The heron is a bird mentioned in the Bible, specifically in the context of dietary laws given to the Israelites. In the Old Testament, the heron is classified among the unclean birds that the Israelites were forbidden to eat. This classification is found in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, which outline the dietary restrictions that were part of the Mosaic Law.

Biblical References:

1. Leviticus 11:19 : "the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat."

2. Deuteronomy 14:18 : "the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat."

In these passages, the heron is listed alongside other birds that are considered detestable and not to be consumed by the Israelites. The specific reasons for the heron's classification as unclean are not detailed in the text, but it is grouped with other birds that are often scavengers or birds of prey, which were generally avoided in the Israelite diet.

Cultural and Symbolic Significance:

The heron, known for its long legs and neck, is a wading bird commonly found in marshes and wetlands. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, birds often held symbolic meanings, and the heron may have been associated with certain characteristics or behaviors that led to its inclusion in the list of unclean animals. The dietary laws served not only as a means of physical health and hygiene but also as a way to set the Israelites apart from surrounding nations, emphasizing their distinct identity and covenant relationship with God.

Natural History:

Herons are part of the family Ardeidae and are known for their fishing skills, using their sharp beaks to catch fish and other aquatic creatures. They are typically solitary hunters and can be found in a variety of wetland habitats. The heron's diet and habitat may have contributed to its classification as unclean, as it often feeds on creatures that dwell in environments considered impure by ancient Israelite standards.

Theological Implications:

The mention of the heron in the dietary laws highlights the broader theological theme of holiness and separation found throughout the Old Testament. By adhering to these dietary restrictions, the Israelites demonstrated obedience to God's commandments and maintained a lifestyle that reflected their consecration to Him. The laws served as a constant reminder of their unique calling and the need to remain distinct from the practices of other nations.

In summary, the heron is one of the many birds listed as unclean in the Mosaic Law, symbolizing the broader principle of holiness and separation that characterized the covenant relationship between God and the Israelites.Heron

(Leviticus 11:19; 14:18) a common large, wading, unclean bird. Nearly all of the species known in English ornithology are found in the vicinity of Palestine. Canon Cook and others think the bird intended is the plover (Charadrius aedicnemus), a greedy, thick kneed, high-flying migratory bird, very common in the East, on the banks of rivers and shores of lakes. --ED.

Heron

This name is put in Le 11:19 De 14:18, for a Hebrew word of very uncertain meaning. See BIRDS.

(Leviticus 11:19; Deuteronomy 14:18), ranked among the unclean birds. The Hebrew name is 'anaphah, and indicates that the bird so named is remarkable for its angry disposition. "The herons are wading-birds, peculiarly irritable, remarkable for their voracity, frequenting marshes and oozy rivers, and spread over the regions of the East." The Ardea russeta, or little golden egret, is the commonest species in Asia. (n.) Any wading bird of the genus Ardea and allied genera, of the family Ardeidae. The herons have a long, sharp bill, and long legs and toes, with the claw of the middle toe toothed. The common European heron (Ardea cinerea) is remarkable for its directly ascending flight, and was formerly hunted with the larger falcons.HERON

her'-un ('anaphah; charadrios; Latin Ardea cinerea): Herons are mentioned only in the abomination lists of Leviticus 11:19 (margin "ibis") and Deuteronomy 14:18. They are near relatives of crane, stork, ibis and bittern. These birds, blue, white or brown, swarmed in Europe and wintered around Merom, along the Jordan, at the headwaters of the Jabbok and along its marshy bed in the dry season. Herons of Southern Africa that summered in the Holy Land loved to nest on the banks of Merom, and raise their young among the bulrushes, papyrus, reeds and water grasses, although it is their usual habit to build in large trees. The white herons were small, the blue, larger, and the brown, close to the same size. The blue were 3 1/2 ft. in length, and had a 5-ft. sweep. The beak, neck and legs constituted two-thirds of the length of the body, which is small, lean and bony, taking its appearance of size from its long loose feathers. Moses no doubt forbade these birds as an article of diet, because they ate fish and in older specimens would be tough, dark and evil smelling. The very poor of our western and southeastern coast states eat them.

