Vulture
Summary
The vulture is a large carrion-eating bird found throughout Palestine, often confused in biblical translations with eagles and other raptorial birds due to overlapping Hebrew terminology.
☩Hebrew Terms and Translation Issues
The Authorized Version renders several Hebrew words as 'vulture,' but scholars believe these actually refer to smaller raptorial birds like kites and buzzards. The Hebrew da'ah and dayah likely refer to the black kite, while ayah probably designates the red kite known for its keen sight. The true vulture is more probably represented by the Hebrew nesher, consistently translated 'eagle' in the AV. This confusion arose because translators did not recognize that the griffon vulture, not the golden eagle, was the majestic bird most prominent in Palestine's skies.
☩Species in Palestine
Three main species of vulture inhabit Palestine. The Lammergeyer (bearded vulture) is rare, found only in desolate mountain regions where it raises young among inaccessible precipices in winter. It is the largest bird of prey in the region, with courage and strength matching its size. The griffon (Gyps fulvus) is remarkable for its vision and soaring height, abundantly distributed throughout mountainous and rocky districts, especially between Jerusalem and Jericho and around the Dead Sea. The Egyptian vulture, called 'Pharaoh's hen,' is the familiar scavenger of Oriental towns, protected for its useful habits but loathed and despised.
☩Characteristics and Behavior
True vultures have naked or downy heads, external crops, and very long wings, feeding primarily on carrion rather than killing prey. They possess an offensive smell that makes their flesh inedible even by scavenger-ants. The griffon has an extraordinary instinct for gathering where carcasses are found—during the Crimean War, vast numbers appeared though previously unknown in that region. This behavior illustrates Jesus' words: 'Wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.' Vultures follow armies, congregate at battlefields, and scent their prey from remarkable distances.
☩Unclean Status
All vultures and related birds were placed among the abominations forbidden for Israelite consumption. This unclean status relates to their diet of carrion and their generally repulsive nature when feeding. The Egyptian vulture particularly, despite its usefulness as a scavenger, became a term of reproach like the dog or swine. The various species are grouped in the Levitical lists with the notation 'after his kind,' indicating that more than one species was intended.
Related Verses4 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Vulture," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. X (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Vulture," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. V (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.George Morrish, "Vulture," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 4.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Vulture," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).