Bird

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Hebrew 'Oph , "a flying thing," in general; including even winged insects, though mostly used of birds. Ravenous birds are expressed by the Hebrew 'Ait ; Greek Aetos , one that pounces on prey; smaller birds, as the sparrow, are called in Hebrew Tsippor , the "tsip" imitating its note. Snaring of birds by net and gin is the image used for the plots of bad men and Satan, to catch souls to their ruin ( Psalms 91:3;  Psalms 124:7;  Jeremiah 5:26-27). The "cage full of birds" is the trap with decoy birds to lure others, upon whom then the trap door was dropped. It is also the image for the awfully sudden and unexpected surprise with which Christ's second coming shall overtake the worldly in the midst of carnal security ( Luke 21:35). The lake of Galilee still abounds in wild duck. The swan and goose (supposed to be meant in  1 Kings 4:23) also are found.

Snaring and shooting with arrows were the usual modes of taking them. The youth seduced by the strange woman's fair speech, "till a dart strike through his liver," is like such a bird "hasting to the snare and not knowing that it is for his life" ( Proverbs 7:23). The Lord commanded Israel ( Deuteronomy 22:6), "If a bird's nest chance to be before thee, ... whether they be young ones or eggs, ... thou shalt not take the dam with the young." By this the extirpation of the species was prevented. God cares for even sparrows ( Matthew 10:29), much more for His children. He would have us imitate His tenderness even toward the inarticulate brutes beneath us. Birds kept in cages for pleasure are not mentioned in Scripture; except there be an allusion to them in  Job 41:5, "Wilt thou play with him as with a bird?" Singing birds were rarer in Palestine than with us, still there were some ( Psalms 104:12;  Ecclesiastes 12:4).

Birds, as the turtle dove and pigeon, were allowed to be substituted in sacrifices for more costly animals by the poor ( Leviticus 1:14-17;  Leviticus 12:2;  Leviticus 12:6;  Leviticus 12:8), but they were not to be divided as other victims ( Genesis 15:10). The Virgin Mary's poverty appears from her presenting the offering of the poor ( Luke 2:24). The abundance of birds in Palestine appears from their devouring the seed sown by the wayside in the parable of the sower ( Matthew 13:4).  Psalms 84:3 is understood as if sparrows and swallows made their nests in the two "altars" (observe the plural) of the tabernacle. But such a position for a birds' nest would be neither enviable nor safe, indeed scarcely possible in the altar of incense in the holy place before the veil. Rather there is an abbreviated comparison: what the house is to the sparrow, and what her nest is to the swallow, that Thine altars, are to my soul, and therefore my soul longs for them.

Like a little bird, which after a long defenseless wandering has found a house (compare  Matthew 8:20) in which it may dwell securely, a nest to which it may entrust confidently its dearest possession, its young, thus have I a homeless wanderer found in Thy house the true nest for the soul; otherwise I should have been like the lonely bird on the housetop (compare  Psalms 102:6;  Psalms 74:19). Our two great needs are: (I) atonement for guilt, seas to be at peace with God; (II) access to God, and acceptance for our imperfect prayers. The altar of burnt offering outside (I) represented in type the former, namely, Christ's atonement for all guilt by His precious b1ood shedding; the altar of incense inside (II) typified the latter, our prayers being perfumed by our great Intercessor's merits, and so becoming a sweet-smelling savor before God (compare  Psalms 141:2;  Revelation 8:3-4).

The bird killed over running water, and the second bird dipped into the mixed water and blood and set free, for cleansing the leper, symbolize Christ slain to atone for our guilt, and living again and forever by His resurrection for our justification (Leviticus 14). As the "blood" represents our reconciliation to God by the atonement so the "water" our cleansing ( John 19:34;  1 John 5:6). In  Isaiah 31:5 Jehovah's solicitous, affectionate care for His people is illustrated. "As birds flying (i.e. parent birds hovering over their young to defend them from the vulture), so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem." Compare the beautiful image of the parent eagle teaching the young the first flight ( Deuteronomy 32:1;  Psalms 91:4).

Men, like birds, are weak, soon ensnared, prone to wander from their true rest ( Proverbs 7:23;  Proverbs 27:8;  Lamentations 3:52). Under Christ, in the gospel church. they find their rest lodging under the overshadowing branches of the true Vine ( Ezekiel 17:23;  Matthew 13:32) a better protection than that of the world power ( Ezekiel 31:6;  Daniel 2:38).  Jeremiah 12:9; "Mine heritage is unto Me as a speckled bird," i.e., the Jewish nation had blended paganism with the altogether diverse Mosaic ritual; so the nations around, God's instruments of vengeance, as birds of prey like herself (through her assimilation to them) were ready to pounce upon her (compare  Revelation 18:2).

