Bible Strands

Deuteronomy 14:15

the ostrich, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk,

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites encamped in Moab, delivering the final covenant instructions before they cross the Jordan. He enumerates prohibited birds as part of the dietary regulations for the community.

The words — The Hebrew phrase בַּת הַיַּעֲנָה (bat hayya'ănâh) literally reads "daughter of the ostrich," while הַתַּחְמָס (hattachmās) denotes "the screech owl." The list continues with הַשָּׁחַף (hassachap), meaning "the gull."

The thread — The ostrich appears again in Job 30:29 as a symbol of desolation. Other owl species are cataloged immediately in Deuteronomy 14:16.

Why it lands — The text commands the reader to abstain from these specific birds as part of the separation laws. The directive requires adherence to the listed boundaries without expanding or reducing the categories.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְאֵת֙ve./'Etand/ <obj.>בַּ֣תbat[the] daughter ofהַֽיַּעֲנָ֔הhai./ya.'a.Nahthe/ ostrichוְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הַתַּחְמָ֖סha./tach.Masthe/ screech owlוְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הַשָּׁ֑חַףha./Sha.chafthe/ gullוְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הַנֵּ֖ץha./Netzthe/ falconלְמִינֵֽהוּ׃le./mi.Ne./huto/ kind/ its

King James Version

And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,

Cross-references