עוֹף (H5775) — Hebrew Lexicon

עוֹף

𐤏𐤅𐤐

ʻôwph

H5775 noun

SILEX Entry

Root עוף to fly, to move through the air

Definition

A collective term for flying creatures, particularly birds, but also used more broadly for any winged, airborne animal. It primarily refers to animals that move through the air by means of wings, encompassing a broad category from large birds to small fliers. The term does not distinguish among specific bird species but denotes the entire class of winged, flying animals in the Israelite worldview.

Semantic Range

flying creature, bird, fowl, winged insect, collective class of airborne animals

Root / Etymology

From the root עוּף, meaning 'to fly' or 'move through the air.' The noun עוֹף is derived from this root and designates those creatures characterized by their ability to fly, especially birds but contextually inclusive of some insects and other fliers.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, עוֹף is predominantly used as a collective or class noun for birds or fowl, especially in creation and sacrificial laws (e.g., Genesis 1:20–22, Leviticus 1:14). While often rendered 'fowl' or 'bird' in English translations, it can refer contextually to any flying creature. In Genesis 1, עוֹף is contrasted with aquatic and terrestrial animals, delineating birds and airborne beings as a distinct grouping in the ancient Israelite taxonomy of nature. The term does not correspond exactly to the modern biological concept of 'bird' (Aves), as in some cases it includes certain flying insects (cf. Leviticus 11:20). English translations often use 'bird' or 'fowl,' but these can obscure the term's broader conceptual range in ancient Hebrew. In post-exilic and later periods, more specific bird names or terms appear, but עוֹף continues to be the general collective. Related terms are צִפּוֹר (tsippor, often 'bird'), which can indicate a smaller bird or songbird but is sometimes used interchangeably with עוֹף, though עוֹף has broader, even categorical, scope.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from עוּף; a bird (as covered with feathers, or rather as covering with wings), often collectively; bird, that flieth, flying, fowl.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

עוף (ʿ-w-p̄) — to fly, to move through the air

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H3287	יָעֵף	the exhausted one
H4155	מוּעָף	covered-over dimness
H4588	מָעוּף	shadowed gloom of
H5774	עוּף	he flew
H5776	עוֹף	flying creature
H5778	עוֹפַי	Bird-like One
H5890	עֵיפָה	enveloping gloom
H5891	עֵיפָה	Ephah (Soaring-One)
H6079	עַפְעַף	my fluttering eyelids

Word Forms

17 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H5775-10`	ע֤וֹף	of	`HNcmsa`	birds	flying creature	25
`H5775-02`	הָ/ע֔וֹף	haof	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the birds	the flying creature	14
`H5775-07`	לְ/ע֥וֹף	leof	`HR/Ncmsc`	for birds	for flying creatures	7
`H5775-01`	בָּ/ע֤וֹף	baof	`HRd/Ncmsa`	both fowl	flying creature	3
`H5775-17`	וְ/עוֹף֙	veof	`HC/Ncmsa`	and the birds	and flying creature	3
`H5775-14`	וּ/בְ/ע֣וֹף	uveof	`HC/R/Ncmsc`	and over the birds	and in flying-creature of	3
`H5775-16`	וְ/הָ/ע֖וֹף	vehaof	`HC/Td/Ncmsa`	and the birds	and the flying creature	3
`H5775-12`	וּ/מֵ/ע֖וֹף	umeof	`HC/R/Ncmsc`	and from the birds	and from flying creatures	2
`H5775-11`	וּ/לְ/ע֣וֹף	uleof	`HC/R/Ncmsc`	and to the birds	and to flying creatures of	2
`H5775-09`	מֵ/ע֧וֹף	meof	`HR/Ncmsc`	of birds	from flying creature of	2
`H5775-06`	לָ/ע֖וֹף	laof	`HRd/Ncmsa`	of bird	to a flying creature	1
`H5775-05`	כְ/עוֹף	kheof	`HR/Ncmsa`	like a bird	flying creature	1
`H5775-13`	וּ/בָ/ע֗וֹף	uvaof	`HC/Rd/Ncmsa`	or by bird	flying creature	1
`H5775-08`	מֵ/הָ/ע֣וֹף	mehaof	`HR/Td/Ncmsa`	of the birds	from the flying creature	1
`H5775-03`	כָּ/ע֖וֹף	kaof	`HRd/Ncmsa`	like-a-bird	like a flying creature	1
`H5775-04`	כְּ/ע֥וֹף	keof	`HR/Ncmsc`	like a bird	like a flying-creature	1
`H5775-15`	וָ/ע֔וֹף	vaof	`HC/Ncmsa`	and birds	flying creature	1

