The sea-gull, a bird commonly found along coastlines and large bodies of water, is mentioned in the Bible within the context of dietary laws and unclean animals. In the Scriptures, the sea-gull is classified among the birds that the Israelites were forbidden to eat. This classification is part of the broader Levitical and Deuteronomic laws that outline clean and unclean animals.

Biblical References:

1. Leviticus 11:13-19 : In this passage, God provides Moses and Aaron with a list of birds that are considered detestable and should not be eaten by the Israelites. The sea-gull is included in this list: "These are the birds you are to detest and not eat because they are detestable: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, any kind of black kite, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk..."

2. Deuteronomy 14:12-18 : This passage reiterates the dietary restrictions concerning birds, again listing the sea-gull among those that are unclean: "But these you may not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, the black kite, any kind of falcon, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk..."

Cultural and Symbolic Significance:

In the biblical context, the sea-gull, like other birds of prey and scavengers, is associated with uncleanliness due to its feeding habits. Sea-gulls are known to consume a wide variety of food, including carrion and refuse, which may have contributed to their classification as unclean. The dietary laws served not only as a means of physical health and hygiene but also as a spiritual discipline, setting the Israelites apart from other nations and reminding them of their covenant with God.

Natural History:

Sea-gulls are part of the family Laridae and are typically found in coastal regions, though they can also be seen inland near large lakes and rivers. They are known for their adaptability, intelligence, and opportunistic feeding behavior. Sea-gulls have a distinctive appearance, often characterized by their white and gray plumage, long wings, and webbed feet.

Theological Reflection:

The inclusion of the sea-gull in the list of unclean birds highlights the importance of obedience to God's commandments in the Old Testament. The dietary laws, including the prohibition against eating certain birds, were a tangible expression of holiness and separation unto the Lord. While Christians today are not bound by these dietary restrictions (as seen in Acts 10:9-16, where Peter is shown a vision declaring all foods clean), the principles of discernment and dedication to God remain relevant.

In summary, the sea-gull's mention in the Bible serves as a reminder of the distinctiveness required of God's people and the call to live in accordance with His statutes.7828. shachaph -- a sea mew, gull
... Short Definition: gull. Word Origin from an unused word Definition a sea mew,
gull NASB Word Usage sea gull (2). cuckoo. From an unused ...
/hebrew/7828.htm - 5k

Modern Library of the World's Best Books
... Poems 23 SYMONDS, JOHN A. The Life of Michelangelo 49 TACITUS The Complete Works
of 222 TCHEKOV, ANTON Short Stories 50 TCHEKOV, ANTON Sea Gull, Cherry Orchard ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/renan/the life of jesus/modern library of the worlds.htm

The Last Two Verses of Chapterviii. ...
... are looking at, and the wild, despairing, yet sad counsel, to "live merrily" is
in strict harmony with the wild, awful darkness, like the sea-gull's scream in ...
/.../jennings/old groans and new songs/chapter ix the last two.htm

Andromeda
... Living, a wonder, outgrown from the tight-laced gold of his sandals; Bounding from
billow to billow, and sweeping the crests like a sea-gull; Leaping the gulfs ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/andromeda and other poems/andromeda.htm

Environment.
... Hunter, for example, in a classical experiment, so changed the Environment of a
sea-gull by keeping it in captivity that it could only secure a grain diet. ...
/.../drummond/natural law in the spiritual world/environment.htm

The Mysteries of the Brazen Serpent
... In upper chambers, where mourning relatives are pouring floods of tears upon their
burning brows; far away on the wild sea, where the sea-gull utters the only ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/the mysteries of the brazen.htm

Seagull (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Seagull (1 Occurrence). Deuteronomy 14:15 and the ostrich,
and the owl, and the seagull, and the hawk after its kind, (WEB). ...
/s/seagull.htm - 6k

Sea-gull (2 Occurrences)
Sea-gull. Seagull, Sea-gull. Seah . Multi-Version Concordance Sea-gull
(2 Occurrences). ... Seagull, Sea-gull. Seah . Reference Bible.
/s/sea-gull.htm - 6k

Sea-mew (2 Occurrences)
... SEA-MEW. se'-mu (shachaph; laros; Latin, Larus canus): The sea-gull. ... The sea-gull
is a "slender" bird, but not "lean" as the root shachaph implies. ...
/s/sea-mew.htm - 8k

Seamew (1 Occurrence)
... SEA-MEW. se'-mu (shachaph; laros; Latin, Larus canus): The sea-gull. ... The sea-gull
is a "slender" bird, but not "lean" as the root shachaph implies. ...
/s/seamew.htm - 8k

Female (95 Occurrences)
... NIV). Leviticus 11:16 and the female ostrich and the male ostrich, and the
sea-gull, and the hawk, after its kind; (DBY). Leviticus ...
/f/female.htm - 38k

Gull (2 Occurrences)
... NIV). Deuteronomy 14:15 and the ostrich, and the owl, and the seagull, and
the hawk after its kind, (Root in WEB DBY NAS RSV NIV). ...
/g/gull.htm - 7k

Cuckoo (2 Occurrences)
... the Hebrew word by "petrel" or "shearwater" (Puffinus cinereus), which is found
on the coast of Syria; others think it denotes the "sea-gull" or "seamew." The ...
/c/cuckoo.htm - 9k

Screech (4 Occurrences)
... hawk, (WEB NIV). Deuteronomy 14:15 and the ostrich, and the owl, and the seagull,
and the hawk after its kind, (See NIV). Isaiah 34:11 ...
/s/screech.htm - 8k

Seah (3 Occurrences)

/s/seah.htm - 7k

Sea-grass (1 Occurrence)
Sea-grass. Sea-force, Sea-grass. Seagull . Multi-Version Concordance Sea-grass
(1 Occurrence). ... (BBE). Sea-force, Sea-grass. Seagull . Reference Bible.
/s/sea-grass.htm - 6k

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