יַעֲנָה (ya.a.nah)
ya.a.nah
ostrich
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 8 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun ya’anah refers to a specific type of unclean bird mentioned eight times in the Old Testament. While traditional translations often render it as "ostrich," scholars note that the exact identity remains uncertain, with some suggesting it may refer to an owl or even an extinct species. Leviticus 11:16 lists it among creatures forbidden for consumption, grouping it with other scavengers and nocturnal birds.
The word carries a distinct cultural weight in prophetic literature. In Isaiah and Micah, ya’anah appears as part of the imagery describing desolate ruins. When cities are destroyed, these birds take over the abandoned structures, symbolizing a return to wildness and abandonment. This usage highlights the bird’s association with places where human order has collapsed.
Translators face a challenge here because the precise zoological reference is unclear. Some modern versions opt for "owl" or "desert owl" to capture the eerie atmosphere of the prophetic texts, while others retain "ostrich" for historical continuity. Regardless of the specific species intended, the term consistently evokes a sense of isolation and the reclaiming of human spaces by nature.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ya’anah appears in Scripture as a creature of the wild, often listed among unclean animals or used to paint pictures of ruined cities. When Isaiah describes Babylon’s fall, he says ostriches will dwell there, marking a place where human order has collapsed and nature reclaims the space. This imagery reminds us that God is sovereign even over desolation and abandonment.
In Job 30:29, the sufferer identifies with these birds, feeling isolated and cast out. Yet in Isaiah 43:20, the same creature honors God by drinking from rivers He provides in the wilderness. This contrast shows that no place is beyond God’s care. Even in our loneliest moments, we are held by His provision.
When life feels like a ruin, remember that God brings water to the desert. The ostrich, whether symbolizing loneliness or wild freedom, points to a world where God’s presence remains. We can trust Him to sustain us, no matter how empty our surroundings seem.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 8 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- an ostrich6×
- the/ ostrich2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יַעֲנָֽה\׃3×
- יַֽעֲנָ֑ה2×
- הַֽ/יַּעֲנָ֔ה2×
- יַֽעֲנָ֔ה1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 13:21
But wild animals of the desert will lie there, and their houses will be full of jackals. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will frolic there.
This verse uses the ostrich to symbolize the complete desolation of Babylon after its fall.
-
Job 30:29
I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.
Job compares his own isolation and suffering to being a companion with ostriches in the wilderness.
-
Isaiah 43:20
The animals of the field, the jackals and the ostriches, shall honor me, because I give water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen,
Here the ostrich honors God by drinking from the rivers He provides in the desert for His people.