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foul (עוף, ‛oÌ„ph; πετεινοÌν, peteinoÌn): The word is now generally restricted to the larger, especially the edible birds, but formerly it denoted all flying creatures; in the King James Version we have even, “all fowls that creep, going upon all four,†, “every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four.â€
1. Old Testament Terms and References
The word most frequently translated “fowl†is ‛oÌ„ph from ‛̇uÌ„ph, “to cover,†hence, wing; it is used collectively for birds and fowl in general (, etc.; , , etc.); ‛ayı̄t (from ‛uÌ„t, “to rushâ€) means a ravenous beasts; or bird of prey, used collectively of ravenous birds ( the King James Version; the King James Version “fowlsâ€; , “a path which no fowl knoweth,†the Revised Version (British and American) “no bird of preyâ€); in it is used as a symbol of a conqueror (compare , “bird,†“birds of preyâ€; , “ravenous birdsâ€); cippoÌ„r, Aramaic cippar (from caÌ„phar, “to twitter or chirpâ€), “a chirper,†denotes a small bird or sparrow ( the King James Version; ; ); to give the carcasses of men to the fowls (birds) of the air was an image of destruction ( the King James Version; , ; ; , etc.); barburı̄m, rendered () “fatted fowl†(among the provisions for Solomon's table for one day), is probably a mimetic word, like Greek baÌrbaros, Latin murmuro, English babble, perhaps denoting geese from their cackle (Gesenius, from baÌ„rar, “to cleanse,†referring to their white plumage; but other derivations and renderings are given). They might have been ducks or swans. They could have been guineas or pigeons. The young of the ostrich was delicious food, and no doubt when Solomon's ships brought peafowl they also brought word that they were a delicacy for a king's table. The domestic fowl was not common so early in Palestine,but it may have been brought by Solomon with other imports from the East; in New Testament times chickens were common; ba‛al kaÌ„naÌ„ph, “owner of a wing,†is used for a bird of any kind in . “In vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird,†the King James Version margin Hebrew, “in the eyes of everything that hath a wing.â€
2. In the Levitical Law
In the Levitical law fowls (birds) were distinguished as clean and unclean ( f; -20; compare ); the first were allowed to be eaten because they fed on grains, seeds, and vegetables; the second were forbidden because they fed on flesh and carrion.
3. New Testament References and Illustrative Uses
In the New Testament the common word for “fowl†is peteinon, “winged fowl.†“The fowls of the air†(the Revised Version (British and American) “the birds of the heavenâ€) are pointed to by our Lord as examples of the providential care of God (; ); in another connection the “sparrows†(strouthıÌon) sold cheap, probably for food, are so employed (, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?†, “five ... for two penceâ€); their quickly picking up seeds from the ground is made to illustrate the influences which render “the word†powerless (); their being sheltered in the branches, the growth of the kingdom (, peteinon); the hen's (ornis) sheltering care for her chickens, His desire to protect and save Jerusalem (; compare 2 Esdras 1:30; ); the fowls were shown in vision to Peter as among the things made clean by God (; ); in ; , , oÌrneon, “bird,†“fowl,†a carnivorous bird (the Revised Version (British and American) “birdâ€), is the representative of desolation and of destruction.
For “fowls†the American Standard Revised Version has “birds†(, ; ; ; ; ; with the English Revised Version ; ; , ; ; ; ); for “every feathered fowl†(), the Revised Version (British and American) has “the birds of every sortâ€; for “all fowls that creep†() and for “every flying creeping thing†(), “all winged creeping things.â€