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KING JAMES BIBLE DICTIONARY

 

Sparrow

The Bible

Bible Usage:

Dictionaries:

  • Included in Eastons: Yes
  • Included in Hitchcocks: No
  • Included in Naves: Yes
  • Included in Smiths: Yes
  • Included in Websters: Yes
  • Included in Strongs: Yes
  • Included in Thayers: No
  • Included in BDB: Yes

Strongs Concordance:

 

Easton's Bible Dictionary
Sparrow

Mentioned among the offerings made by the very poor. Two sparrows were sold for a farthing (Matthew 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 (Leviticus 14:4; Psalms 84:3; 102:7). The Greek word of the New Testament is strouthion (Matthew 10:29-31), which is thus correctly rendered.


Naves Topical Index
Sparrow

Nests of
Psalms 84:3

Two, sold for a farthing
Matthew 10:29; Luke 12:6


Smith's Bible Dictionary
Sparrow

(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 (Psalms 84:3) and Psalms 102:7 It is rendered "sparrow." The Greek stauthion (Authorized Version "sparrow") occurs twice in the New Testament, (Matthew 10:29; Luke 12:6,7) (The birds above mentioned are found in great numbers in Palestine and are of very little value, selling for the merest trifle and are thus strikingly used by our Saviour, (Matthew 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 (Proverbs 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 (Psalms 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."


Webster's 1828 Dictionary
Sparrow

SPAR'ROW, noun A small bird of the genus Fringilla and order of Passers. These birds are frequently seen about houses.


Webster's 1828 Dictionary
Sparrow-grass

SPAR'ROW-GRASS, a corruption of asparagus.


Webster's 1828 Dictionary
Sparrow-hawk

SPAR'ROW-HAWK, SPAR'HAWK, noun A small species of short winged hawk.