Vulture
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Smith's Bible Dictionary
Vulture

The rendering in the Authorized Version of the Hebrew daah, dayyah , and also in (Job 28:7) of ayyah . There seems no doubt that the Authorized Versions translation is incorrect, and that the original words refer to some of the smaller species of raptorial birds, as kites or buzzards. [KITE] But the Hebrew word nesher , invariably rendered "eagle" in the Authorized Version, is probably the vulture. [EAGLE]

Scripture Alphabet Of Animals
Vulture

The vulture is called a bird of prey, because it lives on flesh; but it has not such strong claws as the eagle, to seize and tear its food. It does not often kill other animals; but preys upon those that have been killed in some other way, or have died of themselves. It is a disagreeable bird, and one that you would not like very well to see; no wonder the Israelites were forbidden to eat it. It is about a yard long from the top of its head, and it sometimes measures two yards across the wings.

It lives only in warm or hot climates, and there it is very useful, though you might at first be puzzled to think how this can be. It is because it lives upon such things as would be very injurious to man if they were left to decay in the open air. It not only consumes the dead bodies of animals, but takes away many things from the streets of the cities which the inhabitants are too indolent to remove. It is for this reason that in the city of Cairo, in Egypt, there is a law forbidding any person to kill a vulture. These birds sometimes follow an army, and prey upon the bodies of those poor soldiers who have been killed in battle. Ah! it is a sad thing to go to war; almost every thing about it is sad.

The vulture has a very keen eye, and, like the eagle, can see what is on the ground, even when it is very high in the air. This is referred to in the book of Job. "There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen." It often happens in those countries that almost as soon as an ox, or a horse, or any other large animal has been killed, great multitudes of vultures will gather around, though not one could be seen in the sky before. they seem to fly down from every part of the heavens, and being to pull and struggle for the flesh of the animal; until in the course of a few hours nothing is left but the bones. We read in Isaiah, "There shall the vultures be gathered, every one with her mate." This must have been written by one who had seen these birds coming together, as they do in great flocks or companies.

ATS Bible Dictionary
Vulture

A large bird of prey, belonging to the genus hawks, and including a great many species. It is pronounced unclean by Moses, Le 11:14 De 14:13. See BIRDS. The vulture has a naked or downy head, a bare neck and long wings, and is disgusting to every sense, especially to the smell. It is a carrion bird, though not exclusively, and has extraordinary powers of vision. Scarcely can an exhausted camel fall on it route and die, before numbers of these filthy scavengers show themselves in the distance, hastening to the spot, Job 28:7.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

(1.) Hebrews da'ah (Leviticus 11:14). In the parallel passage (Deuteronomy 14:13) the Hebrew word used is ra'ah, rendered "glede;" LXX., "gups;" Vulg., "milvus." A species of ravenous bird, distinguished for its rapid flight. "When used without the epithet `red,' the name is commonly confined to the black kite. The habits of the bird bear out the allusion in Isaiah 34:15, for it is, excepting during the winter three months, so numerous everywhere in Palestine as to be almost gregarious." (see EAGLE.)

(2.) In Job 28:7 the Hebrews `ayyah is thus rendered. The word denotes a clamorous and a keen-sighted bird of prey. In Leviticus 11:14 and Deuteronomy 14:13 it is rendered "kite" (q.v.).

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(n.) Any one of numerous species of rapacious birds belonging to Vultur, Cathartes, Catharista, and various other genera of the family Vulturidae.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
VULTURE

