Reference: Bird
Easton
Birds are divided in the Mosaic law into two classes, (1) the clean (Le 1:14-17; 5:7-10; 14:4-7), which were offered in sacrifice; and (2) the unclean (Le 11:13-20). When offered in sacrifice, they were not divided as other victims were (Ge 15:10). They are mentioned also as an article of food (De 14:11). The art of snaring wild birds is referred to (Ps 124:7; Pr 1:17; 7:23; Jer 5:27). Singing birds are mentioned in Ps 104:12; Ec 12:4. Their timidity is alluded to (Ho 11:11). The reference in Ps 84:3 to the swallow and the sparrow may be only a comparison equivalent to, "What her house is to the sparrow, and her nest to the swallow, that thine altars are to my soul."
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All these he took, cutting them in two and putting one half opposite the other, but not cutting the birds in two.
And if his offering to the Lord is a burned offering of birds, then he is to make his offering of doves or of young pigeons. And the priest is to take it to the altar, and after its head has been twisted off, it is to be burned on the altar, and its blood drained out on the side of the altar: read more. And he is to take away its stomach, with its feathers, and put it down by the east side of the altar, where the burned waste is put: And let it be broken open at the wings, but not cut in two; and let it be burned on the altar by the priest on the wood which is on the fire; it is a burned offering; an offering made by fire for a sweet smell to the Lord.
And if he has not money enough for a lamb, then let him give, for his offering to the Lord, two doves or two young pigeons; one for a sin-offering and one for a burned offering. And let him take them to the priest, who will first give the sin-offering, twisting off its head from its neck, but not cutting it in two; read more. And he is to put drops of the blood of the offering on the side of the altar, and the rest of the blood is to be drained out at the base of the altar; it is a sin-offering. And the second is for a burned offering, in agreement with the law; and the priest will take away his sin and he will have forgiveness.
And among birds these are to be disgusting to you, and not to be used for food: the eagle and the gier-eagle and the ospray; And the kite and the falcon, and birds of that sort; read more. Every raven, and birds of that sort; And the ostrich and the night-hawk and the sea-hawk, and birds of that sort; And the little owl and the cormorant and the great owl; And the water-hen and the pelican and the vulture; The stork and the heron, and birds of that sort, and the hoopoe and the bat. Every winged four-footed thing which goes on the earth is disgusting to you;
Then the priest is to give orders to take, for him who is to be made clean, two living clean birds and some cedar wood and red thread and hyssop. And the priest will give orders for one of the birds to be put to death in a vessel made of earth, over flowing water. read more. And he will take the living bird and the wood and the red thread and the hyssop and put them in the blood of the bird which was put to death over flowing water. And shaking it seven times over the man who is to be made clean, he will say that he is clean and will let the living bird go free into the open country.
The little birds have places for themselves, where they may put their young, even your altars, O Lord of armies, my King and my God.
The birds of the air have their resting-places by them, and make their song among the branches.
Truly, to no purpose is the net stretched out before the eyes of the bird:
Like a bird falling into a net; with no thought that his life is in danger, till an arrow goes into his side.
When the doors are shut in the street, and the sound of the crushing is low, and the voice of the bird is soft, and the daughters of music will be made low;
As the fowl-house is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: for this reason they have become great and have got wealth.
Shaking with fear like a bird, they will come out of Egypt, like a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will give them rest in their houses, says the Lord.
Fausets
Hebrew 'oph, "a flying thing," in general; including even winged insects, though mostly used of birds. Ravenous birds are expressed by the Hebrew 'ait; Greek aetos, one that pounces on prey; smaller birds, as the sparrow, are called in Hebrew tsippor, the "tsip" imitating its note. Snaring of birds by net and gin is the image used for the plots of bad men and Satan, to catch souls to their ruin (Ps 91:3; 124:7; Jer 5:26-27). The "cage full of birds" is the trap with decoy birds to lure others, upon whom then the trap door was dropped. It is also the image for the awfully sudden and unexpected surprise with which Christ's second coming shall overtake the worldly in the midst of carnal security (Lu 21:35). The lake of Galilee still abounds in wild duck. The swan and goose (supposed to be meant in 1Ki 4:23) also are found.
