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]

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.

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.

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

(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.).

(n.) Any one of numerous species of rapacious birds belonging to Vultur, Cathartes, Catharista, and various other genera of the family Vulturidae.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.
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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. ...
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