Elephants in Dreams
Linda Dion
February 3, 2026
The magnificent, majestic elephant, the largest living terrestrial animal! Have you had one show up in your dreams? If so, the context of the dream will help you decipher the meaning of this symbol. As usual, context play a huge role in determining whether this element is of a positive or negative nature. This means that your feelings, your thoughts, the tone of the colour and the behaviour of the animal in the dream will all help you to understand what God is trying to tell you.​
Elephants create long lasting bonds over decades and have complex social dynamics, so the social bonds within the herd are highly valued. They are amongst the most intelligent creatures on earth and can display complex feelings, emotions, compassion and self awareness. In using this symbol, the Lord might be pointing towards social issues or dynamics in your family, church or workplace, that could be either positive or negative.​
Another interesting fact about elephants is that they have a matriarchal structure. Here again, context is key, since the message would be different depending on whether it's a man or a woman having this dream.
Because of their size, elephants have been used very efficiently to fight wars, instilling terror in the hearts of their enemies and thereby demoralizing them. They can trample you, swipe you with their trunk and just simply be very intimidating.
Again, the context is key. If positive, the Lord might be telling you that you are to lead the charge in a "war" that He would like you to fight. If negative, the Lord might be warning you not to use your position or authority to "work your way up" by trampling over people whom you consider to be standing in your way.
Not only is their trunk amazing but so are their ears! They have very large ears that could symbolize an increased capacity to hear from the Lord or an invitation to be more attentive to His voice during prayer or during the day.
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As Isaiah wrote:
Morning by morning he makes my ear alert
to listen like a disciple.
Lord Yahweh has opened my ear
and I have not resisted. (Is. 50:4)
There are a few expressions that we use with the word "elephant" in them and one of them is quite well known. It is "the elephant in the room". This expression immediately conjures up a very vivid image in our imagination and it speaks volumes!
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When the Lord uses this element in your dream, He is letting you know that you or some people around you are trying to avoid a problem or a controversial issue that is very obvious. But because it is difficult or even embarrassing to talk about, no one wants to confront it or deal with it. But if the Lord is pointing this out to you, it's because He knows that when the ​
Elephants are said to have great memory, remembering people and other elephants years and even decades after having encountered them. There is an expression that says that "elephants never forget". They remember how they've been treated, so the Lord could be encouraging you to bring to mind all the goodness from the past or to work through some past negative issue that is holding you back from greater freedom in Him.
He could also be saying that it is a good discipline to recall God's goodness throughout the years because it leads to a grateful heart and a more positive attitude towards the future.
Their amazing trunk gives them a tremendous capacity to drink a lot of water, so the Lord might be telling you that He wants you to immerse yourself more fully in the person of the Holy Spirit, who is often referred to as "Living Water". and to drink more deeply from this heavenly source of blessing.
Since the trunk can also shoot out water, the Lord might be saying that you have the ability to share the gifts of the Holy Spirit with others, thus bestowing a shower of blessings upon them.
If the Lord wants to encourage you and bring you more specifically into your leadership skills or your authority, He will often have you seated on an elephant. This would point towards an increase in your anointing or in your sphere of influence. Since you are in an "elevated" position, you could therefore be receiving an increase in spiritual gifting or in a particular area of your life. If it's someone else sitting on the elephant, then that person would be deemed powerful or influential. However, if the Lord is bringing correction, He might be telling you to be careful in your leadership style so that you don't trample over people.
Very often, an elephant is also used by the Lord to indicate something of great impact that is impossible to ignore such as a move of God. When an elephant walks, it can "shake the ground" - especially if it's a whole herd - and this could be a good thing to happen in your church, family or work place. The "shaking" could bring a much needed revitalization. But again, the context is important. This could also have a negative connotation; the Lord might be giving you a warning about the way you or the leadership "walk" through certain situations or encounters.
issue is resolved, much good will come of it and you will experience peace and blessing in your life.
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The room in which the animal appears would also add meaning and texture to the dream. For example, if the elephant is in the family room, the issue would be around some kind of family situation; if in the bedroom, then it would relate to some issue of intimacy between the spouses or between you and the Lord; and if in the bathroom, then it would point out some kind of urgent need for cleansing and purgation.
Another expression that is sometimes used is "a white elephant", from which derive our white elephant sales. In the past, in countries such as Burma and Thailand, owning an elephant was a sign of great wealth and because these animals were considered sacred, receiving a gift of a white elephant from the emperor could be both a blessing and a curse. The gift was a definite sign of favour, but the upkeep could be the curse. The recipient couldn't get rid of the animal and so the cost of the upkeep was out of proportion to its value or usefulness. Many an emperor actually saddled their enemies with this white elephant, thereby forcing them to have to take care of something that was very expensive and oftentimes useless.​​
In modern days, a white elephant sale is therefore an opportunity for someone to get rid of things that they don't want anymore but - contrary to the recipients of the emperor's gift - that can also generate a bit of income.
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So if your dream contains a white elephant, the Lord might be telling you that there is something in your life that is more trouble than it's worth and that it may be time to get rid of it so that it no longer weighs you down with unnecessary care, energy and attention.
As you can see, there are many symbolic meanings to an elephant, but most often, it will represent something that is very big, that has significant impact and that heralds a coming move of God in your life, job or church that will be impossible to ignore.
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Psalm 104:24-25
How many are your works, Lord!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number,
living things both large and small.
Dolphins in Dreams
Birds in Dreams
