Swallow

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

(noun)

 Psalm 84:3 (c) This bird is used to describe the apostasy of Israel. The altars of GOD should have been hot with fires for sacrifice. Instead they were so cold, neglected and unused that the birds felt free to make their nests in them.

 Proverbs 26:2 (a) In this case the bird is used to illustrate GOD's definite dealings with men. The swallow flies for a purpose, she knows where she is going, and what she is doing. So it is when GOD punishes sinners. It is an intelligent punishment.

 Isaiah 38:14 (a) Hezekiah uses the mournful sounds of the swallow to illustrate the sadness of his own heart.

(verb)

 Isaiah 25:8 (b) When our Lord returns for His people, they will not die, but will be caught up alive into Heaven. A victorious ascension will take the place of the sadness of death.

 Isaiah 28:7 (b) The drunkard is conquered by the liquor. He becomes a slave to that which he drinks. He is submerged under the terrible appetite for wine.

 Isaiah 49:19 (b) In this prophecy the Lord is informing us that the people who conquered Israel will be driven far away from them, and they will no longer be engulfed by their enemies, but will be free to expand their country.

 Lamentations 2:2 (b) The wrath of GOD in conquering Israel and pouring out His wrath over them is described in this way. Israel was helpless in the hands of an angry GOD, and He consumed them in His wrath. This is in contrast, or perhaps, in comparison with verse16 in which we find that the enemies of Israel engulfed them. From GOD's standpoint He did it, but the enemies of Israel were the means and the agents by which GOD did it. (See also Jeremiah 51:34).

 Hosea 8:8 (b) This action is used to describe the scattering of the Jews among the Gentiles in which they were absorbed after their dispersion.

 Amos 8:4 (b) This describes the cruel power of the rich as they destroyed the poor, and the powerful as they destroyed the weak.

 Obadiah 1:16 (b) The suicide of the heathen is described in this way. They drink iniquity, they live on their sins, they revel in rioting and drunkenness, and all of this serves to destroy the people.

 Matthew 23:24 (b) This figure describes the ease with which hypocrites believe impossible statements, and use them as though they were true.

 1 Corinthians 15:54 (b) Here is a graphic description of the way in which death for the Christian will be abolished when Christ returns to catch up His church in the Rapture. The living Christians will be caught up to Heaven without dying.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n.) Capacity for swallowing; voracity.

(2): ( n.) Taste; relish; inclination; liking.

(3): ( n.) That which ingulfs; a whirlpool.

(4): ( n.) The aperture in a block through which the rope reeves.

(5): ( n.) Any one of numerous species of passerine birds of the family Hirundinidae, especially one of those species in which the tail is deeply forked. They have long, pointed wings, and are noted for the swiftness and gracefulness of their flight.

(6): ( n.) Any one of numerous species of swifts which resemble the true swallows in form and habits, as the common American chimney swallow, or swift.

(7): ( n.) The act of swallowing.

(8): ( n.) As much as is, or can be, swallowed at once; as, a swallow of water.

(9): ( n.) The gullet, or esophagus; the throat.

(10): ( v. t.) To take into the stomach; to receive through the gullet, or esophagus, into the stomach; as, to swallow food or drink.

(11): ( v. t.) To draw into an abyss or gulf; to ingulf; to absorb - usually followed by up.

(12): ( v. t.) To receive or embrace, as opinions or belief, without examination or scruple; to receive implicitly.

(13): ( v. t.) To engross; to appropriate; - usually with up.

(14): ( v. t.) To occupy; to take up; to employ.

(15): ( v. t.) To seize and waste; to exhaust; to consume.

(16): ( v. t.) To retract; to recant; as, to swallow one's opinions.

(17): ( v. t.) To put up with; to bear patiently or without retaliation; as, to swallow an affront or insult.

(18): ( v. i.) To perform the act of swallowing; as, his cold is so severe he is unable to swallow.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Deror , from Darar , "free, spontaneous motion" ( Psalms 84:3). (See Bird .) 'Αgur is probably the "crane", from Ga'Ar "to chatter", as Latin Grus is related to Garrio , in  Isaiah 38:14, and Sus (the Italian Zisilla ) the "swallow": "like a swallow or a crane." In  Proverbs 26:2 the sense is "as the bird ("sparrow") by wandering, as the swallow ( Deror ) by flying, never lights upon us, but flies to the winds, so the curse for which we have given no just cause shall not come" to hurt us; contradicting the common superstition that a curse brings its fulfilment, however undeserved; nay Providence shields His people from Satan's and his agents' malice. Balaam could not curse Israel whom God had blessed ( Deuteronomy 23:5), nor Shimei David, nay God requited David good instead ( 2 Samuel 16:5-12;  Psalms 109:28).

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

1: Καταπίνω (Strong'S #2666 — Verb — katapino — kat-ap-ee'-no )

"to drink down" (kata, and pino, "to drink"), "to swallow," is used with this meaning (a) physically, but figuratively,  Matthew 23:24;  Revelation 12:16; (b) metaphorically, in the Passive Voice, of death (by victory),  1—Corinthians 15:54; of being overwhelmed by sorrow,  2—Corinthians 2:7; of the mortal body (by life),  2—Corinthians 5:4 . See Devour , No. 3, Drown No. 2.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Swallow. Hebrew, deror in  Psalms 84:3;  Proverbs 26:2; Hebrew, 'agur in  Isaiah 38:14;  Jeremiah 8:7; but "crane" is more probably, the true signification of 'agur , See Crane . The rendering of the Authorized Version for deror seems correct.

