Lexical Summary yaanah: Ostrich Original Word: יַעֲנָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance owl Feminine of ya'en, and meaning the same -- + owl. see HEBREW ya'en NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfem. of yaen Definition perhaps greed NASB Translation ostrich (2), ostriches (5), ostriches* (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs יַעֲנָה noun feminine greed (?); — only in בַּתהַֿיַּעֲנָה Leviticus 11:16; Deuteronomy 14:15; בְּנוֺתיַֿעֲנָה Micah 1:8 5t.; — ostrich, (see √ יען above); as wailing (simile of mourning) Micah 1:8 ("" תַּנִּים); symbolic of loneliness Job 30:29 (׳יַעֲ ׳אָח הָיִיתִי לְתַנִּים וְרֵעַ לב); of desolation, as dwelling among ruins Isaiah 13:21; Isaiah 34:13 ("" תַּנִּים), Jeremiah 50:39; dwelling in desert Isaiah 43:20 ("" תַּנִּים); unclean fowl Leviticus 11:16; Deuteronomy 14:15. Topical Lexicon Identity The Hebrew יַעֲנָה denotes the ostrich, the largest living bird native to the arid regions of the Near East and North Africa. Scripture presents this creature as familiar to Israel, especially in wilderness contexts. Physical and Behavioral Traits The ostrich’s great height, powerful legs, and inability to fly made it an unmistakable figure on the landscape. Job alludes to its speed and apparent disregard for its young (Job 39:13-18), while other texts emphasize its loud, mournful cry, likened to a wail that carries across barren terrain (Micah 1:8). These features supplied vivid metaphors for the prophets and poets of Israel. Ceremonial and Dietary Law Leviticus 11:16 and Deuteronomy 14:15 include the ostrich among the birds Israel must not eat. This prohibition highlights a broader principle: God’s people were to distinguish themselves by obedience even in mundane matters such as diet. The ostrich, a scavenger when necessary, served as a reminder that not all of creation was suitable for covenant consumption. Voice of Mourning “I will howl like the jackals and mourn like ostriches” (Micah 1:8). The prophet selects the ostrich’s haunting call to portray deep lament over impending judgment. Believers reading Micah are taught that true lament is neither perfunctory nor shallow; it is a wholehearted identification with the grief sin brings. Prophetic Desolation Motif Isaiah 13:21; Isaiah 34:13; Jeremiah 50:39 each place ostriches among the first inhabitants of conquered, forsaken cities. Their presence signals the complete reversal of human prosperity: bustling streets exchanged for echoing wastelands. The image underscores the certainty of divine judgment—when God speaks, mighty empires crumble until only solitary desert dwellers remain. Creation Witness to Providence Isaiah 43:20 offers a striking counter-image: “The beasts of the field will honor Me—the jackals and the ostriches—because I provide water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My chosen people.” Here the ostrich exemplifies creation’s response to God’s redeeming work. The same bird that haunts ruined cities now honors the Lord, illustrating how redemption transforms barrenness into blessing. Historical Background Ancient trade routes such as the Via Maris and the King’s Highway cut through ostrich territory. Ostrich feathers, eggs, and leather were prized commodities, and the bird’s silhouette adorned artifacts from Egypt to Assyria. Israel’s sacred texts, however, never romanticize the animal; instead they integrate it into revelatory history, using its traits to communicate theological truth. Ministry Significance 1. Warnings of Judgment—The ostrich’s association with desolation invites preachers to emphasize the inevitability of divine justice and the call to repentance. Summary Across eight Old Testament occurrences, יַעֲנָה functions as far more than a zoological reference. From dietary law to prophetic lament and redemption, the ostrich stands as a vivid token of God’s holiness, judgment, and sustaining grace—truths that remain vital for faith and practice today. Forms and Transliterations הַֽיַּעֲנָ֔ה היענה יַֽעֲנָ֑ה יַֽעֲנָ֔ה יַעֲנָֽה׃ יענה יענה׃ haiyaaNah hay·ya·‘ă·nāh hayya‘ănāh ya‘ănāh ya·‘ă·nāh yaaNahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Leviticus 11:16 HEB: וְאֵת֙ בַּ֣ת הַֽיַּעֲנָ֔ה וְאֶת־ הַתַּחְמָ֖ס NAS: and the ostrich and the owl INT: first and the ostrich and the owl and the sea Deuteronomy 14:15 Job 30:29 Isaiah 13:21 Isaiah 34:13 Isaiah 43:20 Jeremiah 50:39 Micah 1:8 8 Occurrences |
    |