If you are reading an older Bible translation, especially the King James Version, you may come across a word that feels strange or even unpleasant: dung.
So, what is dung in the Bible?
In its most basic sense, dung means bodily waste or excrement. In some Bible passages, the word is used literally. In others, it becomes a strong picture of something worthless, shameful, rejected, or under judgment.
One of the best-known examples comes from the apostle Paul. In Philippians 3:8, the King James Version says Paul counted certain things as “dung” so that he might gain Christ. Paul was not talking about literal waste there. He was using a powerful comparison to show how little his former reasons for pride meant when placed beside the value of knowing Jesus Christ.
The Old Testament also contains some difficult uses of the word. Ezekiel was told to prepare bread over human waste as part of a prophetic sign, though God later allowed him to use cow dung instead. Other passages use dung as an image of disgrace or judgment.
This may not be one of the most beautiful words in Scripture, but understanding it helps us see how honestly and powerfully the Bible speaks.
What Is Dung In The Bible? The Simple Meaning
The simplest definition is this:
Dung is waste from the body of a human or animal.
Older English Bible translations sometimes use the word where modern English speakers would say:
- waste
- excrement
- refuse
- rubbish
- garbage
The exact meaning depends on the passage.
Sometimes dung is physical waste. At other times, a biblical writer uses the image because almost everyone understands what happens to waste: we do not treasure it. We throw it away.
That makes dung a very strong comparison.
If Scripture describes something as dung, the writer may be emphasizing its worthlessness, disgrace, rejection, or uncleanness.
But we should be careful here.
Dung does not have one secret spiritual meaning that applies every time the word appears. The surrounding verses tell us what the writer means.
That rule is important for almost every biblical symbol.
A person studying what does it mean to be unclean in the Bible will discover the same principle. Biblical words such as clean, unclean, defiled, pure, and impure must be understood within their specific setting.
The Bible is not giving us a dictionary of magical symbols. It is communicating truth through real events, laws, prophecy, poetry, and vivid pictures.
Why Do Some Bibles Say Dung and Others Say Garbage or Rubbish?
Bible translations sometimes choose different English words because language changes over time.
The King James Version of Philippians 3:8 says Paul counted certain things as “dung.” The English Standard Version uses “rubbish,” while the New International Version says “garbage.”
These translations sound different, but they are trying to communicate the force of the same Greek word.
That is why reading more than one translation can sometimes help when an older word feels confusing.
It does not automatically mean that one Bible has changed the message.
Often, translators are choosing an English word that readers of their time can understand more easily.
The KJV word dung sounds stronger and more physical to modern ears. Rubbish can sound like unwanted material. Garbage makes us think of something thrown away.
All three help communicate Paul’s basic contrast: what he once valued could not compare with knowing Christ.
What Is Human Dung In The Bible?
One of the most unusual passages involving dung appears in Ezekiel 4.
God gave the prophet Ezekiel a series of actions that served as signs of what would happen to Jerusalem and the people of Israel.
Among these instructions, Ezekiel was told to prepare his food using human excrement as fuel.
This point is often misunderstood.
Ezekiel was not told to eat human dung.
Ezekiel 4:12 says the human waste was to be used in connection with baking the bread. The passage then explains that Israel would eat defiled food among the nations where they would be driven.
That difference matters.
People sometimes hear someone mention human dung in Ezekiel and imagine that God commanded Ezekiel to mix it into his food. That is not what the passage says.
The waste was connected with the preparation of the bread as part of a prophetic sign.
Why Was Ezekiel Told to Do This?
The action pictured the humiliating and defiled conditions Israel would experience among foreign nations.
Ezekiel 4:13 directly connects the action with Israel eating bread considered unclean among the nations.
Ezekiel was deeply troubled by this.
He protested that he had never defiled himself by eating forbidden or improperly killed meat.
His response shows that purity mattered greatly to him.
This is where understanding what does defile mean in the Bible becomes helpful. To defile something means to make it unclean or polluted in a religious or moral sense, depending on the context.
Ezekiel did not treat God’s command lightly. As a faithful servant, he expressed his concern before God.
Why Did God Allow Ezekiel to Use Cow Dung?
After Ezekiel objected, God permitted a change.
