Lexical Summary oph: birds, bird, winged Original Word: עוֹף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bird, that flieth, flying, fowl From uwph; a bird (as covered with feathers, or rather as covering with wings), often collectively -- bird, that flieth, flying, fowl. see HEBREW uwph NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom uph Definition flying creatures NASB Translation bird (17), birds (49), fowl (1), winged (3), wings (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs עוֺף70 noun masculineGenesis 40:17 collective flying creatures, fowl, insects; — ׳ע absolute Genesis 1:20 +, construct Genesis 1:21 +; — 1 fowl, birds, Genesis 40:17,19 (E), Genesis 7:8 (J), Genesis 1:20,22 (P), 1 Kings 5:13 +; especially (38 t.) הַשָּׁמַיִם ׳ע fowl of sky, Genesis 2:19,20 (J), Genesis 1:26,28,30 (P), Hosea 2:20; Ecclesiastes 10:20 +, carrion birds 1 Samuel 17:44,46; 2 Samuel 21:10; 1 Kings 14:11 11t.; הָרִים ׳ע Psalm 50:11, נוֺדֵד ׳ע Isaiah 16:2, ׳כִּכְלוּב מָלֵא ע Jeremiah 5:27; redundantly כָּנָף ׳ע fowl of wing Genesis 1:21 (P), Psalm 78:27 (for food); for food also Leviticus 7:26 (P), Leviticus 17:13; Leviticus 20:25 (both H), compare Leviticus 11:13,46 (H, clean and unclean); for offering Genesis 8:20 (J; הַטָּהוֺר ׳הָע), Leviticus 1:14 (P). 2 winged insects (clean and unclean) הַהֹלֵךְ עַלאַֿרְבַּע ׳שֶׁרֶץ הָע Leviticus 11:20,21 (H), ׳הָע ׳שׁ Deuteronomy 14:19, so probably ׳הָע alone Deuteronomy 14:20; ׳הָע ׳שׁ אֲשֶׁרלֿוֺ אַרְבַּע רַגְלָ֑ יִם Leviticus 11:23 (H). Topical Lexicon Scope and Range of the Wordעֹוף (ʿôph) denotes all creatures that move through the air by means of wings—birds, bats, insects in flight, and even angelic figures symbolically portrayed with wings. Context decides whether common birds, predatory raptors, or a broader class of flying things is intended. Roughly seventy-one occurrences span Genesis to Zephaniah, touching narrative, legal, poetic, and prophetic material. Creation and Dominion Genesis 1:20–22 introduces עֹוף on the fifth day. “And God said, ‘Let the waters teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the sky.’ … And God blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply…’ ”. Immediately the text links heaven and earth, water and air, under one sovereign Creator. Adam’s naming of the עֹוף (Genesis 2:19-20) underscores humanity’s vice-regency. After the flood the same creatures enter and exit the ark (Genesis 7:3; 8:17), and God’s covenant embraces “every living creature … the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth” (Genesis 9:10). Thus Scripture consistently presents the flying creatures as witnesses to God’s creative power, providence, and covenant faithfulness. Clean and Unclean Distinctions Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 list specific עֹוף that are “detestable” and therefore unclean. The prohibited list focuses on carrion-eaters and predators (eagle, vulture, raven, owl, etc.), emphasizing that God’s people must separate from death and predation. Clean birds such as doves and pigeons are acceptable for sacrifice (Leviticus 1:14; 5:7; 12:8), offering a gracious provision for the poor, as seen in Mary and Joseph’s offering after Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:24). These regulations illustrate holiness expressed in daily diet and worship, anticipating the ultimate purity provided in Christ. Imagery of Care and Provision Psalm 104:12 pictures עֹוף nesting “beside them the birds of the sky dwell; they sing among the branches”, while Psalm 147:9 sees God “giving food to