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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Leviticus 11:18 the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey,</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/leviticus/11-18.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/11/03_Lev_11_18.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Leviticus 11:18 - Clean and Unclean Animals" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey," /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script 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frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/leviticus/11-17.htm" title="Leviticus 11:17">◄</a> Leviticus 11:18 <a href="/leviticus/11-19.htm" title="Leviticus 11:19">►</a></div></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse"> <a href="#audio" class="clickchap2" title="Context and Audio Bible"> Audio </a> <a href="#crossref" class="clickchap2" title="Cross References"> Cross </a> <a href="#study" class="clickchap2" title="Study Bible"> Study </a> <a href="#commentary" class="clickchap2" title="Commentary"> Comm </a> <a href="#lexicon" class="clickchap2" title="Lexicon"> Heb </a> </div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/leviticus/11.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/leviticus/11.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/leviticus/11.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />the barn owl, the desert owl, the Egyptian vulture,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/leviticus/11.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />the barn owl, the tawny owl, the carrion vulture,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/leviticus/11.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/leviticus/11.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/leviticus/11.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />the white owl, the jackdaw, and the carrion vulture;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/leviticus/11.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />the white owl, the pelican, and the carrion vulture,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/leviticus/11.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />and the white owl and the pelican and the carrion vulture,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/leviticus/11.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />and the white owl and the pelican and the carrion vulture,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/leviticus/11.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />and the white owl and the pelican and the carrion vulture,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/leviticus/11.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />the white owl, the pelican, the carrion vulture,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/leviticus/11.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />barn owls, eagle owls, ospreys,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/leviticus/11.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/leviticus/11.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />and the horned owl, and the pelican, and the vulture,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/leviticus/11.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />and the horned owl, and the pelican, and the vulture;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/leviticus/11.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />barn owls, pelicans, ospreys,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/leviticus/11.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />water-hens, pelicans, carrion, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/leviticus/11.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/leviticus/11.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />the white owl, the scops owl, the osprey,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/leviticus/11.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/leviticus/11.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier-eagle,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/leviticus/11.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/leviticus/11.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />and the waterhen, and the pelican, and the Egyptian vulture,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/leviticus/11.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> and the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/leviticus/11.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />And the swan, and the pelican, and the carrion vulture;<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/leviticus/11.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />And the swan, and the bittern, and the porphyrion, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/leviticus/11.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />and the swan, and the pelican, and the marsh hen,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/leviticus/11.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />the barn owl, the horned owl, the osprey,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/leviticus/11.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />the water hen, the desert owl, the carrion vulture,<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/leviticus/11.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />And the swan and the hoopoe after their kind,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/leviticus/11.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />And the stork and the hoopoe with its kinds,<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/leviticus/11.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />and the horned owl, and the pelican, and the carrion-vulture;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/leviticus/11.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />and the red-bill, and the pelican, and swan,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/leviticus/11-18.