שְׂלָו (se.lav)
se.lav
quail
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun se.lav refers specifically to the quail, a small game bird mentioned in only four verses of the Old Testament. Its primary occurrences are found in the wilderness narratives of Exodus and Numbers, where these birds appear as part of God’s provision for the Israelites during their journey. The word is also cited once in Psalms, recalling this historical event.
Lexical sources suggest that se.lav is likely a loanword, indicating it was not originally native to the early Hebrew vocabulary but entered the language through contact with neighboring cultures or languages. This etymology highlights the specific nature of the bird’s introduction into the biblical narrative as a distinct, recognizable entity within the ancient Near Eastern context.
Translators consistently render se.lav as "quail," preserving the concrete identification of the animal without ambiguity. The word serves as a tangible marker of divine sustenance in times of scarcity, anchoring the theological theme of provision in a specific, physical reality rather than an abstract concept.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word selav refers to the quail, a small bird that appears in only four verses of the Old Testament. These brief mentions are not random details but significant markers of God’s care during the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness. When food was scarce and hope seemed thin, this specific provision arrived as a tangible reminder that their Creator pays attention to their daily needs.
In Exodus and Numbers, the quails came in abundance, covering the camp and satisfying the people’s hunger. This event is later recalled in Psalm 105 as a testament to God’s faithfulness over generations. For believers today, these verses offer comfort that God can meet physical and spiritual needs in ways we might not expect. It invites us to trust that He provides what is necessary for our journey, even when the path feels uncertain.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ quail2×
- quails1×
- quail1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/שְּׂלָ֔ו2×
- שַׂלְוִים֮1×
- שְׂלָ֑ו1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 16:13
In the evening, quail came up and covered the camp; and in the morning the dew lay around the camp.
This verse marks the first time quails appear in the narrative, arriving in the evening to accompany the morning manna as part of God's dual provision.
-
Numbers 11:31
A wind from Yahweh went out and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, about a day’s journey on this side, and a day’s journey on the other side, around the camp, and about two cubits above the surface of the earth.
Here the text emphasizes the supernatural scale of the provision, with a wind bringing quails from the sea and covering the camp extensively.
-
Psalms 105:40
They asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of the sky.
This later citation recalls the wilderness event to highlight God's consistent faithfulness in answering the people's requests for food.