Jump to: Smith's • ATS • ISBE • Easton's • Webster's • Concordance • Thesaurus • Greek • Hebrew • Library • Subtopics • Terms Topical Encyclopedia The hawk is a bird of prey mentioned in the Bible, known for its keen eyesight and swift flight. In the Scriptures, the hawk is often used symbolically to convey messages about God's creation and His providence. The Hebrew word for hawk is "נֵץ" (netz), and it appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.Biblical References: 1. Leviticus 11:16 and Deuteronomy 14:15 · The hawk is listed among the unclean birds that the Israelites were forbidden to eat. These dietary laws were part of the Mosaic Law, which set the Israelites apart from other nations and taught them principles of holiness and obedience. The inclusion of the hawk in this list underscores its role as a predator and scavenger, characteristics that rendered it unclean according to the Levitical code. 2. Job 39:26 · "Does the hawk take flight by your understanding and spread its wings toward the south?" . In this passage, God challenges Job with a series of questions about the natural world, highlighting His sovereignty and wisdom in creation. The hawk's migratory patterns and instinctual behavior are presented as evidence of God's intricate design and control over the animal kingdom. Symbolism and Themes: · Divine Wisdom and Providence: The hawk's ability to navigate vast distances and its precise hunting skills are often seen as a testament to God's wisdom and providence. The rhetorical question posed to Job emphasizes that such abilities are beyond human understanding and are orchestrated by the Creator. · Judgment and Swiftness: In some interpretations, the hawk's swift flight and predatory nature symbolize judgment and the swiftness with which God can execute His will. The bird's sharp vision and ability to spot prey from great heights can be seen as a metaphor for God's all-seeing eye and His ability to discern the hearts of men. · Separation and Holiness: As an unclean bird, the hawk serves as a reminder of the importance of separation and holiness in the life of the believer. The dietary laws, including the prohibition against eating hawks, were designed to teach the Israelites about purity and the need to distinguish between the holy and the profane. Cultural and Historical Context: In the ancient Near East, hawks were known for their hunting prowess and were often associated with royalty and power. Their ability to soar high and strike with precision made them symbols of strength and authority. This cultural backdrop provides additional layers of meaning to the biblical references, as the hawk's characteristics would have been well understood by the original audience. Overall, the hawk in the Bible serves as a powerful symbol of God's creative power, His wisdom, and the call to holiness for His people. Its presence in the Scriptures invites reflection on the majesty of God's creation and the order He has established in the natural world. Smith's Bible Dictionary Hawk(Leviticus 11:16; 14:15; Job 39:26) The hawk includes various species of the Falconidae . With respect to the passage in Job (l.c.) which appears to allude to the migratory habits of hawks, it is curious to observe that of the ten or twelve lesser raptors (hawk tribe) of Palestine, nearly all are summer migrants. The kestrel remains all the year, but the others are all migrants from the south. ATS Bible Dictionary HawkOr FALCON, a strong-winged and rapacious bird, of several in Syria; unclean for the Hebrews, Le 11:16, but sacred among the Greeks and Egyptians. In its migrations, it illustrates the wise providence of the Creator, Job 39:26. Easton's Bible Dictionary (Hebrews netz, a word expressive of strong and rapid flight, and hence appropriate to the hawk). It is an unclean bird (Leviticus 11:16; Deuteronomy 14:15). It is common in Syria and surrounding countries. The Hebrew word includes various species of Falconidae, with special reference perhaps to the kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), the hobby (Hypotriorchis subbuteo), and the lesser kestrel (Tin, Cenchris). The kestrel remains all the year in Palestine, but some ten or twelve other species are all migrants from the south. Of those summer visitors to Palestine special mention may be made of the Falco sacer and the Falco lanarius. (see NIGHT-HAWK.) Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary 1. (n.) One of numerous species and genera of rapacious birds of the family Falconidae. They differ from the true falcons in lacking the prominent tooth and notch of the bill, and in having shorter and less pointed wings. Many are of large size and grade into the eagles. Some, as the goshawk, were formerly trained like falcons. In a more general sense the word is not infrequently applied, also, to true falcons, as the sparrow hawk, pigeon hawk, duck hawk, and prairie hawk.2. (v. i.) To catch, or attempt to catch, birds by means of hawks trained for the purpose, and let loose on the prey; to practice falconry. 3. (v. i.) To make an attack while on the wing; to soar and strike like a hawk; -- generally with at; as, to hawk at flies. 4. (v. i.) To clear the throat with an audible sound by forcing an expiratory current of air through the narrow passage between the depressed soft palate and the root of the tongue, thus aiding in the removal of foreign substances. 