Dove in Biblical History

Bible History

Schaff's Bible Dictionary

Definitions in Biblical History
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

What is a Dove?
DOVE
Gen 8:9. A bird clean by the Mosaic law, and often mentioned by the sacred writers. In their wild state doves dwell principally in holes in the rocks. Song of Solomon 2:14; Jer 48:28. They are innocent in their dispositions, and make no resistance to their enemies. Matt 10:16. They are very much attached to their mates; and when one is absent or dies, the other, or survivor, laments its loneliness. Isa 38:14; Isa 59:11; Eze 7:16 Nah 2:7. There are various allusions to the mildness, peacefulness, and affection of doves. The Church is called a "turtledove" and a "dove," or compared to it. Ps 74:19; Song of Solomon 1:15; Num 2:14; Song of Solomon 4:1; Song of Solomon 5:2; Acts 6:9. Where "doves' eyes" are spoken of in these passages, allusion is made to the meekness of their expression. Lange's Commentary translates Song of Solomon 5:12 thus: "His eyes [are] like doves by brooks of water, bathing in milk, sitting on fulness." Thus understood, the passage compares the iris nestling in the white of the eye to a blue pigeon bathing in a brook of milk. It was in the manner of a dove that the Holy Spirit descended upon our Saviour at his baptism. Matt 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32. Hosea compares timid Ephraim to "a silly dove without heart," Hosea 7:11, and says that when the Jews shall be called to their own land they shall "tremble," or fly, "as a dove out of the land of Assyria." Hosea 11:11. David in his distress wished that he could fly from his troubles as the doves do to warmer climates on the approach of winter. Ps 55:6-8. The appearance of the dove is spoken of as an emblem of spring. Song of Solomon 2:12. The dove is mentioned in an interesting part of the early history of the world as being sent out by Noah from the ark to discover whether the dry land had appeared. Gen 8:6-12. The dove was used in sacrifices. It was, among other animals, prepared by Abram when God manifested his intention to bless him, as narrated in Gen 15:9. When a child was born the mother was required within a certain time to bring a lamb and a young pigeon, or turtle-dove, for offering; but if she were too poor to afford a lamb, she might bring two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons. Lev 12:6-8. Thus we may judge of the poverty of Mary, the mother of .Jesus, when upon his birth she brought to the temple at Jerusalem the two birds instead of a lamb. Luke 2:24. It was to supply applicants with animals for sacrifice that certain persons sat in the temple with doves to sell, whom our Lord forced to leave it because "the house of prayer" was not a fit place for buying and selling. Mark 11:15; John 2:14-16. David, Ps 68:13, "refers to a kind" of dove "found at Damascus, whose leathers, all except the wings, are literally as yellow as gold; they are very small and kept in cages. I have often had them in my house, but their note is so very sad that I could not endure it." -- Thomson. In all Eastern towns homes are provided for the pigeons; sometimes special towers are erected for them; sometimes the upper stories of the houses are fitted with openings or "windows," Turtle Dove. (After Houghton.) and are sacred to their use. The immense compact masses of these birds as they are seen flying to their houses or places of resort "can never be forgotten by Eastern travellers. They sometimes resemble a distant cloud, and are so dense as to obscure the rays of the sun. Hence the allusion in Isa 60:8. Tristram says that the pigeon tribe abound in Palestine to a degree unknown in other countries. The great abundance of plants of the clover and vetch family accounts for their numbers. Rock-doves, in myriads beyond computation, inhabit the caves and fissures which honeycomb the limestone cliffs of Palestine. The wild rock-pigeon (Columba livia), the ancestor of the domestic races, is found here, as well as other species. See Turtledove. Dove's Dung. There are two views concerning the material to which there is reference in 2 Kgs 6:25. Some suppose that this substance was in great demand as a quick manure for those vegetables which might be soonest raised for the famishing Samaritans; others believe that so terrible was the extremity that the people were glad to get even so disgusting a substance as this for food. The great price at which it was held -- about a dollar and a half a pint -- militates against either form of this view. The other view is that the produce of some plant not commonly used for food is intended. The seeds of a kind of millet formerly called by the Hebrews "doves' seed," and of other plants, have been proposed. The root of the star of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum -- i.e. bird-milk) meets with much favor. The bulb of this plant has often been eaten, and it is abundant in Palestine.

Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'dove' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
bible-history.com - Schaff's

Copyright Information
© Schaff's Bible Dictionary

Schaff's Bible Dictionary Home
Bible History Online Home

Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
Online Bible (KJV)
Naves Topical Bible
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Schaff's Bible Dictionary
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
Hitchcock's Bible Dictionary

Schaff's Bible Dictionary

Popular in the New Testament

Popular in the
New Testament