Lexical Summary ayyah: Falcon, Kite Original Word: אַיָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance kite, vulture Perhaps from 'iy; the screamer, i.e. A hawk -- kite, vulture. see HEBREW 'iy NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a hawk, falcon, kite NASB Translation falcon (2), falcon's (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. אַיָּה noun feminine hawk, falcon, kite (perhaps from cry; compare Arabic  , a kind of hawk) Leviticus 11:14; Deuteronomy 14:13 Generic, compare לְמִינָהּ & Di; Job 28:7 (keen-sighted). Topical Lexicon Identification and Description אַיָּה designates a carrion-eating raptor of the Holy Land, rendered “kite” in many English versions and understood broadly to include several hawklike species distinguished by their soaring flight and keen eyesight. Classified among unclean birds, it is remembered for its sharp vision, scavenging habits, and solitary nature. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Leviticus 11:14 and Deuteronomy 14:13 list the אַיָּה in the dietary laws that forbid Israel from eating birds of prey. Ritual and Dietary Significance Placed among the unclean creatures, the אַיָּה teaches Israel to distinguish between holy and profane (Leviticus 10:10). Its exclusion from the diet underscores that God’s people must avoid whatever feeds on death or impurity. The prohibition is not arbitrary; it trains discernment, echoing Paul’s call that believers today “test all things; hold fast to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Symbolic and Didactic Use Sight and Discernment: Job appropriates the bird’s famed vision to magnify the hiddenness of God’s wisdom. If even the אַיָּה cannot spy out the subterranean vein of gold, how much less can human reason discover divine wisdom unaided. Restlessness of the Wicked: By likening the godless to a scavenging kite (Job 15:23), Scripture portrays sin as a relentless yet unsatisfied hunger. Ministry application presses believers to find true rest in Christ, the Bread of Life, rather than circle aimlessly over spiritual carrion. Natural History and Near Eastern Context Ancient writers—Aristotle, Pliny, and later Arabic naturalists—note the kite’s effortless glide and hovering stillness. In the Levant, the black kite (Milvus migrans) and the lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) are common. Their migration over Israel each spring would have been a familiar sight, reinforcing biblical imagery for original audiences. Lessons for Ministry and Christian Living 1. Discernment: As the kite’s keen eyes scan the earth, believers are called to cultivate spiritual perception through Scripture and prayer. Thus the humble אַיָּה, appearing only four times, serves as a vivid teacher on holiness, wisdom, and the way of life that finds its satisfaction in the Lord. Forms and Transliterations אַיֵּ֑ה אַיָּֽה׃ איה איה׃ הָ֣אַיָּ֔ה הָאַיָּ֖ה האיה ’ay·yāh ’ay·yêh ’ayyāh ’ayyêh aiYah aiYeh hā’ayyāh hā·’ay·yāh haaiYahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Leviticus 11:14 HEB: הַ֨דָּאָ֔ה וְאֶת־ הָאַיָּ֖ה לְמִינָֽהּ׃ NAS: and the kite and the falcon in its kind, KJV: And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; INT: and the kite and the falcon kind Deuteronomy 14:13 Job 15:23 Job 28:7 4 Occurrences |
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