5. (v. t.) To raise by hawking, as phlegm. 6. (n.) An effort to force up phlegm from the throat, accompanied with noise. 7. (v. t.) To offer for sale by outcry in the street; to carry (merchandise) about from place to place for sale; to peddle; as, to hawk goods or pamphlets. 8. (n.) A small board, with a handle on the under side, to hold mortar. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia HAWKhok (nets; hierax, and glaux; Latin Accipiter nisus): A bird of prey of the genus accipiter. Large hawks were numerous in Palestine. The largest were 2 ft. long, have flat heads, hooked beaks, strong talons and eyes appearing the keenest and most comprehensive of any bird. They can sail the length or breadth of the Holy Land many times a day. It is a fact worth knowing that mist and clouds interfere with the vision of birds and they hide, and hungry and silent wait for fair weather, so you will see them sailing and soaring on clear days only. These large hawks and the glede are of eagle-like nature, nesting on Carmel and on the hills of Galilee, in large trees and on mountain crags. They flock near Beersheba, and live in untold numbers in the wilderness of the Dead Sea. They build a crude nest of sticks and twigs and carry most of the food alive to their young. Of course they were among the birds of prey that swarm over the fresh offal from slaughter and sacrifice. No bird steers with its tail in flight in a more pronounced manner than the hawk. These large birds are all-the-year residents, for which reason no doubt the people distinguished them from smaller families that migrated. They knew the kite that Isaiah mentioned in predicting the fall of Edom. With them the smaller, brighter-colored kestrels, that flocked over the rocky shores of the Dead Sea and over the ruins of deserted cities, seemed to be closest in appearance to the birds we include in the general term "falcon." Their ate mice, insects and small birds, but not carrion. The abomination lists of Leviticus 11:16 and Deuteronomy 14:15 each include hawks in a general term and specify several species as unfit for food. Job 39:26 reads: NIGHT HAWK nit'-hok (tachmac, "tachmas"; glaux, but sometimes strouthos, and seirenos; Latin camprimulgus): The Hebrew tachmac means "to tear and scratch the face," so that it is very difficult to select the bird intended by its use. Any member of the eagle, vulture, owl or hawk families driven to desperation would "tear and scratch" with the claws and bite in self-defence. The bird is mentioned only in the lists of abominations (see Leviticus 11:16 Deuteronomy 14:15). There are three good reasons why the night-hawk or night-jar, more properly, was intended. The lists were sweeping and included almost every common bird unfit for food. Because of its peculiar characteristics it had been made the object of fable and superstition. It fed on wing at night and constantly uttered weird cries. Lastly, it was a fierce fighter when disturbed in brooding or raising its young. Its habit was to lie on its back and fight with beak and claw with such ferocity that it seemed very possible that it would "tear and scratch the face." Some commentators insist that the bird intended was an owl, but for the above reasons the night-jar seems most probable; also several members of the owl family were clearly indicated in the list. Greek 2585. kapeleuo -- to make a trade of ... to make a trade of. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: kapeleuo Phonetic Spelling: (kap-ale-yoo'-o) Short Definition: I hawk, trade in Definition: I hawk ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2585.htm - 6k Strong's Hebrew 5322b. nets -- hawk, falcon (a bird of prey)... 5322a, 5322b. nets. 5323 . hawk, falcon (a bird of prey). Transliteration: nets Short Definition: hawk. Word Origin from an unused ... /hebrew/5322b.htm - 5k 344. ayyah -- a hawk, falcon, kite 5322. nets -- a blossom 8464. tachmas -- male ostrich 8465. Tachan -- an Ephraimite 5862. Etam -- three places in Isr. 5861. ayit -- a bird of prey Library The Egyptian Symbols and Enigmas of Sacred Things. On the Animals Spiritual Significance of the Precepts of Moses Respecting ... Christmas Day October 13. "The Carnal Mind is Enmity against God" (Rom. viii. 7) ... Allegorical Explanation of Genesis, Chap. I. , Concerning the ... But Besides, if Birds of Augury Converse with one Another... The Use of the Symbolic Style by Poets and Philosophers. The Snare of the Fowler The Political Constitution of Egypt Thesaurus Night-hawk (2 Occurrences)Night-hawk. Nighthawk, Night-hawk. Night-lodge . Easton's Bible Dictionary ... The Revised Version renders "night-hawk.". Multi-Version Concordance ... /n/night-hawk.htm - 7k Sea-hawk (2 Occurrences) Hawk (6 Occurrences) Hawk's (1 Occurrence) Nighthawk (2 Occurrences) Cuckow (2 Occurrences) Cuckoo (2 Occurrences) Sea-mew (2 Occurrences) Night (3322 Occurrences) Zoology Resources Is there any special meaning/symbolism to owls in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgHawk: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Concordance Hawk (6 Occurrences)Leviticus 11:16 Deuteronomy 14:15 Job 39:13 Job 39:26 Psalms 74:19 Isaiah 34:11 Subtopics Hawk: A Carnivorous and Ceremonially Unclean Bird Related Terms |
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