דַּיָּה (day.yah)
day.yah
hawk
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun dayyah refers to a bird of prey, likely a kite or similar raptor. It appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both times within lists of unclean animals prohibited for consumption. In Deuteronomy 14:16 and Isaiah 34:15, it is grouped with other scavengers and hunters, marking it as part of the wild, untamed order that Israel was not to eat.
Its usage highlights a distinction between clean and unclean creatures based on diet and behavior. The sources suggest this bird frequents ruins or desolate places, reinforcing its association with death and decay rather than life and community. This imagery fits Isaiah’s broader theme of judgment, where the land becomes a wasteland inhabited only by such birds.
Though rare in Scripture, dayyah serves as a concrete example of how dietary laws functioned symbolically. By excluding scavengers like the kite, the law reinforced a vision of holiness that separated Israel from practices tied to death and impurity.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word dayyah refers to a bird of prey, likely a kite or hawk, which appears in only two verses of the Hebrew Bible. In both instances, it is listed among unclean animals that Israel was forbidden to eat. This classification highlights a clear boundary between creatures associated with life and community, and those linked to death, decay, and desolation.
For your faith, this distinction reminds us that holiness often involves setting boundaries. By avoiding scavengers like the dayyah, ancient Israel maintained a tangible separation from practices tied to impurity. It serves as a concrete example of how dietary laws functioned symbolically to reinforce a vision of purity and order.
While we do not follow these specific dietary restrictions today, the underlying principle remains relevant. We are called to distinguish between what builds up life and what leads to decay. This word invites us to consider how our choices reflect a commitment to holiness in our daily lives.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- black kites1×
- and/ the/ black kite1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/הַ/דַּיָּ֖ה1×
- דַיּ֖וֹת1×
Key Verses
-
Deuteronomy 14:13
the red kite, the falcon, the kite of any kind,
This verse lists the dayyah among unclean birds, establishing it as part of the prohibited diet that separated Israel from surrounding nations.
-
Isaiah 34:15
The arrow snake will make her nest there, and lay, hatch, and gather under her shade. Yes, the kites will be gathered there, every one with her mate.
Here, the presence of kites in a desolate land symbolizes judgment and the reversal of creation, showing how these birds inhabit places of death rather than life.