The birds' instinctive observance of their seasons of migration, returning every spring from their winter abodes ( Song of Solomon 2:12), is made a tacit reproof of God's people not returning to Him now that the winter of His judicial wrath is past, and the spring of His gracious favor set in ( Jeremiah 8:7). Translate  Proverbs 26:2, "as the sparrow (is prone to) wandering, as the swallow (is prone to) flying (yet never lights upon us), so the curse causeless shall not come" ( Deuteronomy 23:5, Balaam and Israel;  2 Samuel 16:5-12, Shimei and David;  Psalms 109:28).  Ecclesiastes 10:20, "a bird of the air shall carry the matter." Proverbial: the fact will reach the king's knowledge in a marvelous way, as if a bird had carried it to him. The bird was regarded as the emblem of superhuman intelligence.

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

צפור , a common name for all birds, but is sometimes used for the sparrow in particular.

Birds are distinguished by the Jewish legislator into clean and unclean. Such as fed upon grain and seeds were allowed for food, and such as devoured flesh and carrion were prohibited.

Moses, to inspire the Israelites with sentiments of tenderness toward the brute creation, commands them, if they find a bird's nest, not to take the dam with the young, but to suffer the old one to fly away, and to take the young only,  Deuteronomy 22:6 . This is one of those merciful constitutions in the law of Moses which respect the animal creation, and tended to humanize the heart of that people, to excite in them a sense of the divine providence extending itself to all creatures, and to teach them to exercise their dominion over them with gentleness. Beside, the young never knew the sweets of liberty; the dam did: they might be taken and used for any lawful purpose; but the dam must not be brought into a state of captivity. The poet Phocylides has a maxim, in his admonitory poem, very similar to that in the sacred texts:—

Μηδε τις ορυιθας καλιης αμα παντας ελεσθω

Μητερα δ ' εκπρολιπης , ιν εχης παλι τησδε νεοττους .

Nor from a nest take all the birds away, The mother spare, she'll breed a future day.

It appears that the ancients hunted birds. Bar_3:17 , speaking of the kings of Babylon says, "They had their pastime with the fowls of the air;" and  Daniel 2:38 , tells Nebuchadnezzar that God had made the fowls of the air subject to him.

Birds were offered in sacrifice on many occasions. In the sacrifices for sin, he who had not a lamb, or a kid, "might offer two turtles, or two young pigeons; one for a sin-offering, the other for a burnt-offering. These he presented to the priest, who offered that first which was for the sin- offering, and wrung off the head from the neck, but did not divide it asunder; the other he was to offer for a burnt-offering,"  Leviticus 5:7-8 . When a man who had been smitten with a leprosy was healed, he came to the entrance of the camp of Israel, and the priest went out to inspect him, whether he were entirely cured,  Leviticus 14:5-6 . After this inspection, the leprous person came to the door of the tabernacle, and offered two living sparrows, or two birds; (pure birds, those of which it was lawful to eat;) he made a wisp with branches of cedar and hyssop, tied together with a thread, or scarlet ribbon; he filled an earthen pot with running water, that the blood of the bird might be mingled with it; then the priest, dipping the bunch of hyssop and cedar into the water, sprinkled with it the leper who was healed; after which he let loose the living bird, to fly where it would. In Palestine dead bodies were sometimes left exposed to birds of prey, as appears from Scripture; but, generally, they were buried in the evening: even criminals were taken down from the gallows.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

BIRD . 1 . In OT: (1) ‘ôph . tr. [Note: translate or translation.] ‘birds’ or ‘fowl.’ usually joined with ‘of heaven’ or ‘of the air’: see   Genesis 1:21;   Genesis 1:30 ,   Leviticus 17:13 ,   2 Samuel 21:10 ,   Jeremiah 4:25 ,   Ezekiel 31:6;   Ezekiel 31:13 : (2) ‘ayit , usually tr. [Note: translate or translation.] ‘fowls’ (AV [Note: Authorized Version.] ) and ‘birds of prey’ (RV [Note: Revised Version.] ):   Genesis 15:11 ,   Job 28:7 ,   Isaiah 18:6 ,   Ezekiel 39:4; (3) tsippôr (cf. Arab. [Note: Arabic.] asfûr ). small birds like sparrows which twitter:   Genesis 7:14 ,   Leviticus 14:6 ,   Psalms 84:3 etc.; (4) ba‘al kânâph , ‘possessor of a wing,’   Proverbs 1:17 .   Proverbs 1:2 . In NT: (1) peteina ,   Matthew 13:4 ,   Luke 13:19 etc. (2) ornea , ‘birds of prey,’   Revelation 18:2;   Revelation 19:17;   Revelation 19:21 .