Ezekiel 4:15 says:
“I will let you bake your bread over cow dung instead of human excrement.”
The important point is that the prophetic message remained, but Ezekiel was allowed to use animal dung rather than human waste.
This passage is difficult because the image is intentionally disturbing.
The exile itself would be disturbing.
Israel would lose the ordinary security of home, land, worship, food, and national life. Ezekiel’s actions were meant to make people see that coming judgment was serious.
The passage therefore connects closely with the broader biblical subject of uncleanness in the Bible.
Yet uncleanness must not automatically be treated as another word for personal wickedness. In Old Testament law and prophetic imagery, purity and uncleanness can involve food, worship, physical conditions, ceremonial status, and other matters.
Context matters.
What Does Dung Mean Spiritually?
People sometimes ask, What does dung mean spiritually?
The safest biblical answer is that dung does not have one universal spiritual meaning.
Scripture uses the image differently in different places.
Depending on the passage, dung may communicate ideas such as:
- worthlessness
- humiliation
- rejection
- defilement
- judgment
- something fit to be discarded
That does not mean every appearance of animal waste in a dream, vision, or ordinary life carries a message from God.
The Bible does not give Christians a rule saying, “Whenever you see dung, it always means this.”
Instead, we should examine how Scripture itself uses the image.
In Ezekiel 4, it is connected with defiled conditions during judgment and exile.
In Malachi 2, it appears in a severe warning to corrupt priests.
In 2 Kings 9, dung becomes part of the terrible picture of Jezebel’s downfall.
In Philippians 3, Paul uses the idea of discarded waste to show how greatly he values Christ above his former grounds for confidence.
Those uses are related, but they are not identical.
The spiritual lesson must come from the passage rather than from our imagination.
What Did Paul Call Dung?
This is probably the most important New Testament question about the word.
Philippians 3:8 in the King James Version says:
“I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.”
Paul continues by saying that he counts them as dung so that he may gain Christ.
But what exactly was Paul calling dung?
To understand him, we need to begin a few verses earlier.
Paul Had Many Reasons to Be Proud
In Philippians 3:4–6, Paul lists things that could have given him religious status.
He speaks of his circumcision, his identity as an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin, his Hebrew background, his life as a Pharisee, his zeal, and his strict relationship to the law.
These were not random achievements.
In Paul’s former way of thinking, they gave him strong reasons for confidence.
If someone wanted to boast about religious background, Paul could produce an impressive list.
Then something changed.
He met Christ.
Now Paul looked at his old spiritual balance sheet differently.
Things he once counted as gain he now counted as loss for Christ.
His value system had been turned upside down.
Paul Was Making a Comparison
Paul was not simply saying, “Everything that exists is disgusting.”
His statement is a comparison.
On one side are the things in which he might have placed his confidence.
On the other side is knowing Christ.
Once Christ becomes the measure, Paul’s old reasons for boasting lose their power.
That is the heart of Philippians 3.
The passage continues into verse 9, where Paul speaks of being found in Christ rather than depending upon a righteousness of his own.
Paul is moving away from self-confidence and toward Christ-confidence.
That gives his word choice its power.
He does not say his former gains are merely “slightly less important.”
He gives them the value of something he is willing to throw away.
What Does Skýbalon Mean in Philippians 3:8?
The Greek word behind “dung” in Philippians 3:8 is skýbalon.
A Greek lexicon entry for the word gives the sense of refuse, including what is thrown away, and the KJV renders it as “dung.”
This explains why translations differ.
The KJV uses:
Dung
The ESV uses:
Rubbish
The NIV uses:
Garbage
The point is not to argue over which English word sounds strongest.
The point is Paul’s value judgment.
Something once precious to him now belonged in the category of things he could discard rather than depend upon.
Why?
Because he had found something better.
Or more accurately, Someone better.
Christ.
Did Paul Call His Good Works Dung?
This question needs a careful answer.
Paul certainly included his former religious achievements and reasons for confidence in the things he now counted as loss.
Philippians 3:5–6 includes his background, religious identity, zeal, and standing in relation to the law. Then verses 7–9 contrast these things with gaining Christ and receiving righteousness from God.
But we should not turn Paul’s statement into the idea that every good action is worthless.
