Deuteronomy 14:5 — Word Study
WLCאַיָּ֥ל וּצְבִ֖י וְיַחְמ֑וּר וְאַקּ֥וֹ וְדִישֹׁ֖ן וּתְא֥וֹ וָזָֽמֶר׃
BSAthe deerʼayâl [hart, male deer] the gazelletsᵉbîy [beauty] the roe deeryachmûwr [roebuck, type of deer] the wild goatʼaqqôw△ [ibex, slender goat] the ibexdîyshôn△ [pygarg, mountain goat] the antelopetᵉʼôw [wild ox, oryx] and the mountain sheepzemer△ [chamois, allowed as food]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אַיָּ֥ל | a deer | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וּצְבִ֖י | and a gazelle | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וְיַחְמ֑וּר | and a roe-deer | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וְאַקּ֥וֹ | and a wild goat | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וְדִישֹׁ֖ן | and an ibex | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וּתְא֥וֹ | and an antelope | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וָזָֽמֶר׃ | and a mountain sheep | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. |
| KJV | The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois. |
| ASV | the hart, and the gazelle, and the roebuck, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the antelope, and the chamois. |
| YLT | hart, and roe, and fallow deer, and wild goat, and pygarg, and wild ox, and chamois; |
| WEB | the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the chamois. |
| BBE | The hart, the gazelle, and the roe, the mountain goat and the pygarg and the antelope and the mountain sheep. |
Where they part company is יַחְמוּר — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of a single main clause listing the clean animals.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
3 of 7 occur nowhere else in the Old Testament — words chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Deuteronomy 14:5
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Clean Animals for Foodgenerated
Deuteronomy 14:5 is part of a larger section that outlines the dietary laws for the Israelites. This chapter specifies which animals are clean and permissible for consumption, emphasizing the importance of dietary purity in the community. The list includes various types of deer and goats, highlighting the diversity of clean animals available to the Israelites.
Cross References
The Key Word — אַיָּל, 'ai.Yalgenerated
The word אַיָּל (ayal) refers specifically to a male deer, commonly known as a hart or stag. It is derived from a root that relates to a ram, indicating strength and majesty. The parsing indicates it is a common noun in masculine singular form, appearing frequently in biblical texts to denote this animal.
In this verse, אַיָּל signifies one of the clean animals that the Israelites are permitted to eat, emphasizing its importance in their diet and cultural practices.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of this verse is straightforward, listing a series of nouns that describe the clean animals. The main clause presents the animals without a finite verb, emphasizing the list format typical of legal or instructional texts.
The word order highlights the significance of each animal, presenting them in a clear and organized manner, which is characteristic of Hebrew prose in legal contexts.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, אַיָּל is rendered as ἔλαφον, which also means deer. This choice maintains the original meaning while adapting it to the Greek-speaking audience.
The translation of יַחְמוּר as βούβαλον indicates a specific type of deer, suggesting a narrowing of the term's scope in the Greek context.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Deuteronomy 14:5 lists several animals that the Israelites are allowed to eat, including the deer, the gazelle, and the wild goat. These animals are considered clean and permissible for consumption, reflecting the dietary laws that guide the community.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This verse outlines specific animals that are considered clean and permissible for the Israelites to eat, highlighting the importance of dietary regulations in their culture.
These animals are designated as clean based on their physical characteristics, such as having split hooves and chewing cud, which are criteria established in the Torah.
This verse is part of a broader set of dietary laws found in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, which serve to distinguish the Israelites from other nations and maintain their ritual purity.
The classification of clean and unclean animals is specific to the ancient Israelite context, and interpretations may vary among different religious traditions today.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What significance do these dietary laws hold for the Israelite community?
- How do these animals reflect the natural environment of ancient Israel?
- In what ways can we see the principles of cleanliness and purity applied in our own lives?
- How does understanding these laws enhance our comprehension of the biblical text?
