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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Colt; Foal
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koÌ„lt (עיר, ‛ayı̄r, בּן, ben; πῶλος, pō̇los, υἱοÌÏ‚, huioÌs, with some word such as ὑποζυγιÌου, hupozugıÌou, understood; huios alone = “sonâ€): The English words “colt†and “foal†are used in the Bible of the ass everywhere except in , where the word “colt†is used of the camel in the list of animals destined by Jacob as presents for Esau. In most cases ‛ayir (compare Arabic ‛air, “assâ€) means “ass's colt,†but it may be joined with ben, “son,†as in , where we have: ‛al-hÌ£ămoÌ„r we‛al-‛ayir ben-'ăthoÌ„noÌ„th, literally, “on an ass, and on an ass's colt, the son of the she-assesâ€; compare ἐπὶ ὀÌνον καὶ ἐπὶ πῶλον υἱὸν ὑποζυγιÌου, epÄ±Ì oÌnon kaÄ±Ì epÄ±Ì pō̇lon huioÌn hupozugıÌou, “upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.†In we have ἐπὶ πῶλον ὀÌνου, epÄ±Ì pō̇lon oÌnou, and in the previous verse the diminutive, ὀναÌÏιον, onaÌrionÌŒ. The commonest New Testament word for “colt†is poÌ„los, akin to which is German Fohle and English “foal†and “filly.†The Latin pullus signifies either “foal†or “chicken,†and in the latter sense gives rise to French poulet and English “pullet.â€
In view of the fact that horses are but little mentioned in the Bible, and that only in connection with royal equipages and armies, it is not surprising that “colt†does not occur in its ordinary English sense.