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NWs_V1RyMFo?start=2518" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/leviticus/11.htm">Clean and Unclean Animals</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">17</span>the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, <span class="reftext">18</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/853.htm" title="853: wə·’eṯ- (Conj-w:: DirObjM) -- Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self."></a> <a href="/hebrew/8580.htm" title="8580: hat·tin·še·meṯ (Art:: N-fs) -- (an animal) perhaps owl, chameleon. ">the white owl,</a> <a href="/hebrew/853.htm" title="853: wə·’eṯ- (Conj-w:: DirObjM) -- Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self."></a> <a href="/hebrew/6893.htm" title="6893: haq·qā·’āṯ (Art:: N-fs) -- (a bird) perhaps pelican. From qow'; probably the pelican.">the desert owl,</a> <a href="/hebrew/853.htm" title="853: wə·’eṯ- (Conj-w:: DirObjM) -- Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self."></a> <a href="/hebrew/7360.htm" title="7360: hā·rā·ḥām (Art:: N-ms) -- Carrion vulture. Or rachamah; from racham; a kind of vulture.">the osprey,</a> </span><span class="reftext">19</span>the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/14-12.htm">Deuteronomy 14:12-18</a></span><br />but these you may not eat: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture, / the red kite, the falcon, any kind of kite, / any kind of raven, ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/34-11.htm">Isaiah 34:11</a></span><br />The desert owl and screech owl will possess it, and the great owl and raven will dwell in it. The LORD will stretch out over Edom a measuring line of chaos and a plumb line of destruction.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/job/30-29.htm">Job 30:29</a></span><br />I have become a brother of jackals, a companion of ostriches.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/102-6.htm">Psalm 102:6</a></span><br />I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/zephaniah/2-14.htm">Zephaniah 2:14</a></span><br />Herds will lie down in her midst, creatures of every kind. Both the desert owl and screech owl will roost atop her pillars. Their calls will sound from the window, but desolation will lie on the threshold, for He will expose the beams of cedar.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/50-39.htm">Jeremiah 50:39</a></span><br />So the desert creatures and hyenas will live there and ostriches will dwell there. It will never again be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/13-21.htm">Isaiah 13:21</a></span><br />But desert creatures will lie down there, and howling creatures will fill her houses. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/43-20.htm">Isaiah 43:20</a></span><br />The beasts of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I provide water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My chosen people.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/23-37.htm">Matthew 23:37</a></span><br />O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/13-34.htm">Luke 13:34</a></span><br />O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/revelation/18-2.htm">Revelation 18:2</a></span><br />And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/10-16.htm">Matthew 10:16</a></span><br />Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/acts/10-12.htm">Acts 10:12-15</a></span><br />It contained all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, as well as birds of the air. / Then a voice said to him: “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” / “No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/romans/14-14.htm">Romans 14:14</a></span><br />I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_timothy/4-4.htm">1 Timothy 4:4-5</a></span><br />For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected, / because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,</p><p class="hdg">no references listed for this verse.</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/deuteronomy/14-17.htm">Carrion</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/14-17.htm">Carrion-Vulture</a> <a href="/leviticus/7-38.htm">Desert</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-13.htm">Eagle</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/14-17.htm">Gier</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-13.htm">Gier-Eagle</a> <a href="/luke/13-34.htm">Hen</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-16.htm">Horned</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-13.htm">Osprey</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-17.htm">Owl</a> <a href="/zephaniah/2-14.htm">Pelican</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/14-16.htm">Swan</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-14.htm">Vulture</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-12.htm">Water</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/14-16.htm">Water-Hen</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/deuteronomy/14-17.htm">Carrion</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/14-17.htm">Carrion-Vulture</a> <a href="/leviticus/16-10.htm">Desert</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/14-12.htm">Eagle</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/14-17.htm">Gier</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/14-12.htm">Gier-Eagle</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/14-16.htm">Hen</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/14-15.htm">Horned</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/14-12.htm">Osprey</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/14-15.htm">Owl</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/14-17.htm">Pelican</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/14-16.htm">Swan</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/14-12.htm">Vulture</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-32.htm">Water</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/14-16.htm">Water-Hen</a><div class="vheading2">Leviticus 11</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/leviticus/11-1.htm">What animals may be eaten</a></span><br><span class="reftext">4. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/leviticus/11-4.htm">and what may not be eaten</a></span><br><span class="reftext">9. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/leviticus/11-9.htm">What fishes</a></span><br><span class="reftext">13. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/leviticus/11-13.htm">What fowls</a></span><br><span class="reftext">29. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/leviticus/11-29.htm">The creeping things which are unclean</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/leviticus/11.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/leviticus/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/leviticus/11.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>the white owl</b><br>The white owl is listed among the unclean birds in <a href="/leviticus/11.htm">Leviticus 11</a>, which the Israelites were forbidden to eat. Owls are often associated with desolation and ruin in biblical literature, symbolizing uncleanliness and spiritual darkness. In <a href="/isaiah/34-11.htm">Isaiah 34:11</a>, the owl is mentioned in the context of judgment and desolation, reinforcing its symbolic association with places devoid of life and holiness. The prohibition against eating such birds underscores the call for the Israelites to be separate from practices that are spiritually unclean.<p><b>the desert owl</b><br>The desert owl, like the white owl, is considered unclean. This bird is adapted to arid environments, which reflects the wilderness experience of the Israelites. The desert owl's habitat can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual barrenness, a theme prevalent in the prophetic literature where the wilderness often symbolizes a place of testing and reliance on God (e.g., <a href="/hosea/2-14.htm">Hosea 2:14</a>). The mention of the desert owl in the list of unclean animals serves as a reminder of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness and their need to remain pure and distinct from the surrounding nations.<p><b>the osprey</b><br>The osprey, a bird of prey, is also deemed unclean. Known for its keen hunting skills, the osprey represents predatory behavior, which is contrary to the peaceful and holy life God desires for His people. The inclusion of birds of prey in the list of unclean animals highlights the importance of avoiding characteristics associated with violence and aggression. This aligns with the broader biblical narrative that calls for a life of peace and righteousness, as seen in passages like <a href="/isaiah/11-6.htm">Isaiah 11:6-9</a>, which envisions a future where predatory behavior is transformed into harmony.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/m/moses.htm">Moses</a></b><br>The author of Leviticus, who received the laws from God to instruct the Israelites.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/i/israelites.htm">Israelites</a></b><br>The people to whom the laws in Leviticus were given, as they journeyed from Egypt to the Promised Land.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_wilderness.htm">The Wilderness</a></b><br>The setting where the Israelites received these laws, emphasizing their need for guidance and holiness.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/c/clean_and_unclean_animals.htm">Clean and Unclean Animals</a></b><br>The broader context of <a href="/bsb/leviticus/11.htm">Leviticus 11</a>, which outlines dietary laws distinguishing between clean and unclean animals.<br><br>5. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_promised_land.htm">The Promised Land</a></b><br>The ultimate destination of the Israelites, where they were to live as a holy nation, set apart by God's laws.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/u/understanding_holiness.htm">Understanding Holiness</a></b><br>The dietary laws in Leviticus, including the list of unclean birds, were given to set Israel apart as a holy nation. Holiness involves obedience and distinction from the surrounding cultures.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/s/symbolism_of_purity.htm">Symbolism of Purity</a></b><br>The distinction between clean and unclean animals symbolizes the need for spiritual purity and discernment in the believer's life.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/c/cultural_context.htm">Cultural Context</a></b><br>Recognize the cultural and historical context of these laws, which were specific to Israel's covenant relationship with God.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/n/new_covenant_freedom.htm">New Covenant Freedom</a></b><br>In Christ, believers are no longer bound by dietary laws, but are called to live in the freedom of the Spirit, discerning what is beneficial and edifying.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/h/holiness_in_daily_life.htm">Holiness in Daily Life</a></b><br>While dietary laws are not binding, the principle of living a life set apart for God remains. Believers are called to reflect God's holiness in all areas of life.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_leviticus_11.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Leviticus 11</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_is_atman_in_hinduism.htm">What do owls symbolize in the Bible?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/is_a_good_name_worth_more_than_ointment.htm">What distinguishes clean from unclean animals in scripture?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_does_isaiah_34_10-11_claim_desolation.htm">Why does the text in Isaiah 34:10-11 claim permanent desolation when other biblical passages speak of possible restoration?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_does_the_sparkle_creed_express.htm">How are we cleansed from all unrighteousness?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/leviticus/11.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(18) <span class= "bld">And the swan.</span>--The word here translated "swan," which, besides the parallel list in Deut., also occurs in <a href="/leviticus/11-30.htm" title="And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.">Leviticus 11:30</a>, among the names of the lizards, denotes, according to tradition, another variety of the owl. Whatever difficulty there may be about the true import of the word, it is certainly not the swan. It has, however, also been translated "ibis," "bat," "purple water-hen," "heron," "pelican," and "goose."