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Deuteronomy 14:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe hart, the roebuck, and the fallow deer,.... All of the deer kind, and very agreeable food; harts were very common in the land of Canaan and parts adjacent; Aelianus says (u) harts are bred in the
Read John Gill on Deuteronomy 14 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois.
Read Robert Jamieson on Deuteronomy 14 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsDeuteronomy 14:5 The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois.Ver. 5. The hart and the roebuck.] These were dainties fit for a king. Rice and mutton is the cheer wherewith the great Turk entertaineth foreign ambassadors, and that so plainly and sparingly dressed, as if they would give check to our gormandise and excess. And the wild ox.] Pliny saith, that there are wild creatures answerable to all that are tame: like as others say there is no living creature on earth, but there are fishes of the same sort found in the sea, and those all harmless. Plin., lib. viii. cap. 53.
Read John Trapp on Deuteronomy 14 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(5) The wild goat.—In German the “Steinbock” is given as the equivalent for this creature. The pygarg (dîshon) is sometimes taken to be the buffalo. If all these creatures were then to be found in Palestine, there must have been far more uncleared land than there has been for many centuries past.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Deuteronomy 14 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 5. The hart] איל aiyal, the deer, according to Dr. Shaw: See Clarke on Deuteronomy 12:15. The roebuck] צבי tsebi, generally supposed to be the antelope, belonging to the fifth order Pecora, genus MAMMALIA, and species 38. It has round twisted spiral horns, hairy tufts on the knees, browses on tender shoots, lives in hilly countries, is fond of climbing rocks, and is remarkable for its beautiful black eyes. The flesh is good and well flavoured. The fallow deer] יחמור yachmur, from חמר chamar, to be troubled, disturbed, disordered: this is supposed to mean, not the fallow deer, but the bubalus or buffalo, which is represented by Dr. Shaw, and other travellers and naturalists, as a…
Read AdamClarke on Deuteronomy 14 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges5. Seven varieties of game; LXX B gives only five: hart, gazelle, roebuck, wild-ox and giraffe (?); codd. AF, etc. add after gazelle, buffalo and tragelaphos. It may not be unnecessary to remark that neither to the nomads nor to the fellaḥ ?ξn is hunting sport; it is, especially to the former, a hard and hungry search for food. ‘The nomad is not a hunter’ (Doughty, i. 157). The hunters of Arabia are the Sleyb, wandering gypsies without cattle and camels: according to Burckhardt (p. 12) they live on dried gazelle-flesh. Besides the varieties of game given here as edible, the ancient Arabs relished also the flesh of the wild-ass (Georg Jacob, op. cit. 115). hart and gazelle] ’Ayyal, ṣ ?ebi…
Read Cambridge on Deuteronomy 14 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible5. The hart — The ordinary deer. The roebuck should be translated the gazelle. The pygarg — A species of antelope. A kind of deer called yahmar is found on Carmel. Lieutenant Conder says it resembles the English roebuck.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Deuteronomy 14 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.
the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the chamois.
the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.
the ibex, the gazelle, the deer, the wild goat, the antelope, the wild oryx, and the mountain sheep.
Tyndale line
The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois.
the hart, and the gazelle, and the roebuck, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the antelope, and the chamois.
the hart, and the gazelle, and the roebuck, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the antelope, and the chamois.
The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow-deer, and the wild-goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois.
The hart, and the roe buck, and the bugle, and the wilde goate, and the vnicorne, and the wilde oxe, and the chamois.
Strictly literal
the hart, and the gazelle, and the stag, and the wild goat, and the dishon and the oryx, and the wild sheep.
hart, and roe, and fallow deer, and wild goat, and pygarg, and wild ox, and chamois;
deer, and roe, and fallow deer, and wild goat, and ibex, and antelope, and zemer;
The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow-deer, and the chamois, and the gazelle, and the wild ox, and the antelope.
the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, and ibex, and the antelope, and the mountain sheep.