Snaring and shooting with arrows were the usual modes of taking them. The youth seduced by the strange woman's fair speech, "till a dart strike through his liver," is like such a bird "hasting to the snare and not knowing that it is for his life" (Pr 7:23). The Lord commanded Israel (De 22:6), "If a bird's nest chance to be before thee, ... whether they be young ones or eggs, ... thou shalt not take the dam with the young." By this the extirpation of the species was prevented. God cares for even sparrows (Mt 10:29), much more for His children. He would have us imitate His tenderness even toward the inarticulate brutes beneath us. Birds kept in cages for pleasure are not mentioned in Scripture; except there be an allusion to them in Job 41:5, "Wilt thou play with him as with a bird?" Singing birds were rarer in Palestine than with us, still there were some (Ps 104:12; Ec 12:4).
Birds, as the turtle dove and pigeon, were allowed to be substituted in sacrifices for more costly animals by the poor (Le 1:14-17; 12:2,6,8), but they were not to be divided as other victims (Ge 15:10). The Virgin Mary's poverty appears from her presenting the offering of the poor (Lu 2:24). The abundance of birds in Palestine appears from their devouring the seed sown by the wayside in the parable of the sower (Mt 13:4). Ps 84:3 is understood as if sparrows and swallows made their nests in the two "altars" (observe the plural) of the tabernacle. But such a position for a birds' nest would be neither enviable nor safe, indeed scarcely possible in the altar of incense in the holy place before the veil. Rather there is an abbreviated comparison: what the house is to the sparrow, and what her nest is to the swallow, that Thine altars, are to my soul, and therefore my soul longs for them.
Like a little bird, which after a long defenseless wandering has found a house (compare Mt 8:20) in which it may dwell securely, a nest to which it may entrust confidently its dearest possession, its young, thus have I a homeless wanderer found in Thy house the true nest for the soul; otherwise I should have been like the lonely bird on the housetop (compare Ps 102:6; 74:19). Our two great needs are: (I) atonement for guilt, seas to be at peace with God; (II) access to God, and acceptance for our imperfect prayers. The altar of burnt offering outside (I) represented in type the former, namely, Christ's atonement for all guilt by His precious b1ood shedding; the altar of incense inside (II) typified the latter, our prayers being perfumed by our great Intercessor's merits, and so becoming a sweet-smelling savor before God (compare Ps 141:2; Re 8:3-4).
The bird killed over running water, and the second bird dipped into the mixed water and blood and set free, for cleansing the leper, symbolize Christ slain to atone for our guilt, and living again and forever by His resurrection for our justification (Leviticus 14). As the "blood" represents our reconciliation to God by the atonement so the "water" our cleansing (Joh 19:34; 1Jo 5:6). In Isa 31:5 Jehovah's solicitous, affectionate care for His people is illustrated. "As birds flying (i.e. parent birds hovering over their young to defend them from the vulture), so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem." Compare the beautiful image of the parent eagle teaching the young the first flight (De 32:1; Ps 91:4).
Men, like birds, are weak, soon ensnared, prone to wander from their true rest (Pr 7:23; 27:8; La 3:52). Under Christ, in the gospel church. they find their rest lodging under the overshadowing branches of the true Vine (Eze 17:23; Mt 13:32) a better protection than that of the world power (Eze 31:6; Da 2:38). Jer 12:9; "Mine heritage is unto Me as a speckled bird," i.e., the Jewish nation had blended paganism with the altogether diverse Mosaic ritual; so the nations around, God's instruments of vengeance, as birds of prey like herself (through her assimilation to them) were ready to pounce upon her (compare Re 18:2).
The birds' instinctive observance of their seasons of migration, returning every spring from their winter abodes (Song 2:12), is made a tacit reproof of God's people not returning to Him now that the winter of His judicial wrath is past, and the spring of His gracious favor set in (Jer 8:7). Translate Pr 26:2, "as the sparrow (is prone to) wandering, as the swallow (is prone to) flying (yet never lights upon us), so the curse causeless shall not come" (De 23:5, Balaam and Israel; 2Sa 16:5-12, Shimei and David; Ps 109:28). Ec 10:20, "a bird of the air shall carry the matter." Proverbial: the fact will reach the king's knowledge in a marvelous way, as if a bird had carried it to him. The bird was regarded as the emblem of superhuman intelligence.