vul'-tur (da'ah; Septuagint gups, and iktinos; Latin Vulturidae): Any member of a family of large birds that subsist wholly or in part on carrion. The largest vulture of Palestine was the Lammer-geier. This bird waited until smaller vultures, eagles and hawks stripped a carcass to the bone, then carried the skeleton aloft and dashed it on the rocks until the marrow could be secured. This was a favorite delicacy. This bird was fond of tortoise also, and is said to have dropped the one that struck the bald head of Aeschylus, which the bird mistook for a stone, so causing the death of the poet. Several smaller species, including "Pharaoh's chickens," flocked all over Palestine. These were protected by a death penalty for their value as scavengers in cities. They fed on carcasses of animals that killed each other, ate putrid fish under the nests of pelican and cormorant, followed caravans across the desert, and were ready for offal thrown from animals dressed for feasting. They flocked over the altars for the entrails from sacrifice, and devoured scraps cast aside by tent-dwellers and residents of cities. They paired with affectionate courting and nested in crevices, in walls, hollow trees and on cliffs. They raised only one pair of young to the season, as the nestlings were over two months old before they took wing. The young were white at first, then black feathers enveloped them. On account of their steady diet of carrion, no one ever has been able to use their flesh for food, although some daring ornithologists have tried. For this reason the vulture was placed among the abominations and should by right have headed the lists (Leviticus 11:18 Deuteronomy 14:13). The other references that used to be translated "vulture" in the King James Version, the Septuagint elaphos, Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) correctly milous) are changed to "falcon" and "kite." Isaiah 34:15 changes "vulture" to "kite." Job 28:7 changes "vulture" to "falcon."

Gene Stratton-Porter

Strong's Hebrew
7360. racham -- carrion vulture
... 7359, 7360. racham or rachamah. 7361 . carrion vulture. Transliteration: racham
or rachamah Phonetic Spelling: (raw-khawm') Short Definition: vulture. ...
/hebrew/7360.htm - 6k

6538. peres -- (a bird of prey) perhaps bearded vulture
... 6537b, 6538. peres. 6539 . (a bird of prey) perhaps bearded vulture.
Transliteration: peres Phonetic Spelling: (peh'-res) Short Definition: vulture. ...
/hebrew/6538.htm - 6k

5822. ozniyyah -- (a bird of prey) perhaps vulture
... 5821, 5822. ozniyyah. 5823 . (a bird of prey) perhaps vulture. Transliteration:
ozniyyah Phonetic Spelling: (oz-nee-yaw') Short Definition: buzzard. ...
/hebrew/5822.htm - 6k

344. ayyah -- a hawk, falcon, kite
... kite, vulture. Perhaps from 'iy; the screamer, ie A hawk -- kite, vulture.
see HEBREW 'iy. 343, 344. ayyah. 345 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/344.htm - 6k

1772. dayyah -- perhaps a kite (a bird of prey)
... vulture. Intensive from da'ah; a falcon (from its rapid flight) -- vulture. see
HEBREW da'ah. 1771, 1772. dayyah. 1773 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/1772.htm - 6k

1676. daah -- perhaps kite (a bird of prey)
... vulture. From da'ah; the kite (from its rapid flight) -- vulture. See ra'ah. see
HEBREW da'ah. see HEBREW ra'ah. 1675, 1676. daah. 1677 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/1676.htm - 6k

7201. raah -- glede
... Word Origin scribal error for daah, qv. glede From ra'ah; a bird of prey (probably
the vulture, from its sharp sight) -- glede. Compare da'ah. see HEBREW ra'ah. ...
/hebrew/7201.htm - 6k

Library

The Eagle and Its Brood
... the carnivorous vulture. ... Our modern repugnance to the vulture as feeding on
carcasses was probably not felt by the singer of this song. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the eagle and its brood.htm

Preface. What is Sanctification?
... speed. THE BUZZARD AND VULTURE. The buzzard and the vulture will find food
if they look for it, but with them we are not concerned. ...
/.../rees/the heart-cry of jesus/preface what is sanctification.htm

The New Heart
... He is a carrion vulture but he is never satisfied; he is a very serpent with the
poison of asps beneath his tongue, but he spits his venom afar off as well as ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the new heart.htm

Egypt
... The northern kingdom was symbolised by the snake and papyrus, the southern
kingdom by the vulture and aloe. The vulture was the ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter v egypt.htm