From the Latin
The hart and the roe, the buffle, the chamois, the pygarg, the wild goat, the camelopardalus.
Simplified
deer, gazelles, wild goats, antelopes, and mountain sheep.
The hart, the gazelle, and the roe, the mountain goat and the pygarg and the antelope and the mountain sheep.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text lists the animals as אַיָּ֥ל וּצְבִ֖י וְיַחְמ֑וּר וְאַקּ֥וֹ וְדִישֹׁ֖ן וּתְא֥וֹ וָזָֽמֶר׃. The Septuagint matches these words closely, while the Samaritan Pentateuch differs in two instances, using דישׁון and תאי for דִישֹׁ֖ן and תְּאוֹ, respectively.
אַיָּ֥ל וּצְבִ֖י וְיַחְמ֑וּר וְאַקּ֥וֹ וְדִישֹׁ֖ן וּתְא֥וֹ וָזָֽמֶר׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
איל וצבי ויחמור אקו ודישׁון ותאי וזמר
2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: דישׁון (
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Deuteronomy 14:5
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אַיָּל (ayal) refers to a male deer, specifically a hart or stag. The word is derived from an intensive form related to another term for ram. It appears in contexts such as Psalm 42:2.
אַיָּל n.[m.] (f. ψ 42:2) hart, stag, deer
base
H354 אַיָּל hart, stag, deer
354 'ayal ah-yawl'
an intensive form of 352 (in the sense of ram); a stag or
male deer:--hart.
see HEBREW for 0352
אַיָּל (ay.yal) — deer.
stag, deer, hart
N-cs — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
der ('ayyal, feminine 'ayyalah, and 'ayyeleth (compare Arabic, 'ayyal and 'iyal, "deer" and 'ayil, "ram," and Latin caper and capra, "goat," caprea, capreolus, "wild goat," "chamois," or "roe deer")); yachmur (compare Arabic, yachmur, "deer"); ya`alah, feminine of ya`el (compare Arabic, wa`l, "Pers wild goat"); tsebhi, and feminine tsebhiyah (compare Arabic, zabi and feminine zabiyah, "gazelle"); `opher (compare Arabic, ghafr and ghufr, "young of the mountain goat"):
Of the words in the preceding list, the writer believes that only the first two, i.e. 'ayyal (with its feminine forms) and yachmur should be translated "deer," 'ayyal for the roe deer and yachmur for the fallow deer. Further, he believes that ya`el (including ya`alah) should be translated "ibex," and tsebhi, "gazelle." `Opher is the young of a roe deer or of a gazelle.
[FALLOW-DEER]
A wild quadruped, of a middle size between the stag and the roebuck; its horns turn inward, and are large and flat. The fallow deer is naturally very timorous: it was reputed clean, and good for food, De 14:5. Young deer are noticed in Proverbs, Songs, and Isaiah, as beautiful creatures, and very swift, Pr 5:19. See HIND.
צְבִי (tsbiy) has two primary meanings: beauty or honor, and gazelle. It is derived from a root meaning prominence or splendor. The word encompasses concepts of beauty and glory, as well as referring to the gazelle, known for its gracefulness. The lexicons do not indicate any significant disagreement regarding its meanings.
צְבִי n.m. beauty, honour
base
צְבִי n.m. gazelle
base
H6643a צְבִי beauty, honour H6643b צְבִי gazelle
6643 tsbiy tseb-ee'
from 6638 in the sense of prominence; splendor (as
conspicuous); also a gazelle (as beautiful):--beautiful(-ty),
glorious (-ry), goodly, pleasant, roe(-buck).
see HEBREW for 06638
צְבִי (tse.vi) — beauty.
1) beauty, glory, honour
1a) beauty, decoration
1b) honour
צְבִי (tse.vi) — gazelle.