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All these he took, cutting them in two and putting one half opposite the other, but not cutting the birds in two.
All these he took, cutting them in two and putting one half opposite the other, but not cutting the birds in two.
And if his offering to the Lord is a burned offering of birds, then he is to make his offering of doves or of young pigeons.
And if his offering to the Lord is a burned offering of birds, then he is to make his offering of doves or of young pigeons. And the priest is to take it to the altar, and after its head has been twisted off, it is to be burned on the altar, and its blood drained out on the side of the altar:
And the priest is to take it to the altar, and after its head has been twisted off, it is to be burned on the altar, and its blood drained out on the side of the altar: And he is to take away its stomach, with its feathers, and put it down by the east side of the altar, where the burned waste is put:
And he is to take away its stomach, with its feathers, and put it down by the east side of the altar, where the burned waste is put: And let it be broken open at the wings, but not cut in two; and let it be burned on the altar by the priest on the wood which is on the fire; it is a burned offering; an offering made by fire for a sweet smell to the Lord.
And let it be broken open at the wings, but not cut in two; and let it be burned on the altar by the priest on the wood which is on the fire; it is a burned offering; an offering made by fire for a sweet smell to the Lord.
Say to the children of Israel, If a woman is with child and gives birth to a male child, she will be unclean for seven days, as when she is unwell.
Say to the children of Israel, If a woman is with child and gives birth to a male child, she will be unclean for seven days, as when she is unwell.
And when the days are ended for making her clean for a son or a daughter, let her take to the priest at the door of the Tent of meeting, a lamb of the first year for a burned offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin-offering:
And when the days are ended for making her clean for a son or a daughter, let her take to the priest at the door of the Tent of meeting, a lamb of the first year for a burned offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin-offering:
And if she has not money enough for a lamb, then let her take two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burned offering and the other for a sin-offering, and the priest will take away her sin and she will be clean,
And if she has not money enough for a lamb, then let her take two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burned offering and the other for a sin-offering, and the priest will take away her sin and she will be clean,
If by chance you see a place which a bird has made for itself in a tree or on the earth, with young ones or eggs, and the mother bird seated on the young ones or on the eggs, do not take the mother bird with the young:
If by chance you see a place which a bird has made for itself in a tree or on the earth, with young ones or eggs, and the mother bird seated on the young ones or on the eggs, do not take the mother bird with the young:
But the Lord your God would not give ear to Balaam, but let the curse be changed into a blessing to you, because of his love for you.
But the Lord your God would not give ear to Balaam, but let the curse be changed into a blessing to you, because of his love for you.
For the children of Israel were wandering in the waste land for forty years, till all the nation, that is, all the fighting-men, who had come out of Egypt, were dead, because they did not give ear to the voice of the Lord: to whom the Lord said, with an oath, that he would not let them see the land which the Lord had given his word to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
For the children of Israel were wandering in the waste land for forty years, till all the nation, that is, all the fighting-men, who had come out of Egypt, were dead, because they did not give ear to the voice of the Lord: to whom the Lord said, with an oath, that he would not let them see the land which the Lord had given his word to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
And when King David came to Bahurim, a man of Saul's family named Shimei, the son of Gera, came out from there, calling curses after him.
And when King David came to Bahurim, a man of Saul's family named Shimei, the son of Gera, came out from there, calling curses after him. And he sent stones at David and at all the king's servants and at all the people and at all the men of war by his side, on the right hand and on the left.
And he sent stones at David and at all the king's servants and at all the people and at all the men of war by his side, on the right hand and on the left. And Shimei said, with curses, Be gone, be gone, you man of blood, you good-for-nothing:
And Shimei said, with curses, Be gone, be gone, you man of blood, you good-for-nothing: The Lord has sent punishment on you for all the blood of the family of Saul, whose kingdom you have taken; and the Lord has given the kingdom to Absalom, your son: now you yourself are taken in your evil, because you are a man of blood.