the animals, and to the young ravens when they call.” God’s tender care for seemingly insignificant creatures becomes a recurring sermon illustration (Job 38:41; Matthew 6:26). Ministry application: the Creator who sustains a sparrow sustains His people; anxiety is misplaced where divine providence is acknowledged. Symbols of Judgment and Curse Unburied corpses becoming food for the עֹוף mark covenant judgment (Deuteronomy 28:26; 1 Samuel 17:44; Jeremiah 7:33). Babylon’s fall is foretold with imagery of desolation where only desert birds remain (Isaiah 13:21; Zephaniah 2:14). The same symbolism reappears in Revelation 19:17-18, revealing canonical coherence in the language of judgment. Figures of Speed, Freedom, and Elusiveness Proverbs 23:5 warns, “When you set your eyes on wealth, it disappears, for suddenly it sprouts wings and flies away like an eagle”. Ecclesiastes 10:20 counsels guarded speech lest a “bird of the air” carry the matter. Hosea 11:11 anticipates Israel’s swift return “like birds from Egypt.” The varied metaphors exploit the universally observed dynamics of flight to teach moral lessons. Use in Poetry and Wisdom Literature Job 28:7 points to a “path that no bird of prey knows,” contrasting human ignorance with divine omniscience. In Psalm 8:8, the “birds of the air” demonstrate mankind’s delegated rule, yet ultimately magnify the LORD’s majestic name. Poetic texts employ עֹוף to celebrate creation and to humble human pride. Prophetic Visions and Messianic Echoes Ezekiel 17 compares the monarchies of Israel and Babylon to eagles transplanting cedars, anticipating the Messiah’s kingdom as the lofty cedar under which “birds of every kind will nest” (Ezekiel 17:23, cf. Matthew 13:32). The prophetic birds anticipate gospel inclusion of the nations. Representative Occurrences • Genesis 1:20-21; 2:19-20; 7:3; 9:2-10 Ministry Implications 1. Stewardship: Dominion over עֹוף calls believers to wise environmental care without idolatry. The biblical theology of עֹוף, from Genesis to Revelation, testifies to the majestic harmony, moral instruction, and redemptive purpose inherent in all God’s works. Forms and Transliterations בָּע֤וֹף בָּע֧וֹף בעוף הָע֔וֹף הָע֖וֹף הָע֛וֹף הָע֣וֹף הָע֥וֹף העוף וְהָע֔וֹף וְהָע֖וֹף וְהָע֗וֹף וְע֥וֹף וְע֨וֹף וְעוֹף֙ וָע֔וֹף וּבְע֣וֹף וּבָע֗וֹף וּלְע֣וֹף וּלְע֥וֹף וּמֵע֖וֹף ובעוף והעוף ולעוף ומעוף ועוף כְּע֥וֹף כְעוֹף־ כָּע֖וֹף כעוף כעוף־ לְע֣וֹף לְע֥וֹף לָע֖וֹף לעוף מֵהָע֣וֹף מֵע֤וֹף מֵע֧וֹף מהעוף מעוף ע֔וֹף ע֖וֹף ע֣וֹף ע֤וֹף ע֥וֹף ע֧וֹף ע֨וֹף עוֹף־ עוף עוף־ ‘ō·wp̄ ‘ō·wp̄- ‘ōwp̄ ‘ōwp̄- bā‘ōwp̄ bā·‘ō·wp̄ baof cheof hā‘ōwp̄ hā·‘ō·wp̄ haof kā‘ōwp̄ kā·‘ō·wp̄ kaof kə‘ōwp̄ ḵə‘ōwp̄- kə·‘ō·wp̄ ḵə·‘ō·wp̄- keof lā‘ōwp̄ lā·‘ō·wp̄ laof lə‘ōwp̄ lə·‘ō·wp̄ leof mê‘ōwp̄ mê·‘ō·wp̄ mê·hā·‘ō·wp̄ mêhā‘ōwp̄ mehaof meof of ū·ḇā·‘ō·wp̄ ū·ḇə·‘ō·wp̄ ū·lə·‘ō·wp̄ ū·mê·‘ō·wp̄ ūḇā‘ōwp̄ ūḇə‘ōwp̄ ūlə‘ōwp̄ uleof ūmê‘ōwp̄ umeof uvaof uveof vaof vehaof veOf wā‘ōwp̄ wā·‘ō·wp̄ wə‘ōwp̄ wə·‘ō·wp̄ wə·hā·‘ō·wp̄ wəhā‘ōwp̄Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 1:20 HEB: נֶ֣פֶשׁ חַיָּ֑ה וְעוֹף֙ יְעוֹפֵ֣ף עַל־ NAS: creatures, and let birds fly KJV: life, and fowl [that] may fly INT: creatures of living birds fly above Genesis 1:21 Genesis 1:22 Genesis 1:26 Genesis 1:28 Genesis 1:30 Genesis 2:19 Genesis 2:20 Genesis 6:7 Genesis 6:20 Genesis 7:3 Genesis 7:8 Genesis 7:14 Genesis 7:21 Genesis 7:23 Genesis 8:17 Genesis 8:19 Genesis 8:20 Genesis 9:2 Genesis 9:10 Genesis 40:17 Genesis 40:19 Leviticus 1:14 Leviticus 7:26 Leviticus 11:13 71 Occurrences |
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