Gene Stratton-Porter

2032. heron -- conception, pregnancy
heron or herayon. 2031, 2032. heron or herayon. 2033 . conception, pregnancy.
Transliteration: heron or herayon Phonetic Spelling ...
/hebrew/2032.htm - 6k

601. anaphah -- a ceremonially unclean bird
... 600, 601. anaphah. 602 . a ceremonially unclean bird. Transliteration: anaphah
Phonetic Spelling: (an-aw-faw') Short Definition: heron. ... heron. ...
/hebrew/601.htm - 6k

3244. yanshuph -- (a ceremonially unclean bird) perhaps an owl
... Or yanshowph {yan-shofe'}; apparently from nashaph; an unclean (acquatic) bird;
probably the heron (perhaps from its blowing cry, or because the night-heron is ...
/hebrew/3244.htm - 6k

Of the Death of the Old Man Heron.
... II. Second Conference of Abbot Moses. Chapter V. Of the death of the old
man Heron. And to support this judgment delivered of old ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter v of the death.htm

The High Woods
... On one log a huge black and white heron moped all alone, looking in the mist
as tall as a man; and would not move for all our shouts. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter vii the high woods.htm

Under Ban of the Ritual
... Palm and tamarisk, acacia and rose-shrub, jasmine and purple mimosa made a
multi-tinted jungle about a shadowy pool in which a white heron stood knee-deep. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter ii under ban of.htm

The Macedonians, Pressed by the Emperor's violence Toward Them ...
... To our beloved brethren and fellow-ministers, Evethius, Cyril, Hyperechius, Uranius,
Heron, Elpidius, Maximus, Eusebius, Eucarpius, Heortasius, Neon, Eumathius ...
/.../chapter xii the macedonians pressed by.htm

The Martyrs in Alexandria.
... 19. The Egyptians, Heron and Ater and Isidorus, and with them Dioscorus,
[2096] a boy about fifteen years old, were delivered up. ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter xli the martyrs in alexandria.htm

Epistle iii. --To Fabius, Bishop of Antioch.
... 7. Heron also, and Ater, [808] and Isidorus [809] who were Egyptians, and along
with them Dioscorus, a boy of about fifteen years of age, were delivered up. ...
/.../dionysius/the works of dionysius/epistle iii to fabius bishop of.htm

Whether There was any Reasonable Cause for the Ceremonial ...
... The heron [*Vulg.: 'herodionem'], commonly called a falcon, signifies those whose
"feet are swift to shed blood" (Ps.13:3). The plover [*Here, again, the Douay ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether there was any reasonable.htm

The Gods of Egypt
... Nevertheless, by an anomaly not uncommon in religions, the egg did not always contain
the same kind of bird; a lapwing, or a heron, might come out of it,[*] or ...
/.../chapter ii the gods of egypt.htm

The Works of John Cassian.
... Chapter IV. What is said of the value of discretion in Holy Scripture.
Chapter V. Of the death of the old man Heron. Chapter VI. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/cassian/the works of john cassian /

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty --(Continued)
... [Illustration: 052.jpg QUEEN MUTEMUAU.]. Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a photograph
by Daniel Heron. ... Drawn by Boudier, from a photograph by Daniel Heron. ...
/.../chapter ithe eighteenth theban dynastycontinued.htm

Heron (2 Occurrences)
... The common European heron (Ardea cinerea) is remarkable for its directly ascending
flight, and was formerly hunted with the larger falcons. Int. ...HERON. ...
/h/heron.htm - 9k

Bittern (4 Occurrences)
... BITTERN. bit'-ern (qippodh; Latin Botaurus stellaris; Greek echinos): A nocturnal
member of the heron family, frequenting swamps and marshy places. ...
/b/bittern.htm - 14k

Stork (6 Occurrences)
... transliteration of Hebrew); Zechariah 5:9, (epops; Latin Ciconia alba): A large
wading bird of the family Ardeidae, related to crane, ibis, heron and bittern. ...
/s/stork.htm - 14k

Lapwing (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Lapwing (2 Occurrences). Leviticus 11:19 And the stork,
the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. (KJV WBS YLT). ...
/l/lapwing.htm - 8k

Bat (2 Occurrences)
... Bat (2 Occurrences). Leviticus 11:19 the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe,
and the bat. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/b/bat.htm - 10k

Hoopoe (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Hoopoe (2 Occurrences). Leviticus 11:19 the stork, any
kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat. (WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV NIV). ...
/h/hoopoe.htm - 9k

Heroes (8 Occurrences)

/h/heroes.htm - 9k

Hers (15 Occurrences)

/h/hers.htm - 11k

Kinds (110 Occurrences)
... kind, (See JPS). Leviticus 11:19 and the stork, the heron after its kind,
and the hoopoe, and the bat. (See JPS NAS). Leviticus 11 ...
/k/kinds.htm - 36k

Wanderings (7 Occurrences)
... and in the wilderness, such as the cormorant, pelican and gull; the ostrich (in
the desert East of Moab); the stork, the crane and the heron which migrate from ...
/w/wanderings.htm - 40k

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