Fowl

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

FOWL. —The word ‘fowl’ is now almost restricted to poultry, and especially to that familiar bird in a farmyard, the ‘barn-door fowl’; but it is used in the NT in a wider sense. The Gr. word πετεινά (lit. ‘flying things’) does not indeed signify, as its derivation might imply, all winged creatures—a meaning sometimes attached to ‘fowls’ in Old English (Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible, art. ‘Fowl’). It denotes ‘birds,’ of which there are many species in Palestine, including some which are only birds of passage with us. Quite arbitrarily Authorized Version renders πετεινά by ‘birds’ in  Matthew 8:20;  Matthew 13:32,  Luke 9:58; and by ‘fowls’ in  Matthew 6:26;  Matthew 13:4,  Mark 4:4;  Mark 4:32,  Luke 8:5;  Luke 12:24;  Luke 13:19. In every case in which πετεινά occurs in the Gospels Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 gives ‘birds.’

Borrowing so much as He did from outward nature, our Lord often employed birds to illustrate His teaching. Their nests are contrasted with His own pillowless conch ( Matthew 8:20). In the parable of the Sower they devour the seed that falls by the wayside ( Matthew 13:4); in that of the Mustard Seed they lodge under the shadow of the huge plant which grew out of such a tiny germ ( Mark 4:32). Their free undistracted lives play an important part in that cumulative argument which Christ builds up in the Sermon on the Mount against the tyranny of care. They neither sow, reap, nor gather into barns, yet the heavenly Father feeds them ( Matthew 6:26), i.e. they are inferior to man in two respects. For (1) they cannot anticipate and influence the future as man can by the exercise of his reason or the labour of his hands; (2) God is only their Creator, but He is man’s Father, and will not forget His child. Though the ‘fowls’ cannot foresee, or work, or trust, they have no care. Yet they are fed. How foolish of man, who can do all these things, to fall so far beneath the ‘fowls,’ and worry over food and drink, when his first duty is to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness!

D. A. Mackinnon.

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

 Genesis 15:11 (c) These are a type of Satan and his angels who are always enemies of any sacrifice for sin, and especially for any types or shadows of Calvary. Satan was defeated at the Cross, and he ever tries to get men's minds to be occupied with every other kind of remedy for sin, except the one remedy of the Blood. In this particular case, Satanic powers wanted to hide from Israel the value of GOD's preserving care, and His rich provision for their needs.

 Daniel 7:6 (b) Here is a type of the swiftness with which Alexander's four armies and generals would progress in their campaign to conquer the earth.

 Matthew 6:26 (b) The Lord calls our attention to His care for the bird family so that we may realize His care for us. We are more precious than the birds, and all of the children of GOD have His promise that He will preserve and provide for them.

 Matthew 13:4 (a) Here is a type of evil spirits who pounce upon the Word of GOD when the sinner hears it in order to take it out of his heart and mind. (See also  Mark 4:4;  Luke 8:5).

 Mark 4:32 (b) These birds represent evil spirits who make their home and perform their activities in religious systems. (See also  Matthew 13:19).

 Acts 10:12 (b) These birds represent unclean people who were saved by grace, washed in the Blood of the Lamb, and thereby made fit to live in Heaven. The Lord is telling us that when He saves any kind of a wicked person, He makes that person a fit subject for Heaven, the company of angels, and the presence of GOD. (See  Acts 11:6).

 Revelation 19:21 (b) By this type we understand the destructive and consuming power of the armies who would destroy their enemies.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Used for birds of prey: 'Ayit ( Genesis 15:11;  Job 28:7;  Isaiah 18:6). The Assyrian host, type of the anti-Christian hosts ( Revelation 19:17-18, Ta Ornea ;  Ezekiel 39:17-20), "shall be left to the fowls of the mountains ... and the fowls shall summer upon them." In the sense "poultry," see  Nehemiah 5:18;  1 Kings 4:23; "fatted fowl," Barburim , from Barar , "to be pure." Gesenius translated "geese." Birds in general ( Ta Peteina ) ( Luke 12:24).

King James Dictionary

FOWL, n. L. fugio, fugo, Gr. and signifying the flying animal.

A flying or winged animal the generic name of certain animals that move through the air by the aid of wings. Fowls have two feet, are covered with feathers, and have wings for flight. Bird is a young fowl or chicken, and may well be applied to the smaller species of fowls. But it has usurped the place of fowl, and is used improperly as the generic term.

