8580. tinshemeth

Lexicon

tinshemeth: Mole, chameleon, or owl (depending on context)

Original Word: תַּנְשֶׁמֶת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: tanshemeth
Pronunciation: tin-sheh'-meth
Phonetic Spelling: (tan-sheh'-meth)
Definition: Mole, chameleon, or owl (depending on context)
Meaning: a hard breather, two unclean creatures, a lizard and a, bird, the tree-toad and the water-hen

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

mole, swan

From nasham; properly, a hard breather, i.e. The name of two unclean creatures, a lizard and a bird (both perhaps from changing color through their irascibility), probably the tree-toad and the water-hen -- mole, swan.

see HEBREW nasham

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from nasham
Definition
(an animal) perhaps owl, chameleon
NASB Translation
chameleon (1), white owl (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

תִּנְשֶׁ֫מֶת noun feminine an animal; — ׳ת Leviticus 11:18, תִּנְשָּׁ֑מֶת Leviticus 11:30; Deuteronomy 14:16: —

1 unclean bird, the ibis, water-hen, ᵐ5. πορφυρίων, (accusative Tristr^{NHB 249}); or species of owl (Di Bu SS); pelican (Ges): Leviticus 11:18 = Deuteronomy 14:16.

2 unclean שֶׁרֶץ Leviticus 11:30, lizard (Saad Tristr^{NHB 120}), or chameleon (Bo^{Hieroz. i. 1078 ff.; ed. Rosenm. ii. 503 ff.}), so most; (deriving name from alleged living on air, Plin^{NH viii. 51}; but this not applicable to 1; compare Lag^{BN 130 f.}).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root נָשַׁם (nasham), meaning "to pant" or "to breathe heavily."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There are no direct Greek equivalents for "tanshemet" in the Strong's Greek Concordance, as the term is specific to the Hebrew dietary laws and cultural context. However, the concept of unclean animals is addressed in the New Testament, particularly in discussions about dietary laws and purity (e.g., Acts 10:14-15, Romans 14:14).

Usage: The word "tanshemet" appears in the context of the dietary laws given to the Israelites, specifically in the lists of unclean animals that are not to be eaten.

Context: • The term "tanshemet" is found in Leviticus 11:18 and Deuteronomy 14:16, where it is listed among the unclean birds. In Leviticus 11:30, it is also mentioned among the unclean creeping things. The exact identification of the creatures referred to by "tanshemet" is uncertain, but traditional interpretations suggest it may refer to the tree-toad and the water-hen.
• In Leviticus 11:18 (BSB), the text states: "the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat." Here, "tanshemet" is translated as "the hoopoe."
• In Leviticus 11:30 (BSB), the text includes: "the gecko, the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink, and the chameleon." In this context, "tanshemet" is translated as "the chameleon."
• The classification of "tanshemet" as unclean highlights the importance of ritual purity in the Israelite community, emphasizing the separation between the holy and the common.

Forms and Transliterations

הַתִּנְשֶׁ֥מֶת התנשמת וְהַתִּנְשָֽׁמֶת׃ והתנשמת׃ hat·tin·še·meṯ hattinšemeṯ hattinShemet vehattinShamet wə·hat·tin·šā·meṯ wəhattinšāmeṯ

Englishman's Concordance

Leviticus 11:18
HEB: וְאֶת־ הַתִּנְשֶׁ֥מֶת וְאֶת־ הַקָּאָ֖ת
NAS: and the white owl and the pelican
KJV: And the swan, and the pelican,
INT: and the white and the pelican and the carrion

Leviticus 11:30
HEB: וְהַלְּטָאָ֑ה וְהַחֹ֖מֶט וְהַתִּנְשָֽׁמֶת׃
NAS: and the sand reptile, and the chameleon.
KJV: and the snail, and the mole.
INT: and the lizard and the sand and the chameleon

Deuteronomy 14:16
HEB: וְאֶת־ הַיַּנְשׁ֖וּף וְהַתִּנְשָֽׁמֶת׃
NAS: the great owl, the white owl,
KJV: and the great owl, and the swan,
INT: the little the great the white

3 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 8580
3 Occurrences

hat·tin·še·meṯ — 1 Occ.
wə·hat·tin·šā·meṯ — 2 Occ.