Swan
Jump to: Smith'sATSISBEEaston'sWebster'sConcordanceThesaurusHebrewLibrarySubtopicsTermsResources
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Swan

(Heb. tinshemeth), thus rendered by the Authorized Version in (Leviticus 11:18; 14:16) where it occurs in the list of unclean birds Rut either of the renderings "porphyrio" (purple water-hen) and "ibis" is more probable. Neither of these birds occurs elsewhere in the catalogue; both would be familiar to residents in Egypt, and the original seems to point to some water-fowl. The purple water-hen is allied to our corn-crake and water-hen, and is the largest and most beautiful of the family Rallidae . It frequents marshes and the sedge by the banks of rivers in all the countries bordering on the Mediterranean and is abundant in lower Egypt.

ATS Bible Dictionary
Swan

This bird is mentioned only in Le 11:18 De 14:16; and it is there quite doubtful whether the Hebrew word means a swan. The Septuagint calls it the ibis, and the purple hen, a waterfowl.

Easton's Bible Dictionary
Mentioned in the list of unclean birds (Leviticus 11:18; Deuteronomy 14:16), is sometimes met with in the Jordan and the Sea of Galilee.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (n.) Any one of numerous species of large aquatic birds belonging to Cygnus, Olor, and allied genera of the subfamily Cygninae. They have a large and strong beak and a long neck, and are noted for their graceful movements when swimming. Most of the northern species are white. In literature the swan was fabled to sing a melodious song, especially at the time of its death.

2. (n.) Fig.: An appellation for a sweet singer, or a poet noted for grace and melody; as Shakespeare is called the swan of Avon.

3. (n.) The constellation Cygnus.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
SWAN

swon (tinshemeth, "chameleon," "tree-toad," "water-hen," "owl"; kuknos; Latin cygnus; Anglo-Saxon: swan and swon): Mentioned only in old versions and the Revised Version margin in Leviticus 11:18: "the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle," and in Deuteronomy 14:16 Septuagint porphurion = "water-hen"; Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) ibis). In the Revised Version (British and American) this is rightly changed to "the horned owl, and the pelican, and the vulture." A bird of the duck family wrongly placed among the abominations in old versions of the Bible, now changed to horned owl.

White and gray swans spend their winter migratory season on the waters of the Holy Land. They are among the most ancient birds of history; always have been used for food; when young and tender, of fine flesh and delicious flavor; so there is no possibility that they were ever rightfully placed among the birds unsuitable for food. Their feeding habits are aquatic, their food in no way objectionable.

Gene Stratton-Porter

Strong's Hebrew
8580. tinshemeth -- (an animal) perhaps owl, chameleon
... Word Origin from nasham Definition (an animal) perhaps owl, chameleon NASB
Word Usage chameleon (1), white owl (2). mole, swan. From ...
/hebrew/8580.htm - 6k
Library

The Swan-Neck
... THE SWAN-NECK. Evil sped the battle play On the Pope Calixtus' day; Mighty
war-smiths, thanes and lords, In Senlac slept the sleep of swords. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/andromeda and other poems/the swan-neck.htm

Simeon's Swan-Song
... VOLUME I: ST. LUKE Chaps. I to XII SIMEON'S SWAN-SONG. 'Lord, now lettest
Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: 30. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/simeons swan-song.htm

Brorson's Swan-Song
... Hans Adolph Brorson, the Christmas Singer of Denmark Chapter Ten Brorson's
SWAN-SONG. The Pietist movement, new and numerically small ...
/.../aaberg/hymns and hymnwriters of denmark/chapter ten brorsons swan-song.htm

To the Rev. J. Jowett
... Immediately on my arrival I sought out Mr. Swan, one of the most amiable and
interesting characters I have ever met with, and delivered to him your letter, the ...
/.../borrow/letters of george borrow/to the rev j jowett 6.htm

Sixth Tractate. Quality and Form-Idea.
... The distinction may be seen in the [constitutive] whiteness of a swan or
of ceruse and the whiteness which in a man is an accidental. ...
/.../plotinus/the six enneads/sixth tractate quality and form-idea.htm

The Old Gravestone
... "Why, then, it must be the gravestone of Preben Swan and his wife!" exclaimed an
old man, who by his age might appear the grandfather of everybody in the room. ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/the old gravestone.htm

Report of Mr. George Borrow
... On my arrival, before entering upon this highly important and difficult task, I,
in obedience to your command, assisted Mr. Swan, the missionary from Selinginsk ...
/.../borrow/letters of george borrow/report of mr george borrow.htm

In the Next Place, after Other Platonic Declarations, which ...
... He, moreover, who will declare that what is related of Plato and Socrates belongs
to the marvellous, will quote the story of the swan which was recommended to ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter viii in the next.htm

The Bishop Elect and Consecrate
... Almost as soon as he was installed a new swan came upon the waters, huge
and flat-beaked, with yellow fleshings to his mandibles. ...
/.../marson/hugh bishop of lincoln/chapter iv the bishop elect.htm

Ridicule of the Heathen Divinities.
... A god, forsooth, becomes a swan, or takes the form of an eagle, and, making
Ganymede his cupbearer, glories in a vile affection. ...
/.../tatian/tatians address to the greeks/chapter x ridicule of the heathen.htm

Thesaurus
Swan (2 Occurrences)
... Most of the northern species are white. In literature the swan was fabled to sing
a melodious song, especially at the time of its death. ...SWAN. ...
/s/swan.htm - 8k

Chameleon (1 Occurrence)
... Tinshemeth also occurs in the lists of unclean birds in Leviticus 11:18 and Deuteronomy
14:16, where it is rendered: the King James Version "swan"; the Revised ...
/c/chameleon.htm - 11k

Mole (2 Occurrences)
... chameleon"). In Leviticus 11:18, Deuteronomy 14:16, it is rendered, in
Authorized Version, "swan" (RV, "horned owl"). The Hebrews ...
/m/mole.htm - 12k

Gier-eagle (4 Occurrences)
... and the ospray, (ASV BBE). Leviticus 11:18 And the swan, and the pelican,
and the gier-eagle, (WBS). Deuteronomy 14:12 But these are ...
/g/gier-eagle.htm - 8k

Gier (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Gier (2 Occurrences). Leviticus 11:18 And the
swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, (KJV WBS YLT). ...
/g/gier.htm - 7k

Ibis (2 Occurrences)
... Ibis (2 Occurrences). Leviticus 11:17 and the owl, and the gannet, and the ibis,
(DBY RSV). Deuteronomy 14:16 the owl, and the ibis and the swan, (DBY). ...
/i/ibis.htm - 7k

Trumpeter (1 Occurrence)
... Called also agami, and yakamik. 4. (n.) A variety of the domestic pigeon. 5. (n.)
An American swan (Olor buccinator) which has a very loud note. ...
/t/trumpeter.htm - 7k

Pelican (5 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Pelican (5 Occurrences). Leviticus 11:18 And the swan,
and the pelican, and the gier eagle, (KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). ...
/p/pelican.htm - 11k

Pen (16 Occurrences)
... 5. (n.) The internal shell of a squid. 6. (n.) A female swan. 7. (vt) To write;
to compose and commit to paper; to compose; as, to pen a sonnet. ...
/p/pen.htm - 14k

Carrion (3 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Carrion (3 Occurrences). Leviticus 11:18 and the swan,
and the pelican, and the carrion vulture, (DBY JPS NAS RSV). ...
/c/carrion.htm - 7k

Resources
What is Romanticism? How has Romanticism affected Christianity? | GotQuestions.org

Swan: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Swamps
Top of Page
Top of Page