Occurrences in Scripture

71 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H5775-17`	Genesis 1:20	וְ/עוֹף֙	veof	`HC/Ncmsa`	and let birds	and flying creature
`H5775-10`	Genesis 1:21	ע֤וֹף	of	`HNcmsa`	bird	flying creature
`H5775-16`	Genesis 1:22	וְ/הָ/ע֖וֹף	vehaof	`HC/Td/Ncmsa`	and the birds	and the flying creature
`H5775-14`	Genesis 1:26	וּ/בְ/ע֣וֹף	uveof	`HC/R/Ncmsc`	and over the birds	and in flying-creature of
`H5775-14`	Genesis 1:28	וּ/בְ/ע֣וֹף	uveof	`HC/R/Ncmsc`	and over the fowl	and in flying-creature of
`H5775-10`	Genesis 1:30	ע֨וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	bird	flying creature
`H5775-10`	Genesis 2:19	ע֣וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	bird	flying creature
`H5775-11`	Genesis 2:20	וּ/לְ/ע֣וֹף	uleof	`HC/R/Ncmsc`	and to the birds	and to flying creatures of
`H5775-10`	Genesis 6:7	ע֣וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	birds	flying creature
`H5775-08`	Genesis 6:20	מֵ/הָ/ע֣וֹף	mehaof	`HR/Td/Ncmsa`	of the birds	from the flying creature
`H5775-09`	Genesis 7:3	מֵ/ע֧וֹף	meof	`HR/Ncmsc`	of the birds	from flying creature of
`H5775-02`	Genesis 7:8	הָ/ע֔וֹף	haof	`HTd/Ncmsa`	birds	the flying creature
`H5775-02`	Genesis 7:14	הָ/ע֣וֹף	haof	`HTd/Ncmsa`	fowl	the flying creature
`H5775-01`	Genesis 7:21	בָּ/ע֤וֹף	baof	`HRd/Ncmsa`	both fowl	flying creature
`H5775-10`	Genesis 7:23	ע֣וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	birds	flying creature
`H5775-01`	Genesis 8:17	בָּ/ע֧וֹף	baof	`HRd/Ncmsa`	of fowl	flying creature
`H5775-02`	Genesis 8:19	הָ/ע֔וֹף	haof	`HTd/Ncmsa`	bird	the flying creature
`H5775-02`	Genesis 8:20	הָ/ע֣וֹף	haof	`HTd/Ncmsa`	bird	the flying creature
`H5775-10`	Genesis 9:2	ע֣וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	bird	flying creature
`H5775-01`	Genesis 9:10	בָּ/ע֧וֹף	baof	`HRd/Ncmsa`	of the birds	flying creature
`H5775-16`	Genesis 40:17	וְ/הָ/ע֗וֹף	vehaof	`HC/Td/Ncmsa`	and the birds	and the flying creature
`H5775-02`	Genesis 40:19	הָ/ע֛וֹף	haof	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the birds	the flying creature
`H5775-02`	Leviticus 1:14	הָ/ע֛וֹף	haof	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the birds	the flying creature
`H5775-06`	Leviticus 7:26	לָ/ע֖וֹף	laof	`HRd/Ncmsa`	of bird	to a flying creature
`H5775-02`	Leviticus 11:13	הָ/ע֔וֹף	haof	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the birds	the flying creature
`H5775-02`	Leviticus 11:20	הָ/ע֔וֹף	haof	`HTd/Ncmsa`	of the flying	the flying creature
`H5775-02`	Leviticus 11:21	הָ/ע֔וֹף	haof	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the flying	the flying creature
`H5775-02`	Leviticus 11:23	הָ/ע֔וֹף	haof	`HTd/Ncmsa`	of the bird	the flying creature
`H5775-16`	Leviticus 11:46	וְ/הָ/ע֔וֹף	vehaof	`HC/Td/Ncmsa`	and of the bird	and the flying creature
`H5775-10`	Leviticus 17:13	ע֖וֹף	of	`HNcmsa`	a bird	flying creature
`H5775-02`	Leviticus 20:25	הָ/ע֥וֹף	haof	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the birds	the flying creature
`H5775-13`	Leviticus 20:25	וּ/בָ/ע֗וֹף	uvaof	`HC/Rd/Ncmsa`	or by bird	flying creature
`H5775-02`	Deuteronomy 14:19	הָ/ע֔וֹף	haof	`HTd/Ncmsa`	of the flying creature	the flying creature
`H5775-10`	Deuteronomy 14:20	ע֥וֹף	of	`HNcmsa`	winged thing	flying creature
`H5775-10`	Deuteronomy 28:26	ע֥וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	birds	flying creature