Birds abound in Palestine, and evidently did so in ancient times. They were sympathetically watched and studied; we read, for example, of their migrations ( Jeremiah 8:7 etc.), their care of their young (  Deuteronomy 32:11 ,   Matthew 23:37 etc.), the helplessness of their young (  Proverbs 27:8 ,   Isaiah 16:2 etc.), their nesting (  Psalms 104:12;   Psalms 104:17 ); indeed, every phase of bird life is touched upon. There are many references to the snares of the fowler (see Snares). Birds are divided into clean and unclean. In some cases they were allowed as sacrificial offerings (  Leviticus 1:14-17;   Leviticus 14:4-33 ). It is a curious thing that the duck is not apparently (unless, as some think, in   1 Kings 4:23 , under the ‘fatted fowl’ barburîm ’abûsîm ) mentioned in the OT, although a beautifully modelled clay duck of an early period, certainly earlier than the OT records, was found during the recent excavations in Gezer. All birds mentioned by name in the Bible are dealt with in separate articles.

E. W. G. Masterman.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

1: Ὄρνεον (Strong'S #3732 — Noun Neuter — orneon — or'-neh-on )

is probably connected with a word signifying "to perceive, to hear;"  Revelation 18:2;  19:17,21 . See Fowl. Cp. ornis, a hen.

2: Πετεινόν (Strong'S #4071 — Noun Neuter — peteinon — pet-i-non' )

signifies "that which is able to fly, winged." It is connected with ptenon signifying "feathered, winged," which is used in  1—Corinthians 15:39 . Cp. petomai and petaomai, "to fly." In the Gospels the RV always translates it "birds," e.g.,  Matthew 6:26; but "fowls" in  Acts 10:12;  11:6 . The AV unsuitably has "fowls," in the Gospels, except  Matthew 8:20;  13:32;  Luke 9:58 .

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

 Leviticus 14:5-6 (c) The dead bird represents Jesus on the Cross as the dying Saviour. The live bird represents the Lord JESUS on His throne as the living Lord.

 1 Kings 17:4 (c) The raven is an unclean bird. It is very selfish. The Lord, however, chose it to be His servant and to give the food out of its own bill to Elijah. It was a converted raven, changed to be GOD's servant to man. So GOD changes unclean men into godly men who execute His plans and carry out His purposes.

 Isaiah 31:5 (c) This passage may refer to the use of airplanes and was literally fulfilled when General Allenby captured Jerusalem in World War I.

 Isaiah 46:11 (b) This represents the great and strong nation of cruel soldiers who would invade Israel and destroy the country.

 Ezekiel 39:4 (b) A type of the cruel nations that pounced upon Israel and tore her to pieces. It refers particularly to the nations used by GOD to execute His wrath.

 Hosea 9:11 (b) The actions of the bird in flying away are compared to the way in which the pomp, power, glory, and wealth of Israel was to pass away. (See also  Proverbs 23:5).

 Matthew 13:32 (b) Satan and his angels are compared to birds in this place. They are at home in the great apostate church where the devil and his angels rule and reign.

 Revelation 18:2 (b) As described under "Babylon," this passage represents the great religious and political combination which has spread over the whole earth - a mixture of religion and politics in which evil spirits (birds) of every kind revel and dwell. It is a well-known fact that there are "spiritual wickedness in high [heavenly] places." In many pulpits where GOD should be honoured, wicked spirits (the "birds") teach their doctrines and bring destruction to human souls.

King James Dictionary

BIRD, n. burd.

1. Properly, a chicken, the young of fowls, and hence a small fowl. 2. In modern use, any fowl or flying animal.

It is remarkable that a nation should lay aside the use of the proper generic name of flying animals, and substitute the name of the young of those animals, as the generic term. The fact is precisely what it would be to make lamb, the generic name of sheep,or colt, that of the equine genus.

BIRD, To catch birds.

Bird of paradise, a genus of birds, found in the Oriental isles, and in New Guinea some of them remarkable beautiful. The beak is covered with a belt or collar of downy feathers at the base, and the feathers on the sides are very long. The longest species is two feet four inches in length. The head and back part of the neck are lemon-colored the neck of the brightest emerald green, soft like velvet the breast is black the wings of a chestnut color. The back part of the body is covered with long straight narrow feathers, of a pale brown color, similar to the plumes of the ostrich. These are spread when the bird flies, for which reason he cannot keep long on the wing. From the rump proceed two long stiff shafts, feathered at the extremities.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Leviticus 1:14-17 5:7-10 14:4-7 Leviticus 11:13-20 Genesis 15:10 Deuteronomy 14:11 Psalm 124:7 Proverbs 1:17 7:23 Jeremiah 5:27 Psalm 104:12 Ecclesiastes 12:4 Hosea 11:11 Psalm 84:3

Webster's Dictionary

(1): (n.) Specifically, among sportsmen, a game bird.

(2): (n.) A warm-blooded, feathered vertebrate provided with wings. See Aves.

(3): (n.) Fig.: A girl; a maiden.

(4): (v. i.) To catch or shoot birds.

(5): (v. i.) Hence: To seek for game or plunder; to thieve.

(6): (n.) Orig., a chicken; the young of a fowl; a young eaglet; a nestling; and hence, a feathered flying animal (see 2).

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

BIRD. —See Animals, p. 65a.