Elsewhere in the New Testament, believers are clearly encouraged to love, serve, give, obey God, and do good.
Paul’s concern in Philippians 3 is where confidence is placed.
Good actions cannot replace Christ.
Religious reputation cannot replace Christ.
Family background cannot replace Christ.
Knowledge cannot replace Christ.
Personal discipline cannot replace Christ.
Even a respected religious identity cannot become a substitute for knowing Christ.
That is the sharp edge of Paul’s comparison.
A person may have an impressive spiritual résumé and still miss the heart of faith.
Was Paul Saying Everything in Life Is Worthless?
No.
We should not read Philippians 3:8 as if Paul believed family, friendship, work, kindness, creation, learning, or every ordinary part of life had no value.
His language is comparative.
He says everything is loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. The NIV expresses this contrast directly, while the ESV speaks of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus.
Imagine someone holding a small candle outdoors as the sun rises.
The candle has not stopped producing light.
But beside the brightness of the sun, its light seems very small.
Paul’s point works in a similar way.
His previous achievements had once filled his vision.
Then he came to know Christ.
Suddenly he had a new standard by which everything else was measured.
The question was no longer:
“How impressive am I?”
The question became:
“Do I know Christ?”
That is a much deeper question.
Dung in Malachi 2: A Picture of Disgrace
Malachi contains another shocking use of the word.
The prophet addresses priests who were failing to honor God properly.
Malachi 2:3 uses the image of dung being spread upon their faces, including the dung associated with their solemn feasts.
This language is intentionally humiliating.
The priests had a position that should have been connected with honor, holiness, teaching, and faithful worship.
Instead, the prophetic warning turns their false sense of religious honor into an image of shame.
That is worth noticing.
Religious position itself does not impress God when the heart and conduct behind it are corrupt.
A title cannot replace faithfulness.
Public worship cannot cover private rebellion.
Ceremony cannot make dishonor holy.
This is one reason topics such as what does dross mean in the Bible are related to our present study. Scripture often uses physical things that are rejected, burned away, removed, or discarded to help people see the difference between what appears valuable and what truly has lasting worth.
Dung in 2 Kings 9: The Judgment on Jezebel
Another severe use occurs in the account of Jezebel’s death.
Second Kings 9 describes her downfall, and verse 37 says that her body would become like dung upon the field in Jezreel.
This is not a gentle image.
It communicates humiliation and judgment.
Jezebel had possessed royal power and influence, yet her story ends without the kind of honor normally associated with royalty.
The contrast is sharp.
Human beings can spend enormous energy building status, influence, power, and reputation.
But Scripture repeatedly warns that power without faithfulness does not last.
Jezebel’s royal position could not protect her from judgment.
In this setting, dung communicates the loss of honor and the final humiliation of someone who had once held great power.
A Simple Comparison of Dung Passages in the Bible
The same word or image can carry a different emphasis depending on the passage.
| Bible Passage | How Dung Is Used | Main Idea |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 4:12–15 | Human waste, later replaced with cow dung, used in preparing bread over fuel | Defilement, exile, and hardship |
| Malachi 2:3 | A shocking image directed at unfaithful priests | Disgrace and judgment |
| 2 Kings 9:37 | Jezebel’s remains compared with dung in a field | Humiliation and judgment |
| Philippians 3:8 | Paul compares former gains with discarded refuse | The surpassing worth of knowing Christ |
These passages show why we should not simply ask, “What does dung symbolize?”
A better question is:
“What is this particular Bible passage teaching through the image of dung?”
That question keeps interpretation tied to Scripture.
Does Dung Mean Sin in the Bible?
Not automatically.
Dung may appear in passages involving judgment, impurity, or rejected things, but the Bible does not define dung as a universal symbol for sin.
That distinction matters.
In Philippians 3, for example, Paul lists things that included his ancestry and religious credentials. His tribal identity as a Benjaminite was not itself sinful.
His point was that none of these things could be his ultimate confidence before God.
In Ezekiel 4, dung is part of a prophetic sign about defilement and exile rather than a simple equation:
Dung = sin.
Biblical symbols are usually richer than that.
When we force every symbol into a fixed meaning, we may end up saying things Scripture never says.
