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Birds

From: Concise Bible Dictionary: B

By: George A. Morrish

Narrator: Chris Genthree

Duration: 1min

• 1 min. read • grade level: 12

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These are employed as symbols of evil agents: as, in the dream of Pharaoh’s baker, the birds ate the bakemeats he was carrying on his head (Gen. 40:17¹⁷And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head. (Genesis 40:17)); and in the parable of the Sower the fowls or birds which devoured the seed by the wayside are interpreted by Christ to signify “the wicked one” (Matt. 13:4,19⁴And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: (Matthew 13:4)
¹⁹When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. (Matthew 13:19)). In the parable of the Mustard Seed the kingdom of heaven becomes a great system with roots in the earth, under the protection of which the birds of the air find shelter (Matt. 13:31-32³¹Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: ³²Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. (Matthew 13:31‑32)). The Greek is πετεινόν, the same in the two parables.

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Concise Bible Dictionary: B

• Birds

• Birds, Clean and Unclean

• Birth-Day, Birthday

• Birth-Right

• Bishoprick (ἐπισκοπή)

• Bitter Herbs

• Bitterness, Gall of

• Blood, Avenger of