Is it okay for dogs to sleep in our beds?

READER QUESTION:

Someone, with assistance of several verses from her friend, said dogs or any pet should not sleep on my bed. The scriptures shared by her: Leviticus 18:23, Leviticus 20:15 and Exodus 22:19. My dogs sleep innocently on my bed. I really hope dog sleeping by m bed is alright. I have been doing that for many years. Any comments and clarification of scriptures appreciated. Thanks!

Also, Rev. 22:15 seems to put dogs in the same category as wickedness. Why dogs, not other animals?

OUR RESPONSE:

Of course, it’s okay to allow your animals to sleep with you! It is ridiculous to suggest there is a sexual connection to loving your pets and allowing them to sleep with you!

The mentioned scriptures by the people making the allegation of sexual involvement refer to the perversion of bestiality:

Exodus 22:19 Whoever has sexual relations with an animal must be put to death.

Leviticus 18:23 ²³ “‘You are not to have sexual relations with any kind of animal and thus become unclean with it; nor is any woman to present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; it is perversion.

Leviticus 20:15. ¹⁵ If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he must be put to death, and you are to kill the animal. ¹⁶ If a woman approaches an animal and has sexual relations with it, you are to kill the woman and the animal; their blood will be on them.

Some people attempt to suggest that God hates dogs, using such passages as Revelation 22:15, which DO seem to put dogs in the same category as wickedness – because the allegory is taken out of context.

Let’s look at the actual Hebrew meanings of passages such as Matthew 7: 6 and Revelation 22:15, which will help to clarify:

Matthew 7: 6. You should not hang earrings on dogs and you should not place your pearls before pigs that they should not trample them by their feet and they overtake and wound you. (AENT)

Revelation 22:15. Without (will be) dogs and sorcerers, and whoremongers and manslayers and idolaters, and everyone that loves and does falsehood. (AENT)

The word “tithlon” (hang) was misunderstood as “talon” (to give); “qudesha” (earrings) was misunderstood as qudsha (holy). The picture of hanging earrings on dogs dovetails with giving pearls to pigs, and the symbolism of the two animal groups could not be clearer, as dogs represent apostate Jews, and the pigs, apostate Gentiles who are ignorant of YHWH and His Torah.

Either way, the lesson here is do not give what is precious to those who will not appreciate the value.