Fowl is used as a collective noun. We dined on fish and fowl.

Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air.  Genesis 1 .

But this use in America is not frequent. We generally use the plural, fowls. The word is colloquially used for poultry, or rather, in a more limited sense, for barn door fowls.

FOWL, To catch or kill wild fowls for game or food as by means of bird-lime, decoys, nets and snares, or by pursuing them with hawks, or by shooting.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

FOWL . The word ‘fowl’ is used in AV [Note: Authorized Version.] for any kind of bird. The two words ‘bird’ and ‘fowl’ are employed simply for the sake of variety or perhaps to distinguish two different Heb. or Gr. words occurring near one another. Thus   Genesis 15:10 ‘the birds (Heb. tsippôr ) divided he not,’   Genesis 15:11 ‘when the fowls (Heb. ‘ayit ) came down upon the carcases’;   Jeremiah 12:8 ‘the birds round about’ (same Heb. as ‘fowls’ in   Genesis 15:11 ),   Psalms 8:8 ‘the fowl of the air’ (same Heb. as ‘birds’ in   Genesis 15:10 ). See Bird.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Fowl. Several distinct Hebrew and Greek words are thus rendered in the English Bible. Of these, the most common is 'oph , which is usually a collective term for all kinds of birds. In  1 Kings 4:23, among the daily provisions for Solomon's table "fatted fowl" are included. In the New Testament, the word translated "fowls" is most frequently that which comprehends all kinds of birds (including ravens,  Luke 12:24. See Sparrow .

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n.) Any domesticated bird used as food, as a hen, turkey, duck; in a more restricted sense, the common domestic cock or hen (Gallus domesticus).

(2): ( v. i.) To catch or kill wild fowl, for game or food, as by shooting, or by decoys, nets, etc.

(3): ( n.) Any bird; esp., any large edible bird.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

This term is used for every description of bird described as of the heaven and of the air, including those that feed on carrion, as in  Genesis 15:11;  Revelation 19:17,21; and those for the table.  1 Kings 4:23;  Nehemiah 5:18 .

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See Birds .

Holman Bible Dictionary

Birds

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

is the rendering of the following Heb. words in the Bible:

1. Usually עוֹ (Oph, a Flier), Πετεινόν , any winged animal, a generic term for the feathered race, frequently with the addition of הָּשָּׁמִיַם , "of the heavens."

2. עִיַט (A'Yit, so called from Rushing On. its prey; compare  Jeremiah 12:9, where it is spoken of a beast), a ravenous bird ( Job 28:7); as an emblem of a warlike king ( Isaiah 46:11); collect for birds of prey ( Genesis 15:11;  Isaiah 18:6;  Ezekiel 39:4). like Ὄρνεον , as a vulture ( Revelation 18:2;  Revelation 19:17;  Revelation 19:21); translated Fowl in  Genesis 15:11;  Job 28:7;  Isaiah 18:6.

3. צַפּור (Tsippor', so called from its Twittering; Chald. צַפִּר ,  Daniel 4:9;  Daniel 4:11;  Daniel 4:18;  Daniel 4:30), a small bird, spec. a sparrow ( Psalms 84:4;  Psalms 102:8;  Proverbs 26:2;  Proverbs 27:8; Job 40:29 [ Job 40:24];  Ecclesiastes 12:6, etc.), or similar small birds ( Psalms 11:1;  Psalms 104:17;  Psalms 124:7; as caught by the fowler,  Proverbs 6:5;  Proverbs 7:23;  Amos 3:5, etc.; also collect. birds of any kind,  Genesis 15:10;.  Leviticus 14:4-53  Deuteronomy 4:17;  Psalms 8:9;  Psalms 148:10 : etc.; and even a bird of prey,  Ezekiel 39:4), occasionally rendered by Swallow and Sparrow. In  Nehemiah 5:18, the word seems to have the special sense which "fowl" has with us, as it is enumerated among the viands provided for Nehemiah's table.

