Lexical Summary chasidah: Stork Original Word: חֲסִידָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance feather, stork Feminine of chaciyd; the kind (maternal) bird, i.e. A stork -- X feather, stork. see HEBREW chaciyd NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfem. of chasid Definition stork NASB Translation stork (5). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. חֲסִידָה noun feminine stork (so called as kind and affectionate to its young) — Leviticus 11:19 = Deuteronomy 14:18; Psalm 104:17; Jeremiah 8:7; Zechariah 5:9. Topical Lexicon Identity and Natural History Hebrew writers placed the חֲסִידָה among the large wading birds now commonly known as storks. Indigenous to the Levant, the white stork (Ciconia ciconia) is especially conspicuous with its long red bill, black-tipped wings, and soaring migration patterns between Africa and Europe. Unlike predatory raptors, storks feed chiefly on small reptiles, amphibians, and insects, making them a familiar presence in both wetlands and open fields. Their lifelong pair bonds, faithful return to prior nesting sites, and well-known care for hatchlings gave rise to the ancient belief that the bird embodied loyal devotion. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Leviticus 11:19; Deuteronomy 14:18 — listed among the birds Israel must not eat, underscoring that dietary laws encompassed even creatures admired for virtue. Thematic Significance • Fidelity and Compassion: Rabbinic tradition connected the root ḥsd (“kindness”) with the name חֲסִידָה, a link hinted at in Job 39:13 where the stork’s feathers epitomize tender guardianship. By showcasing parental care within creation, Scripture affirms that covenant loyalty is both commanded and displayed in nature. Prophetic and Symbolic Use Zechariah’s vision (Zechariah 5:5-11) employs stork-like wings to depict swiftness and reach. The women carry the measure of wickedness away, signifying the certain removal of sin from the restored community. The choice of a clean, strong flier rather than a carrion bird accents God’s orderly judgment rather than chaotic destruction. The imagery anticipates the ultimate purging accomplished through the atoning work of Jesus Christ, who “appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26). Lessons for Faith and Practice 1. Creation bears moral witness. Observing the stork’s selfless care and unwavering migration seasons stirs believers to renewed covenant loyalty (Jeremiah 8:7; Romans 1:20). The חֲסִידָה therefore stands in Scripture as a vivid testimony to God’s wise design, moral instruction, and redemptive agenda—a silent preacher in the skies calling every generation to faithful obedience and confident hope. Forms and Transliterations הַחֲסִידָ֑ה הַחֲסִידָ֔ה החסידה וְהַ֣חֲסִידָ֔ה והחסידה חֲ֝סִידָ֗ה חֲסִידָ֣ה חֲסִידָ֥ה חסידה chasiDah ha·ḥă·sî·ḏāh ḥă·sî·ḏāh hachasiDah haḥăsîḏāh ḥăsîḏāh veHachasiDah wə·ha·ḥă·sî·ḏāh wəhaḥăsîḏāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Leviticus 11:19 HEB: וְאֵת֙ הַחֲסִידָ֔ה הָאֲנָפָ֖ה לְמִינָ֑הּ NAS: and the stork, the heron in its kinds, KJV: And the stork, the heron INT: and the stork the heron kinds Deuteronomy 14:18 Job 39:13 Psalm 104:17 Jeremiah 8:7 Zechariah 5:9 6 Occurrences |
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