The Lord has sent punishment on you for all the blood of the family of Saul, whose kingdom you have taken; and the Lord has given the kingdom to Absalom, your son: now you yourself are taken in your evil, because you are a man of blood. Then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said to the king, Is this dead dog to go on cursing my lord the king? let me go over and take off his head.
Then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said to the king, Is this dead dog to go on cursing my lord the king? let me go over and take off his head. And the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Let him go on cursing, for the Lord has said, Put a curse on David, and who then may say, Why have you done so?
And the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Let him go on cursing, for the Lord has said, Put a curse on David, and who then may say, Why have you done so? And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, You see how my son, the offspring of my body, has made designs against my life: how much more then may this Benjamite do so? Let him be, and let him go on cursing; for the Lord has given him orders.
And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, You see how my son, the offspring of my body, has made designs against my life: how much more then may this Benjamite do so? Let him be, and let him go on cursing; for the Lord has given him orders. It may be that the Lord will take note of my wrongs, and give me back good in answer to his cursing of me today.
It may be that the Lord will take note of my wrongs, and give me back good in answer to his cursing of me today.
Ten fat oxen and twenty oxen from the fields, and a hundred sheep, in addition to harts and gazelles and roes and fat fowls.
Ten fat oxen and twenty oxen from the fields, and a hundred sheep, in addition to harts and gazelles and roes and fat fowls.
Will you make sport with him, as with a bird? or put him in chains for your young women?
Will you make sport with him, as with a bird? or put him in chains for your young women?
O give not the soul of your dove to the hawk; let not the life of the poor go out of your memory for ever.
O give not the soul of your dove to the hawk; let not the life of the poor go out of your memory for ever.
The little birds have places for themselves, where they may put their young, even your altars, O Lord of armies, my King and my God.
The little birds have places for themselves, where they may put their young, even your altars, O Lord of armies, my King and my God.
He will take you out of the bird-net, and keep you safe from wasting disease.
He will take you out of the bird-net, and keep you safe from wasting disease. You will be covered by his feathers; under his wings you will be safe: his good faith will be your salvation.
You will be covered by his feathers; under his wings you will be safe: his good faith will be your salvation.
The birds of the air have their resting-places by them, and make their song among the branches.
The birds of the air have their resting-places by them, and make their song among the branches.
They may give curses but you give blessing; when they come up against me, put them to shame; but let your servant be glad.
They may give curses but you give blessing; when they come up against me, put them to shame; but let your servant be glad.
Like a bird falling into a net; with no thought that his life is in danger, till an arrow goes into his side.
Like a bird falling into a net; with no thought that his life is in danger, till an arrow goes into his side.
Like a bird falling into a net; with no thought that his life is in danger, till an arrow goes into his side.
Like a bird falling into a net; with no thought that his life is in danger, till an arrow goes into his side.
As the sparrow in her wandering and the swallow in her flight, so the curse does not come without a cause.
As the sparrow in her wandering and the swallow in her flight, so the curse does not come without a cause.
Like a bird wandering from the place of her eggs is a man wandering from his station.
Like a bird wandering from the place of her eggs is a man wandering from his station.
Say not a curse against the king, even in your thoughts; and even secretly say not a curse against the man of wealth; because a bird of the air will take the voice, and that which has wings will give news of it.
Say not a curse against the king, even in your thoughts; and even secretly say not a curse against the man of wealth; because a bird of the air will take the voice, and that which has wings will give news of it.
When the doors are shut in the street, and the sound of the crushing is low, and the voice of the bird is soft, and the daughters of music will be made low;
When the doors are shut in the street, and the sound of the crushing is low, and the voice of the bird is soft, and the daughters of music will be made low;
The flowers are come on the earth; the time of cutting the vines is come, and the voice of the dove is sounding in our land;
The flowers are come on the earth; the time of cutting the vines is come, and the voice of the dove is sounding in our land;
Like birds with outstretched wings, so will the Lord of armies be a cover to Jerusalem; he will be a cover and salvation for it, going over it he will keep it from danger.
Like birds with outstretched wings, so will the Lord of armies be a cover to Jerusalem; he will be a cover and salvation for it, going over it he will keep it from danger.
