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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Creature
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krē´t̬ū̇r: The word “creature,†as it occurs in the New Testament, is the translation and also the exact English equivalent of the Greek κτιÌσις, ktıÌsis, or κτιÌσμα, ktıÌsma, from κτιÌζω, ktıÌzoÌ„, “to create.†In the Old Testament, on the other hand, it stands for words which have in the original no reference to creation, but which come from other roots. Nephesh, “living creature†(literally, “a breathing thingâ€), occurs in the accounts of the Creation and the Flood and at the close of the lists of clean and unclean animals in . HÌ£ay, “living creature†(literally, “a living thingâ€), occurs 13 times in Ezek 1; 3 and 10 (see CREATURE, LIVING). Sherec, “moving creature†(literally, “a swarming thing,†generally rendered “creeping thing,†which see), occurs once in . 'OÌ„ḥı̄m, “doleful creatures,†occurs once only in . It appears to be an onomatopoetic word referring to the mournful sounds emitted by the animals in question. From the context it is fair to suppose that owls may be the animals referred to. See OWL; CREATION.