`H5775-07`	1 Samuel 17:44	לְ/ע֥וֹף	leof	`HR/Ncmsc`	for food	for flying creatures
`H5775-07`	1 Samuel 17:46	לְ/ע֥וֹף	leof	`HR/Ncmsc`	to the birds	for flying creatures
`H5775-10`	2 Samuel 21:10	ע֨וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	the birds	flying creature
`H5775-02`	1 Kings 5:13	הָ/ע֔וֹף	haof	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the fowl	the flying creature
`H5775-10`	1 Kings 14:11	ע֣וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	birds	flying creature
`H5775-10`	1 Kings 16:4	ע֥וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	birds	flying creature
`H5775-10`	1 Kings 21:24	ע֥וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	birds	flying creature
`H5775-05`	Isaiah 16:2	כְ/עוֹף	kheof	`HR/Ncmsa`	like a bird	flying creature
`H5775-10`	Jeremiah 4:25	ע֥וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	birds	flying creature
`H5775-10`	Jeremiah 5:27	ע֔וֹף	of	`HNcmsa`	of birds	flying creature
`H5775-07`	Jeremiah 7:33	לְ/ע֥וֹף	leof	`HR/Ncmsc`	for birds	for flying creatures
`H5775-09`	Jeremiah 9:9	מֵ/ע֤וֹף	meof	`HR/Ncmsc`	of birds	from flying creature of
`H5775-15`	Jeremiah 12:4	וָ/ע֔וֹף	vaof	`HC/Ncmsa`	and birds	flying creature
`H5775-10`	Jeremiah 15:3	ע֧וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	birds	flying creature
`H5775-07`	Jeremiah 16:4	לְ/ע֥וֹף	leof	`HR/Ncmsc`	for-birds-of	for flying creatures
`H5775-07`	Jeremiah 19:7	לְ/ע֥וֹף	leof	`HR/Ncmsc`	to-birds-of	for flying creatures
`H5775-07`	Jeremiah 34:20	לְ/ע֥וֹף	leof	`HR/Ncmsc`	for the birds	for flying creatures
`H5775-11`	Ezekiel 29:5	וּ/לְ/ע֥וֹף	uleof	`HC/R/Ncmsc`	and to the birds	and to flying creatures of
`H5775-10`	Ezekiel 31:6	ע֣וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	birds	flying creature
`H5775-10`	Ezekiel 31:13	ע֣וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	birds	flying creature
`H5775-10`	Ezekiel 32:4	ע֣וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	birds	flying creature
`H5775-17`	Ezekiel 38:20	וְ/ע֨וֹף	veof	`HC/Ncmsc`	and the birds	and flying creature
`H5775-02`	Ezekiel 44:31	הָ/ע֖וֹף	haof	`HTd/Ncmsa`	bird	the flying creature
`H5775-10`	Hosea 2:20	ע֣וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	fowls-of	flying creature
`H5775-14`	Hosea 4:3	וּ/בְ/ע֣וֹף	uveof	`HC/R/Ncmsc`	and with the birds	and in flying-creature of
`H5775-04`	Hosea 7:12	כְּ/ע֥וֹף	keof	`HR/Ncmsc`	like a bird	like a flying-creature
`H5775-03`	Hosea 9:11	כָּ/ע֖וֹף	kaof	`HRd/Ncmsa`	like-a-bird	like a flying creature
`H5775-10`	Zephaniah 1:3	עוֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	birds	flying creature
`H5775-10`	Psalms 50:11	ע֣וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	birds	flying creature
`H5775-10`	Psalms 78:27	ע֣וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	birds	flying creature
`H5775-07`	Psalms 79:2	לְ/ע֣וֹף	leof	`HR/Ncmsc`	to birds	for flying creatures
`H5775-10`	Psalms 104:12	עוֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	the birds	flying creature
`H5775-17`	Job 12:7	וְ/ע֥וֹף	veof	`HC/Ncmsc`	and the birds	and flying creature
`H5775-12`	Job 28:21	וּ/מֵ/ע֖וֹף	umeof	`HC/R/Ncmsc`	and from the birds	and from flying creatures
`H5775-12`	Job 35:11	וּ/מֵ/ע֖וֹף	umeof	`HC/R/Ncmsc`	and than the birds	and from flying creatures
`H5775-10`	Ecclesiastes 10:20	ע֤וֹף	of	`HNcmsc`	a bird	flying creature

← H5774 Hebrew Lexicon H5776 →