Birds.

From: The New Topical Textbook By: Reuben Archer Torrey

• 3 min. read • grade level: 13

Created by God. Gen. 1:20, 21²⁰And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. ²¹And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:20‑21). Gen. 2:9⁹And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9).

Created for the glory of God. Psa. 148:10¹⁰Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: (Psalm 148:10).

Herb of the field given as food to. Gen. 1:30³⁰And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. (Genesis 1:30).

Differ in flesh from beasts and fishes. 1 Cor. 15:39³⁹All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. (1 Corinthians 15:39).

Power over given to man. Gen. 1:26²⁶And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26). Psa. 8:8⁸The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. (Psalm 8:8).

Names given to, by Adam. Gen. 2:19, 20¹⁹And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. ²⁰And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. (Genesis 2:19‑20).

Instinctively fear man. Gen. 9:2²And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. (Genesis 9:2).

Instinct of, inferior to man's reason. Job 35:11¹¹Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven? (Job 35:11).

Lessons of wisdom to be learned from. Job 12:7⁷But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: (Job 12:7).

Can all be tamed. Jas. 3:7⁷For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: (James 3:7).

Given as food to man. Gen. 9:2, 3²And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. ³Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. (Genesis 9:2‑3).

The blood of, not to be eaten. Lev. 7:26²⁶Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. (Leviticus 7:26).

The property of God. Psa. 50:11¹¹I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. (Psalm 50:11).

God provides for. Psa. 104:10-12¹⁰He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. ¹¹They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst. ¹²By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. (Psalm 104:10‑12). Mat. 6:26. Luke 12:23, 24²³The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. ²⁴Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? (Luke 12:23‑24).

CALLED

Fowls of the air. Gen. 7:3³Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. (Genesis 7:3).

Fowls of heaven. Job 35:11¹¹Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven? (Job 35:11).

Feathered fowl. Eze. 39:17¹⁷And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord God; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood. (Ezekiel 39:17).

Winged fowl. Deu. 4:17.

Birds of the air. Mat. 8:20.

Many kinds of, granivorous. Mat. 13:4.

Many kinds of, carnivorous. Gen. 15:11¹¹And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away. (Genesis 15:11). Gen. 40:19¹⁹Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee. (Genesis 40:19). Deu. 28:26.

Furnished with claws. Dan. 4:33³³The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws. (Daniel 4:33).

Propagated by eggs. Deu. 22:6. Jer. 17:11¹¹As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool. (Jeremiah 17:11).

Make, and dwell in nests. Mat. 8:20.

Are hostile to strange kinds. Jer. 12:9⁹Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour. (Jeremiah 12:9).

Have each their peculiar note or song. Psa. 104:12¹²By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. (Psalm 104:12). Ecc. 12:4. SoS. 2:12.

Fly above the earth. Gen. 1:20²⁰And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. (Genesis 1:20).

Rapid flight of, alluded to. Isa. 31: 5. Hos. 9:11¹¹As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception. (Hosea 9:11). Hos. 11:11¹¹They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the Lord. (Hosea 11:11).

Many kinds of, migratory. Jer. 8:7⁷Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord. (Jeremiah 8:7).

Often remove from places suffering calamities. Jer. 4:25²⁵I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. (Jeremiah 4:25). Jer. 9:10¹⁰For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none can pass through them; neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled; they are gone. (Jeremiah 9:10).

Rest on trees. Dan. 4:12¹²The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. (Daniel 4:12). Mat. 13:32.

INHABIT

Mountains. Psa. 50:11¹¹I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. (Psalm 50:11).

Deserts. Psa. 102:6⁶I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert. (Psalm 102:6).

Marshes. Isa. 14:23²³I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of hosts. (Isaiah 14:23).

Deserted cities. Isa. 34:11, 14, 15¹¹But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness. (Isaiah 34:11)
¹⁴The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest. ¹⁵There shall the great owl make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shadow: there shall the vultures also be gathered, every one with her mate. (Isaiah 34:14‑15).

MAKE THEIR NESTS

In trees. Psa. 104:17¹⁷Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house. (Psalm 104:17). Eze. 31:6⁶All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations. (Ezekiel 31:6).

On the ground. Deu. 22:6.

In clefts of rocks. Num. 24:21²¹And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock. (Numbers 24:21). Jer. 48:28²⁸O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the hole's mouth. (Jeremiah 48:28).

In deserted cities. Isa. 34:15¹⁵There shall the great owl make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shadow: there shall the vultures also be gathered, every one with her mate. (Isaiah 34:15).

Under the roofs of houses. Psa. 84:3³Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. (Psalm 84:3).

Early distinguished into clean and unclean. Gen. 8:20²⁰And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. (Genesis 8:20).

CLEAN

Dove. Gen. 8:8⁸Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; (Genesis 8:8).

Turtle. Lev. 14:22²²And two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering. (Leviticus 14:22). SoS. 2:12.

Pigeon. Lev. 1:14¹⁴And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the Lord be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons. (Leviticus 1:14). Lev. 12:6⁶And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest: (Leviticus 12:6).

Quail. Exo. 16:12, 13¹²I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God. ¹³And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. (Exodus 16:12‑13). Num. 11: 31, 32.

Sparrow. Lev. 14:4⁴Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: (Leviticus 14:4). (marg.) Mat. 10:29-31.

