דַּיָּה
𐤃𐤉𐤄
dayâh
H1772 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A large bird of prey, most likely referring to a vulture or kite species native to the Levant. The word emphasizes the bird's prominent role as a carrion-eater. In passages where דַּיָּה appears, it serves primarily as a representative of ritually unclean birds, forbidden as food. Contextually, the term carries connotations of scavenging, soaring, and keen vision, as characteristic of these birds. The semantic range includes both general references to birds of prey and, more narrowly, to specific vulture or kite-like species.
Semantic Range
kite, vulture, large carrion-eating bird of prey, unclean bird under Israelite dietary law
Root / Etymology
From the root דָּאָה, meaning 'to fly swiftly, soar.' The form דַּיָּה is likely an intensive or derivative, indicating an especially notable or prominent bird in the category of soaring raptors. Root meaning focuses on the act of flight or soaring, while the lexical form denotes the bird itself, with an emphasis on its ecological or ritual status.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Levitical and Deuteronomic dietary laws (e.g., Leviticus 11:14; Deuteronomy 14:13), דַּיָּה is listed among prohibited birds. The precise species intended cannot be established with certainty, but comparative zoological evidence and ancient Near Eastern context suggest identification with large carrion-eating raptors such as the black kite (Milvus migrans) or one of the vulture species common in the region. The term's emphasis is not on a particular taxonomic distinction but rather on the bird's behaviors (soaring, feeding on carcasses) and symbolic association with impurity and death. In contrast to other Hebrew terms for birds of prey (e.g., נֶשֶׁר [nesher, likely the griffon vulture or eagle], רָחָם [raḥam, possibly the Egyptian vulture]), דַּיָּה appears only in legal or list contexts, not as a literary or symbolic animal. English translations alternate between 'vulture' and 'kite,' but both are approximations; focus should rest on the broader ecological and ritualistic distinctions.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
intensive from דָּאָה; a falcon (from its rapid flight); vulture.
Bantu Hebrew
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דאה (d-ʾ-h) — to fly swiftly, soar
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1772-01 |
דַיּ֖וֹת | dayot | HNcfpa |
hawks | soaring carrion-birds | 1 |
H1772-02 |
וְ/הַ/דַּיָּ֖ה | vehadayah | HC/Td/Ncfsa |
and the kite | and the soaring vulture | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1772-02 |
Deuteronomy 14:13 | וְ/הַ/דַּיָּ֖ה | vehadayah | HC/Td/Ncfsa |
and the kite | and the soaring vulture |
H1772-01 |
Isaiah 34:15 | דַיּ֖וֹת | dayot | HNcfpa |
hawks | soaring carrion-birds |