Crane

In Isa 38:14, and Jer 8:7, two birds are mentioned, the שיש and the ענור . The first in our version is translated crane, and the second swallow; but Bochart exactly reverses them, and the reasons he adduces are incontrovertible. Aristophanes curiously observes, that “it is time to sow when the crane migrates clamouring into Africa; she also bids the mariner suspend his rudder and take his rest, and the mountaineer to provide himself with raiment;” and Hesiod, “When thou hearest the voice of the crane, clamouring annually from the clouds on high, recollect that this is the signal for ploughing, and indicates the approach of showery winter.”

Where do the cranes or winding swallows go, Fearful of gathering winds and failing snow?

Conscious of all the coming ills, they fly To milder regions and a southern sky. PRIOR.

The Prophet Jeremiah mentions this bird, thus intelligent of the seasons by an instinctive and invariable observation of their appointed times, as a circumstance of reproach to the chosen people of God, who, although taught by reason and religion, “know not the judgment of the Lord.”

Fig. 137—Numidian Crane: Grus Virgo

Crane (Isa 38:14; Jer 8:7). The correctness of the translation in these passages has however been called in question, for if the ’crane’ of Europe had been meant by either denomination, the clamorous habits of the species would not have been expressed as ’chattering;’ and it is most probable that the striking characteristics of that bird, which are so elegantly and forcibly displayed in Hesiod and Aristophanes, would have supplied the lofty diction of prophetical inspiration with associations of a character still more exalted. It is supposed, therefore, that the ’Ardea virgo’ of Linn, the ’Grus virgo’ of later writers, and ’Anthropoides virgo’ of some, is the bird really meant, though not coming from the north, but from Central Africa, down the Nile, and in the spring arriving in Palestine, while troops of them proceed to Asia Minor, and some as far north as the Caspian. They are frequently found portrayed on Egyptian monuments, and Hasselquist, who saw them on the Nile, afterwards shot one near Smyrna: they visit the swamp above that city, and the lake of Tiberias, and depart in the fall, but do not utter the clangor of the crane, nor adopt its flight in two columns, forming an acute angle, the better to cleave the air. This bird is not more than three feet in length; it is of a beautiful bluish grey, with the cheeks, throat, breast, and tips of the long hinder feathers and quills black, and a tuft of delicate white plumes behind each eye. It has a peculiar dancing walk, which gave rise to its French denomination of ’demoiselle.’

In Isa 38:14 Jer 8:7, two birds are mentioned, the sus and the AGUR, the first rendered in our version crane, the second swallow. Bochart says the sus, or sis, is the swallow; the agur, the crane. The numidian crane, supposed to be referred to, is about three feet in length, is bluish-grey, with the cheeks, throat, breast, and tips of the long hinder feathers black, with a tuft of white feathers behind each eye. "Like a crane, or a swallow, so did I chatter:" there is peculiar force and beauty in the comparison here made between the dying believer and migratory birds about to take their departure to a distinct but more genial clime. They linger in the scenes which they have frequented, but instinct compels them to remove.\par

Crane. The crane (Grus cinerea) is a native of Europe and Asia. It stand about four feet high. Its color is ashen gray, with face and neck nearly black. It feeds on seeds, roots, insects and small quadrupeds. It retires in winter to the warmer climates. Jer 8:7.

Isa 38:14, "like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter" (rather "twitter"); rather "like a swallow or a crane": sus ’agur. A plaintive and migratory (Jer 8:7) bird is implied by sus; Italian zisilla, "swallow." Gesenius takes gahur as an epithet, "like the circling swallow." Thirteen manuscripts of Kennicott read isis for sus or sis; that goddess having been, according to Egyptian fable, changed into a swallow; a fable transferred to the Greek mythology, in the story of Procne.

occurs in our version as the translation of סוס(sus, literally a leaper, from its swiftness, Isa 38:14) or סיס(sis, Jer 8:7), in connection with another bird, the עַגוּר(agur’, the chatterer, or, as Gesenius renders it in Isaiah, the chattering, as an epithet of the other), which latter is rendered “swallow” in our version. The Rabbins agree with our version in rendering the former of these words (sus or sis) by “crane;” but Bochart and Gesenius (in accordance with the Sept., Theod., and Vulg.), more correctly, as we think, decide in favor of “swallow;” while Luther, rejecting both, prefers “heron.” Where so much diversity of opinion reigns, it will be most safe to search for the true meaning by examining the internal evidence furnished by the texts in question, the two names occurring in no other instance. In Isaiah, allusion is made to the voice of both the species (if distinct), which is described by the verb “to chatter,” in accordance, or nearly so, with all critical authorities. SEE SWALLOW. In Jeremiah, where both names occur in the same order, the birds are represented as “observing the time of their coming.” Now, if the “crane” of Europe had been meant by either denomination, the clamorous habits of the species would not have been expressed as “chattering;” and it is most probable that the striking characteristics of that bird, which are so elegantly and forcibly displayed in Hesiod and Aristophanes, would have supplied the lofty diction of prophetical inspiration with associations of a character still more exalted. Sus or sis is the name of a fabulous long-legged bird in Arabian legends, but it also indicates the expressive sound of the swallow’s voice, while agur is transferred with slight alteration to the stork in several northern tongues.

