תֻּכִּי
𐤕𐤊𐤉
tukkîy
H8500 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A bird of foreign origin mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, likely referring to a peacock or a similarly exotic and ornamental bird known for its notable plumage and association with wealth and distant trade. The term denotes a non-native, visually impressive bird brought to the Israelite court as a luxury item or curiosity.
Semantic Range
peacock, exotic bird from distant lands, luxury import animal
Root / Etymology
Root uncertain; widely regarded as a loanword of foreign origin, possibly from a Dravidian language such as Tamil (tōkai = peacock's tail). The Hebrew form follows a typical pattern for imported animal names.
Historical & Contextual Notes
תֻּכִּי occurs only in 1 Kings 10:22 and 2 Chronicles 9:21, within lists of luxury imports associated with the reign of King Solomon, alongside gold, silver, ivory, and monkeys. The presence of the word in such lists—especially coupled with reference to trading fleets of Tarshish—underscores its status as an exotic import, with routes likely extending to South Asia. Most modern scholarship identifies the term as referencing the Indian or Asian peacock (Pavo cristatus), based in part on parallel references in other ancient Near Eastern trade records and on linguistic similarities to Dravidian words for peacock; however, some debate remains. The use of תֻּכִּי for 'peacock' has become standard in modern Hebrew. English translations such as 'peacock' closely follow this understanding, but it should be noted that the certainty of this identification, while plausible, is based on circumstantial linguistic and trade evidence. The term does not recur outside these import lists, and does not carry symbolic or metaphorical connotations elsewhere in the biblical corpus. Greek translations in the Septuagint (LXX) use the term ταῦροι (bulls) in some instances, indicating ancient uncertainty about the identification.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or תּוּכִּי; probably of foreign derivation; some imported creature, probably a peacock; peacock.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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תכי (t-k-y (uncertain)) — exotic bird, peacock, foreign ornamental fowl
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8500-01 |
וְ/תֻכִּיִּֽים | vetukiyim | HC/Ncmpa |
and peacocks | and exotic peacocks | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8500-01 |
1 Kings 10:22 | וְ/תֻכִּיִּֽים | vetukiyim | HC/Ncmpa |
and peacocks | and exotic peacocks |
H8500-01 |
2 Chronicles 9:21 | וְ/תוּכִּיִּֽים | vetukiyim | HC/Ncmpa |
and peacocks | and exotic peacocks |