A careful student of the Bible asks:
What happened before this verse?
Who is speaking?
Who is being addressed?
Is this literal, poetic, prophetic, or figurative language?
What does the surrounding passage explain?
Those questions help us avoid strange interpretations.
Is Dung Connected With Uncleanness in the Bible?
Sometimes, yes, especially in passages such as Ezekiel 4.
But the larger subject of biblical uncleanness is much broader.
Something could be called unclean in Old Testament law without being morally evil.
Certain foods were unclean.
Certain physical conditions could make someone ceremonially unclean.
Contact with death could involve uncleanness.
This is why what is uncleanness in the Bible is an important related study.
Modern readers often hear “unclean” and think it simply means “sinful.”
The Bible’s use can be more specific.
Ezekiel’s concern about defilement reflects this world of biblical purity. He cared deeply about remaining faithful to God’s requirements, which explains the strength of his objection.
God’s response allowed him to use cow dung rather than human waste.
The exchange helps us see that the passage was not written merely to shock readers. It belongs within a larger prophetic message about Israel’s coming hardship.
Why Does the Bible Use Such an Unpleasant Image?
The Bible speaks about real life.
Real life includes beauty, birth, celebration, marriage, food, farming, worship, sickness, war, death, dirt, and waste.
Scripture does not pretend life is always clean and comfortable.
Sometimes God communicates through images that disturb us because the truth being communicated is serious.
Think about Ezekiel.
A polite, comfortable picture would not have communicated the humiliation of exile very well.
Think about Malachi.
A mild warning might not expose the seriousness of corrupt worship.
Think about Paul.
Saying, “My old achievements are somewhat less valuable now,” would not carry the force of Philippians 3:8.
The strong image makes the point memorable.
Some things we treasure are not as valuable as we imagine.
Some forms of pride need to be discarded.
Some religious appearances hide deep problems.
Some judgments are severe.
And knowing Christ is worth more than all the reasons we might invent for boasting in ourselves.
What Philippians 3 Teaches Us About Our Own Confidence
Paul’s words can become very personal.
Most of us have something we quietly use to measure our worth.
For one person, it may be education.
For another, money.
For another, family reputation.
Someone else may take pride in church attendance, biblical knowledge, ministry work, generosity, or moral discipline.
None of those things is necessarily wrong.
The problem begins when a good thing becomes the foundation of our confidence before God.
Paul had many things other people admired.
Yet he learned that knowing Christ was greater.
This invites us to ask a simple question:
What am I trusting most?
Am I trusting my reputation?
My past?
My achievements?
My ability to behave better than someone else?
My knowledge?
Or am I resting in Christ?
Paul’s language about dung is shocking because pride can be stubborn.
Sometimes a strong picture is needed to loosen our grip.
What This Unusual Bible Word Helps Us Understand
So, what is dung in the Bible?
Literally, dung is bodily waste or excrement.
But Scripture sometimes uses it as a vivid image of something rejected, disgraced, worthless by comparison, or connected with judgment.
In Ezekiel 4, human waste appears as fuel in a prophetic sign about Israel eating defiled food among the nations. Ezekiel was not commanded to eat human dung, and God later allowed cow dung to be used instead.
In Malachi 2, dung becomes a shocking image of disgrace directed toward unfaithful priests.
In 2 Kings 9, it appears in the terrible description of Jezebel’s judgment.
And in Philippians 3:8, Paul counts his former gains as dung, rubbish, or garbage when compared with the surpassing value of knowing Jesus Christ.
That last passage gives us something worth carrying into everyday life.
Paul did not simply give up one set of religious ideas for another.
His entire measure of value changed.
What once made him proud no longer stood at the center.
Christ did.
There are many things in life worth appreciating. Family matters. Work matters. Learning matters. Service matters. Doing what is right matters.
But none of these should become our savior.
None should replace Christ.
That is why Paul’s strong word still speaks so clearly.
When you know what is truly valuable, you also begin to recognize what you can release.
And for Paul, nothing was worth holding onto if it kept him from knowing Christ more deeply.
Dr. Rachel is very smart and knows a lot about the Bible. He helps us understand the Bible better by talking about the old texts in a simple way.