1) roebuck, gazelle
1a) perhaps an extinct animal, exact meaning unknown
Also means: tse.viy.yah (צְבִיָּה "gazelle" H6646)
Conj | N-cs — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
ga-zel' (tsebhi, and feminine tsebhiyah; compare Tabeitha (Ac 9:36), and Arabic zabi; also Arabic ghazal; Dorkas (Ac 9:36); modern Greek zarkadi):
The word "gazelle" does not occur in the King James Version, where tsebhi and tsebhiyah, in the 16 passages where they occur, are uniformly translated "roe" or "roebuck." In the Revised Version (British and American) the treatment is not uniform. We find "gazelle" without comment in De 12:15,22; 14:5; 15:22; 1Ki 4:23. We find "roe," with marginal note "or gazelle," in Pr 6:5; So 2:7,9,17; 4:5; 8:14;
See ROE.
יַחְמוּר (yachmuwr) refers to a type of deer, specifically a roebuck, characterized by its reddish color. The term may also suggest an extinct species, as its exact meaning is uncertain. The word is derived from a root meaning related to color, and it is noted in the context of animal references in the Old Testament.
יַחְמוּר n.[m.] roebuck
base
H3180 יַחְמוּר roebuck
3180 yachmuwr yakh-moor'
from 2560; a kind of deer (from the color; compare
2543):--fallow deer.
see HEBREW for 02560
see HEBREW for 02543
יַחְמוּר (yach.mur) — roebuck.
1) roebuck
1a) a kind of deer, reddish in colour
1b) perhaps an extinct animal, exact meaning unknown
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
der ('ayyal, feminine 'ayyalah, and 'ayyeleth (compare Arabic, 'ayyal and 'iyal, "deer" and 'ayil, "ram," and Latin caper and capra, "goat," caprea, capreolus, "wild goat," "chamois," or "roe deer")); yachmur (compare Arabic, yachmur, "deer"); ya`alah, feminine of ya`el (compare Arabic, wa`l, "Pers wild goat"); tsebhi, and feminine tsebhiyah (compare Arabic, zabi and feminine zabiyah, "gazelle"); `opher (compare Arabic, ghafr and ghufr, "young of the mountain goat"):
Of the words in the preceding list, the writer believes that only the first two, i.e. 'ayyal (with its feminine forms) and yachmur should be translated "deer," 'ayyal for the roe deer and yachmur for the fallow deer. Further, he believes that ya`el (including ya`alah) should be translated "ibex," and tsebhi, "gazelle." `Opher is the young of a roe deer or of a gazelle.
[FALLOW-DEER]
A wild quadruped, of a middle size between the stag and the roebuck; its horns turn inward, and are large and flat. The fallow deer is naturally very timorous: it was reputed clean, and good for food, De 14:5. Young deer are noticed in Proverbs, Songs, and Isaiah, as beautiful creatures, and very swift, Pr 5:19. See HIND.
The Hebrew word אַקּוֹ (*'aqqow*) refers to a wild goat, likely the ibex. It appears only in Deuteronomy 14:5, where it is mentioned among clean animals. The entries suggest uncertainty about its exact identification, indicated by the question mark in the gloss.
אַקּוֹ n.m. wild goat (?) only Dt 14:5 in list of clean animals
ref
H689 אַקּוֹ wild goat (?)
689 'aqqow ak-ko'
probably from 602; slender, i.e. the ibex:--wild goat.
see HEBREW for 0602
אַקּוֹ (aq.qo) — wild goat.