De Utero, Et Conceptione Atque Sexibus.
... tis, ultra quam sexus; ratio permittat; aut valida membra, aut immoderatam Iongitudinem,
aut fuscum colorem, aut hispidam faciem, aut vulture indecorum, aut ...
/.../lactantius/on the workmanship of god/chap xii de utero et conceptione.htm

Further Diplomacy
... the hands were clenched hard. Her head was forced forward, the long neck
curved sinuously like a vulture's. She began to speak in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xxvi further diplomacy.htm

Victor Emmanuel, Emancipator
... The case of manhood bound like Prometheus to the rock, and preyed upon by the vulture
of hell, appeared utterly hopeless, and the more so because the prisoner ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/victor emmanuel emancipator.htm

The Hidden Path
... HYMNS THE HIDDEN PATH. "There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's
eye hath not seen.""Job 28:7. TP. tr., Emma Frances Bevan, 1899. ...
/.../bevan/hymns of ter steegen and others second series/the hidden path.htm

Frank Leigh's Song. AD 1586
... smart? Ah ruthless dove, the vulture's talons wearing, Why flesh them,
traitress, in this faithful heart? Is this my meed? Must ...
/.../kingsley/andromeda and other poems/frank leighs song a d 1586.htm

Thy Footsteps are not Known
... Job 28. O path which no eagle knoweth,. No vulture's eye hath seen,. Where
never the lion goeth,. Nor the fierce lion's track hath been; ...
/.../bevan/hymns of ter steegen suso and others/thy footsteps are not known.htm

Thesaurus
Vulture (16 Occurrences)
... Vulturidae. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. VULTURE. vul'-tur ... on carrion.
The largest vulture of Palestine was the Lammer-geier. This ...
/v/vulture.htm - 14k

Vulture's (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Vulture's (1 Occurrence). Job 28:7 There is a path which
no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen: (KJV DBY). ...
/v/vulture's.htm - 6k

Carrion-vulture (2 Occurrences)
Carrion-vulture. Carrion, Carrion-vulture. Carry . Multi-Version
Concordance Carrion-vulture (2 Occurrences). Leviticus ...
/c/carrion-vulture.htm - 6k

Ossifrage (2 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Hebrews peres = to "break" or "crush", the lammer-geier,
or bearded vulture, the largest of the whole vulture tribe. ...
/o/ossifrage.htm - 10k

Osprey (4 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 11:13 And these ye shall have in detestation among the fowls; they shall
not be eaten, they are a detestable thing: the great vulture, and the ...
/o/osprey.htm - 8k

Eagle (27 Occurrences)
... nesher; properly the griffon vulture or great vulture, so called from its tearing
its prey with its beak), referred to for its swiftness of flight (Deuteronomy ...
/e/eagle.htm - 28k

Vultur (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Vultur (2 Occurrences). Leviticus 11:14 And the
vulture, and the kite after his kind; (Root in KJV WBS YLT). ...
/v/vultur.htm - 6k

Buzzard (3 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 11:13 "'These you shall detest among the birds; they shall not be eaten,
they are an abomination: the eagle, and the vulture, and the black vulture...
/b/buzzard.htm - 7k

Carrion (3 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Carrion (3 Occurrences). Leviticus 11:18 and the swan,
and the pelican, and the carrion vulture, (DBY JPS NAS RSV). ...
/c/carrion.htm - 7k

Swooping (4 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 28:49 The LORD will bring a nation against thee from far, from the end
of the earth, as the vulture swoopeth down; a nation whose tongue thou shalt ...
/s/swooping.htm - 7k

Resources
Is there any special meaning/symbolism to owls in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Vulture: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Vulture (16 Occurrences)

Leviticus 11:13
"'These you shall detest among the birds; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the vulture, and the black vulture,
(WEB JPS NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 11:14
And the vulture, and the kite after his kind;
(KJV YLT)