For there are sinners among my people: they keep watch, like men watching for birds; they put a net and take men in it.
For there are sinners among my people: they keep watch, like men watching for birds; they put a net and take men in it. As the fowl-house is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: for this reason they have become great and have got wealth.
As the fowl-house is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: for this reason they have become great and have got wealth.
Truly, the stork in the heavens is conscious of her fixed times; the dove and the swallow and the crane keep to the times of their coming; but my people have no knowledge of the law of the Lord.
Truly, the stork in the heavens is conscious of her fixed times; the dove and the swallow and the crane keep to the times of their coming; but my people have no knowledge of the law of the Lord.
My heritage is like a brightly coloured bird to me; the cruel birds are attacking her on every side: go, get together all the beasts of the field, make them come for destruction.
My heritage is like a brightly coloured bird to me; the cruel birds are attacking her on every side: go, get together all the beasts of the field, make them come for destruction.
They who are against me without cause have gone hard after me as if I was a bird;
They who are against me without cause have gone hard after me as if I was a bird;
It will be planted on the high mountain of Israel: it will put out branches and have fruit and be a fair cedar: under it all birds of every sort will make their living-place, resting in the shade of its branches.
It will be planted on the high mountain of Israel: it will put out branches and have fruit and be a fair cedar: under it all birds of every sort will make their living-place, resting in the shade of its branches.
In its branches all the birds of heaven came to rest, and under its arms all the beasts of the field gave birth to their young, and great nations were living in its shade.
In its branches all the birds of heaven came to rest, and under its arms all the beasts of the field gave birth to their young, and great nations were living in its shade.
Wherever the children of men are living; into whose hands he has given the beasts of the field and the birds of heaven, and has made you ruler over them all, you are the head of gold.
Wherever the children of men are living; into whose hands he has given the beasts of the field and the birds of heaven, and has made you ruler over them all, you are the head of gold.
And Jesus said to him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of heaven have a resting-place; but the Son of man has nowhere to put his head.
And Jesus said to him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of heaven have a resting-place; but the Son of man has nowhere to put his head.
Are not sparrows two a farthing? and not one of them comes to an end without your Father:
Are not sparrows two a farthing? and not one of them comes to an end without your Father:
And while he did so, some seeds were dropped by the wayside, and the birds came and took them for food:
And while he did so, some seeds were dropped by the wayside, and the birds came and took them for food:
Which is smaller than all seeds; but when it has come up it is greater than the plants, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of heaven come and make their resting-places in its branches.
Which is smaller than all seeds; but when it has come up it is greater than the plants, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of heaven come and make their resting-places in its branches.
And to make an offering, as it is ordered in the law of the Lord, of two doves or other young birds.
And to make an offering, as it is ordered in the law of the Lord, of two doves or other young birds.
For so it will come on all those who are living on the face of all the earth.
For so it will come on all those who are living on the face of all the earth.
But one of the men made a wound in his side with a spear, and straight away there came out blood and water.
But one of the men made a wound in his side with a spear, and straight away there came out blood and water.
And another angel came and took his place at the altar, having a gold vessel for burning perfume; and there was given to him much perfume, so that he might put it with the prayers of all the saints on the gold altar which was before the high seat.
And another angel came and took his place at the altar, having a gold vessel for burning perfume; and there was given to him much perfume, so that he might put it with the prayers of all the saints on the gold altar which was before the high seat. And the smoke of the perfume, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand.
And the smoke of the perfume, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand.
And he gave a loud cry, saying, Babylon the great has come down from her high place, she has come to destruction and has become a place of evil spirits, and of every unclean spirit, and a hole for every unclean and hated bird.
And he gave a loud cry, saying, Babylon the great has come down from her high place, she has come to destruction and has become a place of evil spirits, and of every unclean spirit, and a hole for every unclean and hated bird.
Hastings
1. In OT: (1) '
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And God made great sea-beasts, and every sort of living and moving thing with which the waters were full, and every sort of winged bird: and God saw that it was good.
And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the air and every living thing moving on the face of the earth I have given every green plant for food: and it was so.
And with them, every sort of beast and cattle, and every sort of thing which goes on the earth, and every sort of bird.