4. בִּרְבֻּרַים (Barburim'), "fatted fowls,"  1 Kings 4:23, as provided for the table of Solomon, where Kimchi understands Capons, but Gesenius, with the Jerus. Targum, Geese, so called from the pureness and whiteness of their plumage: The ancient Egyptians had spacious poultry-yards, set apart for keeping geese and other wild-fowl, which they fattened for the table; and their poulterers bestowed especial care upon the geese (Wilkinson, 1:215; 2:174, abridgm.). (See Fatted Fowl).

In the N.T. the word translated "fowls" is most frequently Τὰ Πετεινά , which comprehends all kinds of birds (including ravens,  Luke 12:24).; but in  Revelation 19:17-21, where the context shows that birds of prey are meant, the Greek is Τὰ Ὄρνεα . The same distinction is observed in thee apocryphal writings: comp.  Judith 11:7;  Sirach 17:4;  Sirach 43:14, with  2 Maccabees 15:33. (See Cock); (See Sparrow).

The following statements cover the remaining details. — Clean binds כָּלאּצַפּוֹר טְהֹרָח ,  Deuteronomy 14:11;  Deuteronomy 14:20), i.e., all not named in  Leviticus 11:13-19;  Deuteronomy 14:12-18, were (as well as their eggs, בֵּיצַים ) used for food ( Luke 11:12), e.g. quails (q.v.), chickens, doves, also wild-fowl; hence bird-catching was very common ( Psalms 124:7;  Amos 3:5;  Hosea 5:1;  Hosea 7:12, etc.), for. which purpose. nets, traps, and stool-birds ( Jeremiah 5:27;  Sirach 11:31 [37]) were used (see Gesen. Thes. page 685). (See Fowler). In robbing a nest of its eggs or young, however, "the mother-bird must be allowed to escape ( Deuteronomy 22:6 sq.; see Michaelis, Syntagm. Comm. 2, 89 sq.; Mos. Recht, 3:181 sq.), a prescription founded snot only on motives of humanity (comp.  Leviticus 22:28; yet see Heumans, De Legis Div. Semnsu, Gott. 1748; also in his Nova Sylloge Dissertatt. page 282 sq.); although the Talmudists (Mishna, Chollin, 12:2) refer this only to clean birds, and make many nice distinctions in the matter, with various penalties attached (Maccoth, 3:4). Birds were not regularly offered in sacrifice, except in commutation for some costlier victim ( Leviticus 1:15-17; compare Mishna, Kinnim, 5:11). (See Dove).

The bird was first brought to the altar, where the priest (with his nail) nipped off the head, or rather cracked ( מלק ) thee neck, so that it still hung to the bird ( Leviticus 5:8); he then squeezed out the blood (sufficient, at least, in quantity for sprinkling), and finally threw the body into the fire, but without the crop, which (with its contents and the offal) was separately ( ברל ) thrown into the ash-heap under the altar. Before the flesh was committed to the flames, however, a folding back or breaking of the wings ( שַׁסִּע בּכְנָפָיו ) is prescribed, a symbol of which the meaning is not clear (see Dassov, De Ave Ungue Secta, Viteb. 1697; Eskuche, De Gall/A Et Gallisis Ad Aram Jehovca Nonfractisa Rint. 1741). The Talmud mentions geese ( אִוָּז , Chol. 12:1; Bekor. 7:4), a well-knows article Of luxury with modern Jews. The Hebrews were accustomed to play with parlor-birds, especially children (Job 40:29 [ Job 40:24];  Baruch 3:17; comp. Catull. 2:1 sq.; Plaut. Capt. 5:4, 5). Of that form of divination which draw omens from the appearance or flight of birds (Muller, Etrusk. 2:187 sq.), an example occurs in the history of the Herodian family (Josephus, Ant. 19:8, 2). (See Soothsayer). Thee fable of the phoenix (Pliny, 10:2; Ovid, Met. 15:392 sq.; comp. Herod. 2:73) is thought by some (also Ewald) to be alluded to in  Job 29:18 (see Gesenius, Thes. Heb. page 453 sq.). See generally Tenzel, in the Thesaur. Theol. Philol. 1:559 sq. Comp. BIRD.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

foul ( עוף , ‛ōph  ; πετεινόν , peteinón ): The word is now generally restricted to the larger, especially the edible birds, but formerly it denoted all flying creatures; in  Leviticus 11:20 the King James Version we have even, "all fowls that creep, going upon all four,"   Leviticus 11:21 , "every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four."