wild goat
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
got:
1. Names:
The common generic word for "goat" is `ez (compare Arabic `anz, "she-goat"; aix), used often for "she-goat" (Ge 15:9; Nu 15:27), also with gedhi, "kid," as gedhi `izzim, "kid of the goats" (Ge 38:17), also with sa`ir, "he-goat," as se`ir `izzim, "kid of the goats" or "he-goat," or translated simply "kids," as in 1Ki 20:27, "The children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of kids." Next, frequently used is sa`ir, literally, "hairy" (compare Arabic sha`r, "hair"; cher, "hedgehog"; Latin hircus, "goat"; hirtus, "hairy"; also German Haar; English "hair"), like `ez and `attudh used of goats for offerings. The goat which is sent into the…
Goat
(1.) Heb. ‘ez, the she-goat (Gen. 15:9; 30:35; 31:38). This Hebrew word is also used for the he-goat (Ex. 12:5; Lev. 4:23; Num. 28:15), and to denote a kid (Gen. 38:17, 20). Hence it may be regarded as the generic name of the animal as domesticated. It literally means “strength,” and points to the superior strength of the goat as compared with the sheep.
(2.) Heb. ‘attud, only in plural; rendered “rams” (Gen. 31:10,12); he-goats (Num. 7:17-88; Isa.…
There appear to be two or three varieties of the common goat, Hircus agagrus , at present bred in Palestine and Syria, but whether they are identical with those which were reared by the ancient Hebrews it is not possible to say. The most marked varieties are the Syrian goat(Capra mammorica, Linn.) and the Angora goat (Capra angorensis , Linn.), with fine long hair. As to the "wild goats," (1 Samuel 24:2; Job 39:1; Psalms 104:18) it is not at all improbable that some species of ibex is denoted.
A well-known animal, resembling the sheep, but covered with hair instead of wool. Large flocks of them were kept by the Jews, Ge 27:9 1Sa 25:2 2Ch 17:11. They were regarded as clean for sacrifice, Ex 12:5 Le 3:12 Nu 15:27; and their milk and the young kids were much used for food, De 14:4 Jud 6:19 Pr 27:27 Lu 15:29. The common leather bottles were made…
דִּישֹׁן (diyshon) refers to a clean animal, specifically identified as a pygarg, a type of antelope or gazelle, and possibly a mountain goat. Its exact meaning is uncertain, with some sources suggesting it could refer to an extinct animal. This term appears only in Deuteronomy 14:5.
דִּישֹׁן n.[m.] a clean animal; pygarg, a kind of antelope or gazelle; perh. rather mountain-goat; only Dt 14:5
ref
H1788 דִּישֹׁן a clean animal; pygarg, a kind of antelope or gazelle; perh. rather mountain-goat
1788 diyshon dee-shone'
from 1758; the leaper, i.e. an antelope:--pygarg.
see HEBREW for 01758
דִּישֹׁן (di.shon) — ibex.
1) a clean animal,
1a) pygarg, a kind of antelope or gazelle
1b) perhaps mountain goat
1c) perhaps an extinct animal, exact meaning unknown
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
תְּאוֹ (t'ow) refers to an antelope or possibly a wild ox. The entries suggest it may denote a species of antelope, with some uncertainty about its exact identity, possibly referring to an extinct animal. The word is derived from a root meaning related to another term, תָּאוּ (taw), which is not detailed here.
תְּאוֹ n.m. antelope
base
H8377 תְּאוֹ antelope
8377 t'ow teh-o'
and towt (the original form) {toh}; from 8376; a species of
antelope (probably from the white stripe on the cheek):--wild
bull (ox).
see HEBREW for 08376
תְּאוֹ (te.o) — antelope.
1) wild ox, antelope, oryx
1a) perhaps an extinct animal, exact meaning unknown
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
an'-te-lop (RV; the King James Version "wild ox," te'o (De 14:5), and "wild bull," to (Isa 51:20)); orux (The Septuagint in Codex Vaticanus has hos seutlion hemiephthon, literally, "like a half-cooked beet-root"): The dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas) is widely distributed in Syria, Palestine and Arabia.
The recently discovered Merrill's gazelle (Gazella Merrilli) inhabits the hilly country near Jerusalem and is not commonly distinguished from the dorcas gazelle. Probably the only other antelope within this range is the Arabian oryx (Oryx beatrix). Tristram cites two African species (the bubaline antelope, Bubalis mauretanica, and the addax, Addax nasomaculatus) as existing in the Sinaitic peninsula, southern Palestine and Arabia, but he did not collect specimens of either and was…
See under ROE.
