Hawk
“Swift flier or bird of prey”
Summary
The hawk (Hebrew netz) was classified as ceremonially unclean in Mosaic law and is referenced in Job as a creature whose migratory instincts display God's wisdom in creation.
☩Ceremonially Unclean
The hawk appears in the lists of birds prohibited as food for Israelites. The Hebrew term netz (meaning "swift flier") is a general term that likely encompasses several species of hawks and similar raptorial birds. These were forbidden because they are carnivorous, feeding on smaller birds and animals.
☩God's Question to Job
In God's examination of Job, the hawk's instinctive behavior is cited as evidence of divine wisdom: "Does the hawk fly by your wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?" This refers either to the hawk's migratory habits (most hawk species migrate), its practice of seeking warmth after molting, or the ancient belief that hawks could look directly at the sun. The point is that such instincts are implanted by God, not taught by man.
☩Species in Palestine
Western Asia, including Palestine, hosts numerous species of raptorial birds. The region's variety of terrain—mountain, forest, plain, desert, marsh, and coastline—provides habitat for many hawk species, including the peregrine falcon, which was considered sacred in Egypt (as Falco Horus, the "sacred hawk") and frequently depicted on Egyptian monuments.
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Hawk," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IV (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.George Morrish, "Hawk," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 3.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Hawk," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 4.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Hawk," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).