And evil birds came down on the bodies, but Abram sent them away.
And if his offering to the Lord is a burned offering of birds, then he is to make his offering of doves or of young pigeons. And the priest is to take it to the altar, and after its head has been twisted off, it is to be burned on the altar, and its blood drained out on the side of the altar: read more. And he is to take away its stomach, with its feathers, and put it down by the east side of the altar, where the burned waste is put: And let it be broken open at the wings, but not cut in two; and let it be burned on the altar by the priest on the wood which is on the fire; it is a burned offering; an offering made by fire for a sweet smell to the Lord.
Then the priest is to give orders to take, for him who is to be made clean, two living clean birds and some cedar wood and red thread and hyssop. And the priest will give orders for one of the birds to be put to death in a vessel made of earth, over flowing water. read more. And he will take the living bird and the wood and the red thread and the hyssop and put them in the blood of the bird which was put to death over flowing water.
And he will take the living bird and the wood and the red thread and the hyssop and put them in the blood of the bird which was put to death over flowing water. And shaking it seven times over the man who is to be made clean, he will say that he is clean and will let the living bird go free into the open country. read more. And he who is to be made clean will have his clothing washed and his hair cut and have a bath, and he will be clean. And after that he will come back to the tent-circle; but he is to keep outside his tent for seven days. And on the seventh day he is to have all the hair cut off his head and his chin and over his eyes--all his hair is to be cut off--and he will have his clothing washed and his body bathed in water and he will be clean. And on the eighth day let him take two male lambs, without any marks on them, and one female lamb of the first year, without a mark, and three tenth parts of an ephah of the best meal, mixed with oil, and one log of oil. And the priest who is making him clean will put the man who is being made clean, together with these things, before the door of the Tent of meeting. And the priest is to take one of the male lambs and give it as an offering for wrongdoing, and the log of oil, waving them for a wave offering before the Lord; And he is to put the male lamb to death in the place where they put to death the sin-offering and the burned offering, in the holy place; for as the sin-offering is the property of the priest, so is the offering for wrongdoing: it is most holy. And let the priest take some of the blood of the offering for wrongdoing and put it on the point of the right ear of him who is to be made clean, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the great toe of his right foot; And take some of the oil and put it in the hollow of his left hand; And let the priest put his right finger in the oil which is in his left hand, shaking it out with his finger seven times before the Lord; And of the rest of the oil which is in his hand, the priest will put some on the point of the right ear of the man who is to be made clean, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the great toe of his right foot, over the blood of the offering for wrongdoing; And the rest of the oil in the priest's hand he will put on the head of him who is to be made clean; and so the priest will make him free from sin before the Lord. And the priest will give the sin-offering, and take away the sin of him who is to be made clean from his unclean condition; and after that he will put the burned offering to death. And the priest is to have the burned offering and the meal offering burned on the altar; and the priest will take away his sin and he will be clean. And if he is poor and not able to get so much, then he may take one male lamb as an offering for wrongdoing, to be waved to take away his sin, and one tenth part of an ephah of the best meal mixed with oil for a meal offering, and a log of oil; And two doves or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and one will be for a sin-offering and the other for a burned offering. And on the eighth day he will take them to the priest, to the door of the Tent of meeting before the Lord, so that he may be made clean. And the priest will take the lamb of the offering for wrongdoing and the oil, waving them for a wave offering before the Lord; And he will put to death the lamb of the offering for wrongdoing and the priest will take some of the blood of the offering for wrongdoing and put it on the point of the right ear of him who is to be made clean, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the great toe of his right foot; And the priest will put out some of the oil in the hollow of his left hand, Shaking out drops of oil with his right finger before the Lord seven times: And the priest will put some of the oil which is in his hand on the point of the ear of the man who is to be made clean and on the thumb of his right hand and on the great toe of his right foot, on the place where the blood of the offering for wrongdoing was put; And the rest of the oil which is in the priest's hand he will put on the head of him who is to be made clean, to take away his sin before the Lord. And he will make an offering of one of the doves or the young pigeons, such as he is able to get; And of these, he will give one for a sin-offering and one for a burned offering, with the meal offering; and the priest will take away the sin of him who is to be made clean before the Lord. This is the law for the man who has the disease of the leper on him, and who is not able to get that which is necessary for making himself clean. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
And any man of Israel, or any other living among them, who gets with his bow any beast or bird used for food, is to see that its blood is covered with earth.