The Teuticon aiber, Dutch oyevaer, Esthonian aigr and aigro, therefore support the view that the latter term is a tribal epithet of one of the great wading birds; but neither the Hebrew text nor the Teutonic names point to the crane of Europe (Ardea grus, Linn., Grus cinerea of later ornithologists), since that species has a loud trumpet voice, and therefore does not “chatter;” but especially because in its migrations it crosses the Mediterranean into Africa, and does not appear in Palestine, unless by accident (driven thither possible by a western storm of wind); and when a troop of cranes alight under these circumstances, it is only for a moment; they do not give evidence of purposely assembling like the swallow. Thus the few characteristics indicated might seem to point out the stork, which does assemble in Syria in flocks before its departure, and is not a clamorous bird, having little or no voice But as the stork is clearly designated by a different appellation in the original, SEE STORK, we must search for another species as the representative of the sus, or at least of the latter term; and we fortunately find one which completely answers to the conditions required; for, being neither a genuine crane, a stork, nor a heron, having a feeble voice, and striking, but distinct manners, it is remarkable for beauty, numbers, residence, and periodical arrival and departure. The Numidian crane (Ardea virgo of Linn., the Grus virgo of later writers, and Anthropoides virgo of some) is the bird, we have every reason to conclude, intended by “agur,” though not coming from the north, but from Central Africa, down the Nile (the very circumstance which puzzled Hasselquist), and in the spring arriving in Palestine, while troops of them proceed to Asia Minor, and some as far north as the Caspian. They are frequently found portrayed on Egyptian monuments, and the naturalist just quoted, who saw them on the Nile, afterwards shot one near Smyrna. they visit the swamp above that city, and the lake of Tiberias, and depart in the fall, but do not utter the clangor of the crane, nor adopt its flight in two columns, forming an acute angle, the better to cleave the air. This bird is not more than three feet in length; it is of a beautiful bluish gray, with the cheeks, throat, breast, and tips of the long hinder feathers and quills black, and a tuft of delicate white plumes behind each eye. It has a peculiar dancing walk, which gave rise to its French denomination of “demoiselle” (see the Penny Cyclopaedia, s. v, Herons). SEE BIRD.

The Hebrew term sus occurs frequently elsewhere, but only in the sense of “horse” or cavalry.

Crane. A large bird measuring four feet in height and seven feet from tip to tip of its extended wings. When upon the wing it is usually noisy, and its cry is hoarse and melancholy: hence the allusion of Isa 38:14. These birds return in the spring with great regularity from their migrations, and nocks of thousands pass over Palestine. Jer 8:7. But the two Hebrew words sus and agur, rendered "crane" and "swallow," may signify the "swallow twittering" or "chattering."

Two things are said of this bird in scripture: it chatters or makes a querulous noise, Isa 38:14; and it knows its time of migration. Jer 8:7. The common crane answers to both of these characteristics. In the above passages the swallow is mentioned after the crane, the Hebrew words being sis and agur; many hold that the translators have transposed the words, and that sis refers to the swallow, and agur to the crane. It is so translated by the Revisers and by Mr. Darby.

By: Emil G. Hirsch, Ira Maurice Price

A rendering, in the A. V., of the Hebrew word or , which in the R. V. is more correctly translated "swallow." "Crane," however, is the proper rendering in the R. V. of the word , as in Isa. xxxviii. 14 and Jer. viii. 7. The first of these texts describes the crane as a bird that chatters: while the second points out its migratory character. The bird now identified with this crane, on the authority of Tristram and Hart, is the Grus communis. It is met with in Palestine in large numbers during the summer; and it winters generally in northern Africa. It is said to be the largest bird now found in Palestine, often measuring four feet in length. It gathers in large flocks at common roosting-places, where the chatter and clanging of its notes may be heard, especially at night, at a long distance. The peculiar anatomy of this bird has for some years engaged the attention of zoologists.