Leviticus 11:18
and the horned owl, and the pelican, and the vulture,
(See JPS ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV)

Deuteronomy 14:12
But these are they of which you shall not eat: the eagle, and the vulture, and the osprey,
(WEB JPS NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 14:13
And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind,
(KJV YLT)

Deuteronomy 14:17
and the pelican, and the vulture, and the cormorant,
(WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV)

Deuteronomy 28:49
Jehovah will bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;
(See JPS)

Job 9:26
They are passed away as the swift ships; As the eagle that swoopeth on the prey.
(See JPS)

Job 39:27
Is it at thy command that the eagle mounteth up, And maketh her nest on high?
(See JPS)

Psalms 102:6
I am like a pelican of the wilderness. I have become as an owl of the waste places.
(See RSV)

Jeremiah 48:40
For thus saith Jehovah: Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread out his wings against Moab.
(See JPS)

Jeremiah 49:22
Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread out his wings against Bozrah: and the heart of the mighty men of Edom at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
(See JPS)

Hosea 8:1
Set the trumpet to thy mouth. As an eagle he cometh against the house of Jehovah, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
(See JPS RSV)

Micah 1:16
Shave your heads, and cut off your hair for the children of your delight. Enlarge your baldness like the vulture; for they have gone into captivity from you!
(WEB JPS NIV)

Habakkuk 1:8
Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves; and their horsemen press proudly on: yea, their horsemen come from far; they fly as an eagle that hasteth to devour.
(See JPS NIV)

Zephaniah 2:14
Herds will lie down in the midst of her, all the animals of the nations. Both the pelican and the porcupine will lodge in its capitals. Their calls will echo through the windows. Desolation will be in the thresholds, for he has laid bare the cedar beams.
(See RSV)

Subtopics

Vulture

Vulture in RV , Translated "Falcon"

Vulture: A Carnivorous Bird

Vulture: And "Kite"

Related Terms

Vulture's (1 Occurrence)

Carrion-vulture (2 Occurrences)

Ossifrage (2 Occurrences)

Osprey (4 Occurrences)

Eagle (27 Occurrences)

Vultur (2 Occurrences)

Buzzard (3 Occurrences)

Carrion (3 Occurrences)

Swooping (4 Occurrences)

Glede (1 Occurrence)

Black (52 Occurrences)

Kite (3 Occurrences)

Gier-eagle (4 Occurrences)

Gier (2 Occurrences)

Falcon (2 Occurrences)

Detest (15 Occurrences)

Abhorrent (9 Occurrences)

Abomination (78 Occurrences)

Birds (125 Occurrences)

Eaten (211 Occurrences)

Moreover (356 Occurrences)

Quarry (5 Occurrences)

Vultures (6 Occurrences)

Vultur's (1 Occurrence)

Zoology

Nest (22 Occurrences)

Unclean (393 Occurrences)

Ostrich (9 Occurrences)

Gannet (2 Occurrences)

Giereagle

Water-hen (2 Occurrences)

Fiercer (2 Occurrences)

Ravenous (11 Occurrences)

Pelican (5 Occurrences)

Poll (5 Occurrences)

Bald (12 Occurrences)

Cormorant (4 Occurrences)

Swoops (2 Occurrences)

Swan (2 Occurrences)

Horned (5 Occurrences)

Baldness (11 Occurrences)

Night (3322 Occurrences)

Enlarge (18 Occurrences)

Shave (19 Occurrences)

Hawk (6 Occurrences)

Extend (35 Occurrences)

Elamites (2 Occurrences)

Owl (11 Occurrences)

Elam (24 Occurrences)

Deluge (17 Occurrences)

Carry (246 Occurrences)

Fowl (73 Occurrences)

Syria (73 Occurrences)

Noah (55 Occurrences)

Games (2 Occurrences)

Hen (7 Occurrences)

Knoweth (152 Occurrences)

Mourning (85 Occurrences)

Exile (101 Occurrences)

Vultur
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