Lexical Summary qore: Caller, Proclaimer Original Word: קֹרֵא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance partridge Properly, active participle of qara'; a caller, i.e. Partridge (from its cry) -- partridge. See also Qowre'. see HEBREW qara' see HEBREW Qowre' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom qara Definition a partridge NASB Translation partridge (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. קֹרֵא noun masculineJeremiah 17:11. usually partridge (from calling; see Gray in FFP123 PostHastings DB under the word TristrMoab 129, 144 f.; otherwise BoHieroz. Participle 2, 81 ff.; ed. Roseum. vol. ii. 632 ff.); — 1 Samuel 26:20; Jeremiah 17:11, compare ׳עֵין הִקּוֺ Judges 15:19. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Figurative Sense קֹרֵא (qorēʾ) literally denotes the partridge, a ground-dwelling bird named for its persistent, ringing call. In Scripture the bird’s habits supply vivid metaphors for futility, vulnerability, and deceptive gain. Biblical Occurrences 1. 1 Samuel 26:20 – David likens himself to “a flea, like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains,” underscoring Saul’s disproportionate pursuit of a harmless target. Only these two passages employ the noun, yet together they establish a unified biblical portrait: the partridge represents vanity—whether the vanity of obsessive persecution or the vanity of dishonest prosperity. Natural History and Identification Ancient Palestine hosted two principal species: the Sand Partridge (Ammoperdix heyi) and the Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar). Both live in rocky uplands—the very hills where David fled. Their mottled plumage offers camouflage, but once flushed they run before taking short, whirring flights. Nests are shallow ground scrapes; when threatened, a parent may feign injury to lure predators away, an image echoing the bird’s portrayal of elusive security in Jeremiah. The incessant call—often rendered “koreh, koreh”—explains the Hebrew name. Historical and Cultural Background Partridges were not a principal food source; their capture required arduous pursuit through rugged terrain. Hunters commonly drove them toward nets or struck them with sticks mid-flight. Such effort for a small yield made the bird an apt emblem of wasted labor. Rabbinic literature later associated the partridge with theft because of its supposed habit of brooding eggs it had rolled from other nests—a belief already reflected in Jeremiah. Symbolic and Theological Themes • Vanity of Misplaced Zeal (1 Samuel 26) Saul’s royal resources are expended on a hunt as trivial as chasing a single partridge. The episode exposes the self-destructive nature of envy (James 3:16) and highlights divine vindication of the righteous sufferer (Psalm 57:2–3). • Ill-Gotten Gain (Jeremiah 17) The partridge that steals eggs mirrors the person who amasses wealth outside God’s covenantal boundaries. Any apparent security proves temporary; riches “desert him,” echoing Proverbs 13:11 and reinforcing that true prosperity flows from righteousness (Psalm 112:1–3). • Futility Versus Providence Both texts contrast human striving with the sovereign oversight of God. David entrusts his fate to the LORD rather than retaliate (1 Samuel 26:23–24). Jeremiah sets fraudulent accumulation against God’s searching of “the heart and the mind” (Jeremiah 17:10). The bird thus accentuates the call to rely on divine provision (Matthew 6:25–34). Lessons for Faith and Ministry 1. Guard the heart from consuming pursuits—whether personal vendettas or covetous ambitions—that drain spiritual vitality and hinder mission. Christological and Prophetic Dimensions David, hunted “like…a partridge,” foreshadows the greater Son of David, Jesus Christ, whom authorities pursued despite His innocence (John 15:25). The theme anticipates the Suffering Servant mocked and rejected yet exalted by God (Isaiah 53:10–12; Philippians 2:8–9). Jeremiah’s warning about dishonest riches finds its ultimate resolution in the gospel, where incorruptible treasure is secured in Christ (1 Peter 1:3–4). Practical Applications • Personal Assessment: Examine motives behind ambition; ask whether pursuits further God’s kingdom or resemble a wearying chase after “partridges in the mountains.” Conclusion קֹרֵא serves as a compact yet potent biblical vehicle, translating the ordinary behavior of a small upland bird into enduring lessons on integrity, humility, and trust in the LORD. Through the lens of the partridge, Scripture warns against fruitless obsession and dishonest gain while calling believers to rest in divine justice and provision. Forms and Transliterations הַקֹּרֵ֖א הקרא קֹרֵ֤א קרא hakkoRe haq·qō·rê haqqōrê koRe qō·rê qōrêLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Samuel 26:20 HEB: כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יִרְדֹּ֥ף הַקֹּרֵ֖א בֶּהָרִֽים׃ NAS: as one hunts a partridge in the mountains. KJV: as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains. INT: one hunts A partridge the mountains Jeremiah 17:11 2 Occurrences |
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