CRANE.—In Isa 38:14 and Jer 8:7 sûs or sîs is rendered in AV [Note: Authorized Version.] ‘crane,’ RV [Note: Revised Version.] correctly ‘Swallow’ [wh. see]. In the same passages ‘agûr is rendered in AV [Note: Authorized Version.] ‘swallow,’ RV [Note: Revised Version.] ‘crane.’ The crane (Grus communis) is the largest bird which visits W. Palestine; its length is four feet. They arrive in large flocks in the winter (Jer 8:7). Its trumpeting note is strangely described (in Isa 38:14 EV [Note: English Version.] ) as ‘chattering,’ and this makes the translation somewhat doubtful.

E. W. G. Masterman.

krān (עגוּר, ‛āghūr; γέρανος, géranos; Latin Grus cinerea): A bird of the family gruidae. The crane is mentioned twice in the Bible: once on account of its voice (Isa 38:14: “Like a swallow or a crane, so did I chatter”); again because of the unforgettable picture these birds made in migration (Jer 8:7): “Yea, the stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle-dove and the swallow and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the law of Yahweh.” Some commentators have adduced reasons for dropping the crane from the ornithology of the Bible, but this never should be permitted. They were close relatives of stork, heron and ibis; almost as numerous as any of these, and residents of Palestine, except in migration. The two quotations concerning them fit with their history, and point out the two features that made them as noticeable as any birds of Palestine. Next to the ostrich and pelican they were the largest birds, having a wing sweep of 8 ft. from tip to tip and standing 4 ft. in height. In migration such immense flocks passed over Palestine as to darken the sky, and when they crossed the Red Sea they appeared to sweep from shore to shore, and so became the most noticeable migratory bird, for which reason, no doubt, they were included in Isaiah’s reference to spring migration with the beloved doves, used in sacrifice and for caged pets, and with the swallows that were held almost sacred because they homed in temples. Not so many of them settled in Palestine as of the storks, but large flocks lived in the wilderness South of Jerusalem, and a few pairs homed near water as far north as Merom. The grayish-brown cranes were the largest, and there were also a crested, and a white crane. They nested on the ground or in trees and laid two large eggs, differing with species. The eggs of the brown bird were a light drab with brown speckles, and those of the white, rough, pale-blue with brown splotches. They were not so affectionate in pairs or to their young as storks, but were average parents. It is altogether probable that they were the birds intended by Isaiah, because they best suited his purpose, the crane and the swallow being almost incessant talkers among birds. The word “chatter,” used in the Bible, exactly suits the notes of a swallow, but is much too feeble to be used in describing the vocalizing of the crane. They migrated in large wedge-shaped companies and cried constantly on wing. They talked incessantly while at the business of living, and even during the watches of the night they scarcely ceased passing along word that all was well, or sending abroad danger signals. The Arabs called the cry of the cranes “bellowing.” We usually express it by whooping or trumpeting. Any of these words is sufficiently expressive to denote an unusual voice, used in an unusual manner, so that it appealed to the prophet as suitable for use in a strong comparison.

Isa 38:14 (a) Hezekiah uses this word to illustrate the emptiness of his heart and the loneliness of his spirit when he was on his sick bed.

Jer 8:7 (a) Israel is said to know less about GOD’s dealings than the crane knows about her own life. The crane knows what to do and when to do it, but Israel did not seem to know.

Crane. Cranes are the largest of several migratory birds that fly over Palestine (Jer 8:7) in noisy flocks of thousands.

Hezekiah, king of Judah, thinking he was dying, chattered and clamored "like a crane" (Isa 38:14); (swift, NIV). This must have been quite a noise. With a windpipe coiled like a french horn, cranes produce one of the loudest bird calls in the world.

A crane (Grus grus) is a tall wading bird. It looks like a stork or heron but has shorter claws. Its feathers have a silvery shine. The tail feathers are wavy.

The Hebrew word in Isaiah 38:14 and Jeremiah 8:7 may refer to the crane, but this is uncertain.

Large flocks of cranes pass over the Holy Land in fall, flying from northern Europe to Africa. They return in spring to breed. They travel in wedge-shaped groups during the day. A migrating flock can have up to 2,000 birds.

The normal call of the crane sounds like a deep bellow. During migration, cranes make a chattering sound. Isaiah 38:14 may refer to this sound. A crane’s voice is very strong and can be heard from far away. Usually one bird leads the flock and calls to guide the others.

A crane can be about 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches) tall. Only the ostrich is taller among birds in the Holy Land. The wings can spread more than 90 inches (about 229 centimeters). The body is steel gray. The head and neck are black with a long white stripe along the side.

Cranes usually feed on land, not in shallow water. They eat mostly grass and grain. They may also eat insects, snakes, small alligators, frogs, and worms. They use their long, strong bill to kill prey.

Cranes usually nest alone in quiet places, often in shallow water or nearby. The nest is made from plants. It holds two or three light-colored eggs with darker spots.

See Birds.

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