for protection and safety from the evil one. When troubles come, be like the Coney. Find refuge in the Rock of Jesus Christ.