sparrow Summary and Overview

Mentioned among the offerings made by the very poor. Two sparrows were sold for a farthing (Matt. 10:29), and five for two farthings (Luke 12:6). The Hebrew word thus rendered is "tsippor", which properly denotes the whole family of small birds which feed on grain (Lev. 14:4; Ps. 84:3; 102:7). The Greek word of the New Testament is "strouthion" (Matt. 10:29-31), which is thus correctly rendered.

(Heb. tzippor, from a root signifying to "chirp" or "twitter," which appears to be a phonetic representation of the call-note of any passerine (sparrow-like) bird). This Hebrew word occurs upwards of forty times in the Old Testament. In all passages except two it is rendered by the Authorized Version indifferently "bird" or "fowl." and denotes any small bird, both of the sparrow-like species and such as the starling, chaffinch, greenfinch, linnet, goldfinch, corn-bunting, pipits, blackbird, song-thrush, etc. In #Ps 84:3| and Psal 102:7 it is rendered "sparrow." The Greek stauthion (Authorized Version "sparrow") occurs twice in the New Testament, #Mt 10:29; Lu 12:6,7| (The birds above mentioned are found in great numbers in Israel and are of very little value, selling for the merest trifle and are thus strikingly used by our Saviour, #Mt 10:20| as an illustration of our Father's care for his children. --ED.) The blue thrush (Petrocossyphus cyaneus) is probably the bird to which the psalmist alludes in #Pr 102:7| as "the sparrow that sitteth alone upon the house-top." It is a solitary bird, eschewing the society of its own species, and rarely more than a pair are seen together. The English tree-sparrow (Passer montanus, Linn.) is also very common, and may be seen in numbers on Mount Olivet and also about the sacred enclosure of the mosque of Omar. This is perhaps the exact species referred to in #Ps 84:3| Dr. Thompson, in speaking of the great numbers of the house-sparrows and field-sparrows in troublesome and impertinent generation, and nestle just where you do not want them. They stop your stove-- and water-pipes with their rubbish, build in the windows and under the beams of the roof, and would stuff your hat full of stubble in half a day if they found it hanging in a place to suit them."

SPAR'ROW . The original word might properly have been always translated, as it is generally, "bird " or "fowl." It denotes, indefinitely, some of the sparrow-like (passerine) species, which in multitudes inhabit the Holy Land. In the East such little birds have Tree-Sparrow. (After Wood) always been sold at the merest trifle for food. Matt 10:29. The blue thrush of Palestine is peculiarly a solitary species, and in all its habits exactly meets the description of Ps 102:7. Birds of the sparrow kind often build their nests in the mosques and public buildings of the East. The writer, during service in the English church at Nazareth, observed a house-sparrow enter through a broken pane of glass and fly to its nest, high overhead, illustrating Ps 84:3.

Related to Hebrew tsipor, imitation of the sound made by it, "tzip" (Psalm 84:3. (See BIRD.) Leviticus 14:4-7 margin.) On the meaning of the rite in cleansing leper's, one tsippor killed, the other dipped in its blood and let loose alive, Cowper writes: "Dipped in his fellow's blood, The living bird went free; The type, well understood, Expressed the sinner's plea; Described a guilty soul enlarged, And by a Saviour's death discharged." Its commonness gives point to Jesus' remark, "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing ... one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. ... Fear ye not therefore ye are of more value than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:29; Matthew 10:31; Luke 12:6-7). There are one hundred different species of the passerine order in Israel.