1. Old Testament Terms and References

The word most frequently translated "fowl" is ‛ōph from ‛̇ūph , "to cover," hence, wing; it is used collectively for birds and fowl in general ( Genesis 1:20 , etc.;  Genesis 2:19 ,  Genesis 2:20 , etc.); ‛ayı̄t (from ‛ūt , "to rush") means a ravenous beasts; or bird of prey, used collectively of ravenous birds ( Genesis 15:11 the King James Version;   Isaiah 18:6 the King James Version "fowls";   Job 28:7 , "a path which no fowl knoweth," the Revised Version (British and American) "no bird of prey"); in  Isaiah 46:11 it is used as a symbol of a conqueror (compare   Jeremiah 12:9 , "bird," "birds of prey";  Ezekiel 39:4 , "ravenous birds"); cippōr , Aramaic cippar (from cāphar , "to twitter or chirp"), "a chirper," denotes a small bird or sparrow ( Deuteronomy 4:17 the King James Version;   Nehemiah 5:18;  Daniel 4:14 ); to give the carcasses of men to the fowls (birds) of the air was an image of destruction ( Deuteronomy 28:26 the King James Version;   1 Samuel 17:44 ,  1 Samuel 17:46;  Psalm 79:2;  Jeremiah 7:33 , etc.); barburı̄m , rendered ( 1 Kings 4:23 ) "fatted fowl" (among the provisions for Solomon's table for one day), is probably a mimetic word, like Greek bárbaros , Latin murmuro , English babble , perhaps denoting geese from their cackle (Gesenius, from bārar , "to cleanse," referring to their white plumage; but other derivations and renderings are given). They might have been ducks or swans. They could have been guineas or pigeons. The young of the ostrich was delicious food, and no doubt when Solomon's ships brought peafowl they also brought word that they were a delicacy for a king's table. The domestic fowl was not common so early in Palestine,but it may have been brought by Solomon with other imports from the East; in New Testament times chickens were common; ba‛al kānāph , "owner of a wing," is used for a bird of any kind in  Proverbs 1:17 . "In vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird," the King James Version margin Hebrew, "in the eyes of everything that hath a wing."

2. In the Levitical Law

In the Levitical law fowls (birds) were distinguished as clean and unclean ( Leviticus 11:13 f;   Deuteronomy 14:11-20; compare  Genesis 8:20 ); the first were allowed to be eaten because they fed on grains, seeds, and vegetables; the second were forbidden because they fed on flesh and carrion.

3. New Testament References and Illustrative Uses

In the New Testament the common word for "fowl" is peteinon , "winged fowl." "The fowls of the air" (the Revised Version (British and American) "the birds of the heaven") are pointed to by our Lord as examples of the providential care of God ( Matthew 6:26;  Luke 12:24 ); in another connection the "sparrows" ( strouthı́on ) sold cheap, probably for food, are so employed ( Matthew 10:29 , "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?"  Luke 12:6 , "five ... for two pence"); their quickly picking up seeds from the ground is made to illustrate the influences which render "the word" powerless ( Matthew 13:4 ); their being sheltered in the branches, the growth of the kingdom ( Matthew 13:32 , peteinon ); the hen's ( ornis ) sheltering care for her chickens, His desire to protect and save Jerusalem ( Matthew 23:37; compare 2 Esdras 1:30; Rth 2:12); the fowls were shown in vision to Peter as among the things made clean by God ( Acts 10:12;  Acts 11:6 ); in  Revelation 18:2;  Revelation 19:17 ,  Revelation 19:21 , órneon , "bird," "fowl," a carnivorous bird (the Revised Version (British and American) "bird"), is the representative of desolation and of destruction.

For "fowls" the American Standard Revised Version has "birds" ( Genesis 6:7 ,  Genesis 6:20;  Genesis 7:3;  Leviticus 20:25  ;  Acts 10:12;  Acts 11:6; with the English Revised Version  Matthew 6:26;  Matthew 13:4;  Mark 4:4 ,  Mark 4:32;  Luke 8:5;  Luke 12:24;  Luke 13:19 ); for "every feathered fowl" ( Ezekiel 39:17 ), the Revised Version (British and American) has "the birds of every sort"; for "all fowls that creep" ( Leviticus 11:20 ) and for "every flying creeping thing" ( Leviticus 11:21 ), "all winged creeping things."

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Fowl [[[Birds; Cock]]]