The characters ascribed in the passages, where the names occur , are strictly applicable to the swallow, namely, its swiftness of flight, its meeting in the buildings of the Temple, its mournful, garrulous note, and its regular migrations, shared indeed in common with several others. Many species of swallow occur in Palestine. All those common in England are found.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Heb. deror, i.e., "the bird of freedom" ( Psalm 84:3;  Proverbs 26:2 ), properly rendered swallow, distinguished for its swiftness of flight, its love of freedom, and the impossibility of retaining it in captivity. In  Isaiah 38:14 and   Jeremiah 8:7 the word thus rendered ('augr) properly means "crane" (as in the RSV).

Copyright Statement These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., DD Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography Information Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Swallow'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/s/swallow.html. 1897.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. deror. This is interpreted 'roving about,' which agrees well with the habits of the swallow or swift. They come and go, and are not domesticated.  Proverbs 26:2 . In  Psalm 84:3 it is typical of the wanderer finding rest and protection in God's house.

2. agur, mentioned with the word sis, translated 'crane' and 'swallow;' but sis doubtless refers to the swallow, and agur to the crane. The swallow (or perhaps the swift) is mentioned as 'chattering,' or having a 'garrulous note,' and it is migratory.   Isaiah 38:14;  Jeremiah 8:7 . Several species of the swallow frequent Palestine: the Hirundo rustica, H. rufula, etc. A species of swift finds the Jordan valley warm enough in the winter, and need not migrate.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Swallow . 1 . dÄ•rôr (  Psalms 84:3 ,   Proverbs 26:2 ). The allusion to the nesting of this bird in the sanctuary and its swift (unalighting) flight fits the swallow. 2 . ‘âgûr (  Isaiah 38:14 ,   Jeremiah 8:7 ). See Crane. 3 . sûs, sîs , should be tr. [Note: translate or translation.] as in RV [Note: Revised Version.] (  Isaiah 38:14 ,   Jeremiah 8:7 ), ‘swallow’ instead of ‘ crane ’ (AV [Note: Authorized Version.] ). See Crane. Some ten species of swallows and swifts or martins are common in the Holy Land.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words

Bâla‛ ( בָּלַע , Strong'S #1104), “to swallow, engulf.” Commonly used throughout the history of the Hebrew language, this word is also found in ancient Akkadian, as well as several other Semitic languages. It occurs about 50 times in the Hebrew Old Testament. Bâla‛ is first used in Gen. 41:7 in Pharaoh’s dream of seven lean ears of grain “swallowing up” the seven plump ears.

While it is used of the normal physical swallowing of something quite frequently, such as Jonah’s “being swallowed” by the great fish (Jonah 1:17), the word is used more often in the figurative sense, often implying destruction. Thus, the violent “overwhelm” the innocent (Prov. 1:11-12); an enemy “swallows” those he conquers “like a dragon” (Jer. 51:34); and th

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The well-known bird of passage, which is so common both in our country, in Europe, and in the East,  Psalm 84:3;  Isaiah 38:14;  Jeremiah 8:7 . See Crane , and Sparrow .

King James Dictionary

SWAL'LOW, n. A bird of the genus Hirundo, of many species, among which are the chimney swallow and the martin.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Psalm 84:3Birds

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

swal´ō ( דּרור , derōr  ; στρουθός , strouthós , in Proverbs and Psalms, χελιδών , chelidṓn , in Isa; Latin Hirundo rustica ): A small long-winged bird of exhaustless flight, belonging to the family Hirundinidae . Derōr means the bird of freedom, and as the swallow is of tireless wing, it has been settled upon as fitting the requirements of the text. In the passages where ‛āghūr is translated "swallow," there is a mistake, that word referring to the crane. There is also a word, ṣūṣ or ṣı̄ṣ , that means a rushing sound, that is incorrectly translated "swallow," when it should be "swift" ( Cypselus apus ).

These birds are near relatives and so alike on the wing as to be indistinguishable to any save a close observer. Yet the Hebrews knew and made a difference. The swallow is a trifle larger and different in color. It remains all the year, while in numerous instances the swift migrates and is a regular sign of returning spring. The swallow is of long and tireless flight. The swift is so much faster that the sound of its wings can be heard when passing. The swallow plasters a mud nest under eaves, on towers, belfries, and close to human habitations. The swifts are less intimate, building in deserted places, under bridges and on rocky crevices. The swallows utter constantly a rather sweet low note; the swifts chatter harshly and incessantly at their nests. These differences are observable to the most careless people. Scientists separate the birds on account of anatomical structure also. Despite this, the birds are confused in most of our translations.

"Like a swallow or a crane, so did I chatter;

I did moan as a dove; mine eyes fail with looking upward:

[[O L]] ord, I am oppressed, be thou my surety" ( Isaiah 38:14 ).

Here ‛āghūr is translated "swallow" and ṣūṣ "crane," which is clearly interchanging words, as the Arabic for "swift" is ṣūṣ , the same as the Hebrew. The line should read, "swift and crane." And another reason for changing swallow to swift, in this passage, lies in the fact that of the two birds the swift is the incessant and raucous chatterer, and this was the idea in the mind of Hezekiah when he sang his Trouble Song. Another incorrect reference is found in   Jeremiah 8:7 : "Yea, the stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle-dove and the swallow and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the law of Yahweh." Few swallows migrate. Returning swifts are one of the first signs of spring.

"As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying,

So the curse that is causeless alighteth not" ( Proverbs 26:2 ).

This reference might apply to either, remembering always that the swift took its name from its exceptional flight, it being able to cover over 80 miles an hour. However, the swallow is credited with 800 miles in a night.

"Yea, the sparrow hath found her a house,

And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young,

Even thine altars, O Y ahweh of hosts,

My King, and my God" ( Psalm 84:3 ).

Here is one instance, at least, where the swallow is at home and the translation correct. The swift might possibly have built in the temple: the swallow was sure to be there.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Bibliography Information McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Swallow'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/s/swallow.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.