Swallow. Psa. 84:3³Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. (Psalm 84:3). Isa. 38:14¹⁴Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me. (Isaiah 38:14).

Cock and hen. Mat. 23:37. Mat. 26:34, 74.

Partridge. 1 Sam. 26:20²⁰Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains. (1 Samuel 26:20). Jer. 17: 11.

Crane. Isa. 38:14¹⁴Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me. (Isaiah 38:14). Jer. 8:7⁷Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord. (Jeremiah 8:7).

To be eaten. Deu. 14:11, 20.

Offered in sacrifice. Gen. 8:20²⁰And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. (Genesis 8:20). Lev. 1:14¹⁴And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the Lord be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons. (Leviticus 1:14).

UNCLEAN

Eagle. Lev. 11:13¹³And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, (Leviticus 11:13). Job 39:27²⁷Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? (Job 39:27).

Ossifrage. Lev. 11:13¹³And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, (Leviticus 11:13).

Osprey. Lev. 11:13¹³And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, (Leviticus 11:13).

Vulture. Lev. 11:14¹⁴And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; (Leviticus 11:14). Job 28:7⁷There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen: (Job 28:7). Isa. 34:15¹⁵There shall the great owl make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shadow: there shall the vultures also be gathered, every one with her mate. (Isaiah 34:15).

Glede. Deu. 14:13.

Kite. Lev. 11:14¹⁴And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; (Leviticus 11:14).

Raven. Lev. 11:15¹⁵Every raven after his kind; (Leviticus 11:15). Job 38:41⁴¹Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat. (Job 38:41).

Owl. Lev. 11:16¹⁶And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, (Leviticus 11:16). Job 30:29²⁹I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls. (Job 30:29).

Night hawk. Lev. 11:16¹⁶And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, (Leviticus 11:16).

Cuckoo. Lev. 11:16¹⁶And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, (Leviticus 11:16).

Hawk. Lev. 11:16¹⁶And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, (Leviticus 11:16). Job 39:26²⁶Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south? (Job 39:26).

Little owl. Lev. 11:17¹⁷And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, (Leviticus 11:17).

Cormorant. Lev. 11:17¹⁷And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, (Leviticus 11:17). Isa. 34:11¹¹But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness. (Isaiah 34:11).

Great owl. Lev. 11:17¹⁷And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, (Leviticus 11:17).

Swan. Lev. 11:18¹⁸And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, (Leviticus 11:18).

Pelican. Lev. 11:18¹⁸And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, (Leviticus 11:18). Psa. 102:6⁶I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert. (Psalm 102:6).

Gier Eagle. Lev. 11:18¹⁸And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, (Leviticus 11:18).

Stork. Lev. 11:19¹⁹And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. (Leviticus 11:19). Psa. 104:17¹⁷Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house. (Psalm 104:17).

Heron. Lev. 11:19¹⁹And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. (Leviticus 11:19).

Lapwing. Lev. 11:19¹⁹And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. (Leviticus 11:19).

Bat. Lev. 11:19¹⁹And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. (Leviticus 11:19). Isa. 2:20²⁰In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; (Isaiah 2:20).

Ostrich. Job 39:13, 18¹³Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich? (Job 39:13)
¹⁸What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider. (Job 39:18).

Bittern. Isa. 14:23²³I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of hosts. (Isaiah 14:23). Isa. 34:11¹¹But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness. (Isaiah 34:11).

Peacock. 1 Kin. 10:22. Job 39:13¹³Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich? (Job 39:13).

Not to be eaten. Lev. 11:13, 17¹³And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, (Leviticus 11:13)
¹⁷And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, (Leviticus 11:17).

Deu. 14:12.

Not to be eaten with their young. Deu. 22:6, 7.

Taken in snares or nets. Pro. 1:17¹⁷Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. (Proverbs 1:17).

Often suffered for man's sin. Gen. 6:7⁷And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. (Genesis 6:7). Jer. 12:4⁴How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end. (Jeremiah 12:4). Eze. 38:20²⁰So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. (Ezekiel 38:20). Hos. 4:3³Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away. (Hosea 4:3).

Solomon wrote the history of. 1 Kin. 4:33.

Confinement of, in cages alluded to. Jer. 5:27²⁷As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. (Jeremiah 5:27).

No likeness of, to be made for worship. Deu. 4:17.

Often worshipped by idolaters. Rom. 1:23²³And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. (Romans 1:23).

ILLUSTRATIVE

Of cruel and rapacious kings. Isa. 46:11¹¹Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. (Isaiah 46:11).

Of hostile nations. Jer. 12:9⁹Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour. (Jeremiah 12:9).

Of people of different countries. Eze. 31:6⁶All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations. (Ezekiel 31:6). Mat. 13:32.

Of unsettled persons, &c. Pro. 27: 8. Isa. 16:2²For it shall be, that, as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon. (Isaiah 16:2).

Of the devil and his spirits. Mat. 13:4, with 19 v.

(Snaring,) of death. Ecc. 9:12.

(Snaring,) of designs of the wicked. Psa. 124:7⁷Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. (Psalm 124:7). Pro. 1:10-17¹⁰My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. ¹¹If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: ¹²Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: ¹³We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: ¹⁴Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: ¹⁵My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: ¹⁶For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. ¹⁷Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. (Proverbs 1:10‑17). Pro. 7:23²³Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. (Proverbs 7:23).

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