<p><span class= "bld">And the pelican.</span>--The pelican is one of the largest and most voracious of the web-footed birds. It fills its capacious pouch with fish almost to suffocation, which it disgorges either for its own future consumption, or for the nourishment of its young, by pressing the under mandible against the neck and breast to assist the vomiting up of the contents. Hence its Hebrew name, which denotes "the vomiter." During this operation the red nail of the upper mandible comes in contact with the breast, thus imparting to it the appearance of blood, which is most probably the origin of the fable that it feeds its young with its own life-blood. The pelican often builds in deserted places as far as twenty miles from the shore. When it has filled its expansive pouch with prey, it retires to its lonely place of repose, where it remains with its head leaning against its breast almost motionless till impelled by hunger to fly to the water in search for a fresh store of victims. It is to this melancholy attitude of lonely desolation that the Psalmist refers when he says, "I am like a pelican of the wilderness" (<a href="/psalms/102-6.htm" title="I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.">Psalm 102:6</a>), and it is to its habit of building in deserted places that the prophets allude when they describe the desolation of Edom and Nineveh by saying that "the pelican shall possess" them (<a href="/isaiah/34-11.htm" title="But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out on it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness.">Isaiah 34:11</a>; <a href="/zephaniah/2-14.htm" title="And flocks shall lie down in the middle of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds; for he shall uncover the cedar work.">Zephaniah 2:14</a>). In the last two passages the Authorised Version, which wrongly translates it "cormorant" in the text, has rightly pelican in the margin.<p><span class= "bld">And the gier eagle.</span>--As the name of a bird, this word (<span class= "ital">racham</span>)<span class= "ital">, </span>which is here in the masculine form, and denotes "the merciful," only occurs again in the parallel passage, <a href="/deuteronomy/14-17.htm" title="And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant,">Deuteronomy 14:17</a>, where, however, it is in the feminine (<span class= "ital">rachamah</span>). The species here intended is most probably the Gyps, called alternately the sacred or Egyptian vulture and Pharaoh's hen, which is often figured on the ancient Egyptian monuments. It was regarded with religious veneration in Egypt, both because it prevented epidemics by acting as scavenger, and because of its extreme devotion and tenderness to its young, since it was believed to watch over its offspring a hundred and twenty days every year, and to feed them, if necessary, with the blood of its thighs. Hence it was used to denote both "mother" and "merciful" in Egyptian, and hence, too, its name "merciful" in Hebrew. The ancients also believed that there were no male vultures, and that the females conceived through the wind. It was probably to counteract this superstitious belief that the lawgiver uses here the masculine form and the feminine form in the parallel passage in <a href="/deuteronomy/14-17.htm" title="And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant,">Deuteronomy 14:17</a>. The vulture is most loathsome in its habits, and feeds upon the foulest carrion, for which reason it is put in the list of unclean birds. . . . <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/leviticus/11-18.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">the white owl,</span><br /><span class="heb">הַתִּנְשֶׁ֥מֶת</span> <span class="translit">(hat·tin·še·meṯ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article | Noun - feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_8580.htm">Strong's 8580: </a> </span><span class="str2">A hard breather, two unclean creatures, a lizard and a, bird, the tree-toad and the water-hen</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the desert owl,</span><br /><span class="heb">הַקָּאָ֖ת</span> <span class="translit">(haq·qā·’āṯ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article | Noun - feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_6893.htm">Strong's 6893: </a> </span><span class="str2">(a bird) perhaps pelican</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the osprey,</span><br /><span class="heb">הָרָחָֽם׃</span> <span class="translit">(hā·rā·ḥām)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article | Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_7360.htm">Strong's 7360: </a> </span><span class="str2">A kind of vulture</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/leviticus/11-18.htm">Leviticus 11:18 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/leviticus/11-18.htm">Leviticus 11:18 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/leviticus/11-18.htm">Leviticus 11:18 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/leviticus/11-18.htm">Leviticus 11:18 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/leviticus/11-18.htm">Leviticus 11:18 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/leviticus/11-18.htm">Leviticus 11:18 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/leviticus/11-18.htm">Leviticus 11:18 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/leviticus/11-18.htm">Leviticus 11:18 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/leviticus/11-18.htm">Leviticus 11:18 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/leviticus/11-18.htm">Leviticus 11:18 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/leviticus/11-18.htm">OT Law: Leviticus 11:18 The white owl the desert owl (Le Lv Lev.) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/leviticus/11-17.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Leviticus 11:17"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Leviticus 11:17" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/leviticus/11-19.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Leviticus 11:19"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Leviticus 11:19" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>