As an eagle, teaching her young to make their flight, with her wings outstretched over them, takes them up on her strong feathers:
Ten fat oxen and twenty oxen from the fields, and a hundred sheep, in addition to harts and gazelles and roes and fat fowls.
No bird has knowledge of it, and the hawk's eye has never seen it.
The little birds have places for themselves, where they may put their young, even your altars, O Lord of armies, my King and my God.
The birds of the air have their resting-places by them, and make their song among the branches.
Where the birds have their resting-places; as for the stork, the tall trees are her house.
Truly, to no purpose is the net stretched out before the eyes of the bird:
Like a bird wandering from the place of her eggs is a man wandering from his station.
For the daughters of Moab will be like wandering birds, like a place from which the young birds have gone in flight, at the ways across the Arnon.
They will be for the birds of the mountains, and for the beasts of the earth: the birds will come down on them in the summer, and the beasts of the earth in the winter.
Looking, I saw that there was no man, and all the birds of heaven had gone in flight.
Truly, the stork in the heavens is conscious of her fixed times; the dove and the swallow and the crane keep to the times of their coming; but my people have no knowledge of the law of the Lord.
In its branches all the birds of heaven came to rest, and under its arms all the beasts of the field gave birth to their young, and great nations were living in its shade.
All the birds of heaven have come to rest on his broken stem where it is stretched on the earth, and all the beasts of the field will be on his branches:
On the mountains of Israel you will come down, you and all your forces and the peoples who are with you: I will give you to cruel birds of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be their food.
And while he did so, some seeds were dropped by the wayside, and the birds came and took them for food:
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, putting to death the prophets, and stoning those who are sent to her! Again and again would I have taken your children to myself as a bird takes her young ones under her wings, and you would not!
It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and put in his garden, and it became a tree, and the birds of heaven made their resting-places in its branches.
And he gave a loud cry, saying, Babylon the great has come down from her high place, she has come to destruction and has become a place of evil spirits, and of every unclean spirit, and a hole for every unclean and hated bird.
And I saw an angel taking his place in the sun; and he was crying with a loud voice, saying to all the birds in flight in the heavens, Come together to the great feast of God;
And the rest were put to death with the sword of him who was on the horse, even the sword which came out of his mouth: and all the birds were made full with their flesh.
Watsons
BIRD, ????, a common name for all birds, but is sometimes used for the sparrow in particular.
Birds are distinguished by the Jewish legislator into clean and unclean. Such as fed upon grain and seeds were allowed for food, and such as devoured flesh and carrion were prohibited.
Moses, to inspire the Israelites with sentiments of tenderness toward the brute creation, commands them, if they find a bird's nest, not to take the dam with the young, but to suffer the old one to fly away, and to take the young only, De 22:6. This is one of those merciful constitutions in the law of Moses which respect the animal creation, and tended to humanize the heart of that people, to excite in them a sense of the divine providence extending itself to all creatures, and to teach them to exercise their dominion over them with gentleness. Beside, the young never knew the sweets of liberty; the dam did: they might be taken and used for any lawful purpose; but the dam must not be brought into a state of captivity. The poet Phocylides has a maxim, in his admonitory poem, very similar to that in the sacred texts:
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And if he has not money enough for a lamb, then let him give, for his offering to the Lord, two doves or two young pigeons; one for a sin-offering and one for a burned offering. And let him take them to the priest, who will first give the sin-offering, twisting off its head from its neck, but not cutting it in two;
And the priest will give orders for one of the birds to be put to death in a vessel made of earth, over flowing water. And he will take the living bird and the wood and the red thread and the hyssop and put them in the blood of the bird which was put to death over flowing water.
If by chance you see a place which a bird has made for itself in a tree or on the earth, with young ones or eggs, and the mother bird seated on the young ones or on the eggs, do not take the mother bird with the young:
Then the king gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego even greater authority in the land of Babylon.