The number one meaning of dove in the Bible is the Holy Spirit.
Beyond its association with the Holy Spirit, the dove symbolizes innocence, purity, and new creation.
Because of these meanings, the white dove has become a universal emblem of peace and reconciliation.
This article invites you to explore dove symbolism, which deepens our understanding of God’s presence and redemptive work in the creation.
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The dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit
Author: David Bjorgen Source: Wikimedia Commons
One of the most well-known symbols of the Holy Spirit is the dove. This symbol originates from Jesus’ baptism scene, where the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove.
The dove symbolism in Jesus’ baptism represents a new creation, which builds on the creation narratives in Genesis 1 and 8. See the next section for this.
Read more: Is the Holy Spirit God? and Holy Spirit Scriptures
Matthew 3:16-17
Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Dove represents new creation in the Bible
The dove is mentioned for the first time in Genesis 8 in the story of Noah. After the Flood destroyed the Old World, Noah sent two birds from his Ark, a raven and a dove, to see if the waters had abated.
The raven Noah sent never returned to the Ark but went back and forth until the flood waters dried up, probably feeding off the carcasses in the flood waters.
When Noah sent the dove, it returned to him because it “found no place to rest her foot for the waters were on the surface of the whole earth.” Noah waited for seven days and sent the dove again. Now, the dove returned to Noah with a freshly plucked olive leaf in its mouth. After another seven days, Noah sent the dove again; this time, it didn’t return to Noah anymore.
When the dove didn’t find a resting place for its foot, it moved over or hovered over the waters until it returned to Noah. This scene reminds us of Day 1 of Creation Week in Genesis 1:2, when “the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.”
In Genesis 1 and 8, the dry land emerges from the water. 2 Peter 3:5-10 says about the first creation that “the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God.”
The word hovering in Genesis 1:2 is also used elsewhere in the Old Testament for the eagle’s brooding over its nest. God is giving birth to the world by His Word, and His Spirit is brooding over it, giving life, nurturing, and protecting it.
This is why the dove symbolizes a new creation in the Bible. The same way the Holy Spirit renews you when you He comes to dwell in you. You become a new creation.
The new creation scene repeats in Jesus’ baptism, where the Trinity is present: the Father speaks from heaven, the Son is baptized, and the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus like a dove.
The dove that Noah sent didn’t remain with him, but it did remain with Jesus, as you see in John 1:32-34 below. Note also that this was a sign for John the Baptist that Jesus is the Son of God.
John 1:32-34
John testified, saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him. I didn’t recognize him, but he who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘On whomever you will see the Spirit descending and remaining on him is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
Dove symbolizes innocence
The dove represents innocence in the Bible. This symbol comes from Matthew 10:16, where Jesus addresses His disciples before sending them on a mission through Judea.
Matthew 10:16 (ESV)
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
Dove symbolizes purity
The dove is also a symbol of purity. Like innocence, purity means sinlessness. When someone is innocent or pure, he is without sin.
The Bible speaks about clean and unclean animals. The dove was one of the cleanest ones because it was a sacrificial animal used in the temple sacrifices for those who couldn’t afford the more expensive sacrifices. For example, Mary and Joseph used turtle doves or young pigeons in their sacrifice when Jesus was born (Luke 2:22-24).
Leviticus 14:22
and two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to afford; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering.
The Song of Songs associates doves with perfection and purity. The book has some of the best verses about marriage, and many interpret it as a love poem between Jesus and His Church.
In 5:2, the male lover describes the female beloved as “my dove, my perfect one,” and in 6:9, he says, “my dove, my perfect one” is “pure.” No wonder that a pair of doves often represent a loving couple.
White dove meaning
Because of its meaning of purity, sinlessness, and innocence, the white dove has become a universal symbol of peace.
Noah’s story emphasizes how the white dove means peace. Remember how Noah sent two birds after the Flood: a raven and a dove.
Ravens are typically black birds, and doves are usually white. The black raven doesn’t return but finds a resting place in the unclean flood waters.
The white dove returns because it can’t rest until a new, purified creation sprouts up. Then, it brings back good tidings of new earth and peace between man and God in the form of the olive branch.
Conclusion
The dove is a rich biblical symbol. Primarily, it represents the Holy Spirit, as seen in Jesus’ baptism, where the Spirit descended like a dove and remained on Him. This event echoes the themes of new creation, linking the dove to the Spirit’s work in both Creation Week and Noah’s flood narrative.
Beyond its association with the Holy Spirit, the dove also symbolizes innocence and purity in Scripture. Jesus Himself used the dove as an image of innocence when instructing His disciples, and its status as a clean sacrificial animal further reinforces its connection to purity. In the poetic language of the Song of Songs, the dove represents perfection and love, making it a fitting emblem of Christ’s relationship with His Church.
Finally, the white dove has become a universal symbol of peace, a meaning rooted in Noah’s story. The dove’s return with an olive branch signified the end of God’s judgment and the beginning of a renewed world—pointing forward to the ultimate peace brought by Christ.
Through all these biblical connections, the dove serves as a powerful reminder of the Spirit’s presence, God’s renewal, and the purity and peace found in Christ.