→ See DEER
זֶ֫מֶר (zemer) likely refers to a type of mountain animal, possibly a mountain sheep or goat, and is considered permissible as food. The exact species is uncertain, with some sources suggesting it could be a gazelle or even an extinct animal. This term appears in Deuteronomy 14:5.
[זֶ֫מֶר] n.[m.] a certain animal allowed as food, most prob. some kind of mountain-sheep or -goat Dt 14:5.
ref
H2169 [זֶ֫מֶר] a certain animal allowed as food, most prob. some kind of mountain-sheep or -goat
2169 zemer zeh'-mer
apparently from 2167 or 2168; a gazelle (from its lightly
touching the ground):--chamois.
see HEBREW for 02167
see HEBREW for 02168
זֶ֫מֶר (ze.mer) — mountain goat.
1) mountain sheep, mountain goat, moufflon, gazelle, chamois (meaning uncertain)
1a) a certain animal allowed as food (specific species uncertain)
1b) perhaps an extinct animal, exact meaning unknown
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
shep:
1. Names:
The usual Hebrew word is tso'n, which is often translated "flock," e.g. "Abel .... brought of the firstlings of his flock" (Ge 4:4); "butter of the herd, and milk of the flock" (De 32:14). The King James Version and the English Revised Version have "milk of sheep." Compare Arabic da'n. The Greek word is probaton. For other names, see notes under CATTLE; EWE; LAMB; RAM.
2. Zoology:
The origin of domestic sheep is unknown. There are 11 wild species, the majority of which are found in Asia, and it is conceivable that they may have spread from the highlands of Central Asia to the other portions of their habitat. In North America is found the "bighorn," which is very closely related to a Kamschatkan species. One species, the urial or sha, is found in India. The Barbary…
Sheep
Are of different varieties. Probably the flocks of Abraham and Isaac were of the wild species found still in the mountain regions of Persia and Kurdistan. After the Exodus, and as a result of intercourse with surrounding nations, other species were no doubt introduced into the herds of the people of Israel. They are frequently mentioned in Scripture. The care of a shepherd over his flock is referred to as illustrating God’s care over his people (Ps. 23:1, 2; 74:1; 77:20; Isa. 40:11; 53:6; John 10:1-5, 7-16).
“The sheep of Palestine are longer in the head than ours, and have tails from 5 inches broad at the narrowest part to 15 inches at the widest, the weight being in proportion, and ranging generally from 10 to 14 lbs.…
Sheep were an important part of the possessions of the ancient Hebrews and of eastern nations generally. The first mention of sheep occurs in (Genesis 4:2) They were used in the sacrificial offering,as, both the adult animal, (Exodus 20:24) and the lamb. See (Exodus 29:28; Leviticus 9:3; 12:6) Sheep and lambs formed an important article of food. (1 Samuel 25:18) The wool was used as clothing. (Leviticus 13:47) "Rams skins dyed red" were used as a covering for the tabernacle. (Exodus 25:5) Sheep and lambs were…
Of the Syrian sheep, according to Dr. Russell, there are two varieties; the one called Bedaween sheep, which differ in no respect from the larger kinds of sheep among us, except that their tails are somewhat longer and thicker; the others are those often mentioned by travellers on account of their extraordinary tails; and this species is by far the most numerous. The tail of one of these animals is very broad and large, terminating in a small appendage that turns back upon it. It is of a substance between fat and marrow, and is not eaten separately, but mixed with the lean meat in many of their dishes, and also often used instead of butter. A common sheep of this sort, without the head, feet, skin, and entrails, weighs from sixty to eighty pounds, of which the tail itself is usually ten or fifteen pounds, and when the animal is fattened, twice or thrice that weight, and very…