Numbers 23:22

This animal is called the unicorn, but I cannot say that I have seen him. But I have seen four brazen figures of him set up in the four-towered palace of the King of Ethiopia. From these figures I have been able to draw him as you see. They speak of him as a terrible beast and quite invincible, and say that all his strength lies in his horn. When he finds himself pursued by many hunters and on the point of being caught, he springs up to the top of some precipice whence he throws himself down and in the descent turns a somersault so that the horn sustains all the shock of the fall, and he escapes unhurt. And scripture in like manner speaks concerning him, saying, Save me from the mouth of lions, and my humility from the horns of unicorns. And again: And he that is beloved as the son of unicorns; and again in the blessings of Balaam wherewith he blessed Israel, he says for the second time: God so led him out of Egypt even as the glory of the unicorn; thus bearing complete testimony to the strength, audacity, and glory of the animal.

"God, who led him out of Egypt, his glory is as that of a unicorn." That Israel indeed was led out of this earthly Egypt, but this spiritual Israel out of the Egypt of the world and out of the power of darkness, and his glory is as that of a unicorn. The unicorn is said to be an animal formed in that shape which the very indication of its name signifies. We read this animal frequently set down in the divine Scriptures, but especially in Job its might and power are set forth by the words of God himself, in which — as in very many places — Christ is understood to be signified. And in the divine Scriptures we have often found a horn set down for a kingdom, just as the prophet also says: "The four horns are four kingdoms." Under the name of the unicorn, therefore, this seems to be shown in Christ: that everything which is, is his one horn, that is, his one kingdom. For the Father has subjected all things under his feet, until even the last enemy, death, is destroyed, and Christ, as a unicorn, holds the one kingdom of all, because, as it is written: "Of his kingdom there shall be no end." There shall be, then, he says, to him — that is, to that spiritual Israel — glory, as is the glory of the unicorn. For so the Lord himself also says in the Gospel: "Father, grant to them that, just as I and you are one, so these also may be one in us." And therefore a glory like the glory of the unicorn will be given to Israel, especially when he will transform the body of our lowliness to be conformed to the body of his glory.