Porcupine
Porcupine
Porcupine. The prophets Isaiah and Zephaniah mention a wild creature that lived in desolate ruined places (Isa 14:23; Isa 34:11; Zep 2:14). The KJV calls it a bittern, but the RSV translates the animal as hedgehog or porcupine (bustard, NEB). Palestine does have porcupines, even today. They are small animals with sharp needles all over their backs. When in danger, the porcupine rolls up into a prickly ball.
Fuente: Plants Animals Of Bible
Porcupine
SEE BITTERN.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Porcupine
PORCUPINE.See Bittern.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Porcupine
porku-pin (, kippodh (Isa 14:23; Isa 34:11; Zep 2:14) the King James Version bittern, the Revised Version (British and American) porcupine; Septuagint , echnos hedgehog; , kippoz (Isa 34:15), the King James Version great owl, the English Revised Version arrow-snake, the American Standard Revised Version dart-snake; Septuagint echinos; compare Arabic kunfud, or kunfudh, hedgehog or porcupine. , kippodh, is referred to the root , kaphadh, to draw one’s self together or to roll oneself up, while , kipoz is referred to the root , kaphaz, and the root , kaphac, to draw together in order to spring. The resemblance between all these words, including the Arabic is obvious, and it is to be noted that the Septuagint has echinos in all the places cited):
The Greek echinos is the hedgehog. The Arabic kunfudh is used in some localities for the hedgehog and in others for the porcupine, which is also called ns. The hedgehog is also called kibbabat-ush-shauk, or ball of spines. These two animals are both found in Syria and Palestine, and, while both have spines, they are very different animals, though often confounded. The hedgehog, Erinaceus europeus, is one of the Insectivora. It eats not only insects but also snakes and other small animals, as well as fruits and roots. It is about 10 inches long, covered with short spines, and rolls itself into a ball when attacked. It inhabits the countries bordering the Mediterranean. The porcupine, Hystrix cristata, is a rodent, about 26 inches long, having long spines. It is herbivorous. It backs rapidly at its foes, thrusting its sharp spines into their flesh, not shooting its spines, as is often stated. It inhabits most of Europe and Asia. It is very different from the Canadian porcupine, Erethizon dorsatus, as well as from the tree porcupines of Mexico and Central and South America.
As to the rendering bittern for kippodh (Isa 14:23; Isa 34:15; Zep 2:14), while the etymology favors hedgehog, the context favors a bird, especially in Isa 34:11, though it cannot be said that in any of the passages the context makes hedgehog an impossible rendering.
In Isa 34:15, for kippoz, most modern authorities (compare the Revised Version (British and American)) have some sort of serpent, referring to the Arabic root kafaz, to spring. (See notes above on kaphaz and kaphac.) In this passage also the context is not unfavorable to a bird (compare the King James Version great owl). See BITTERN; OWL; SERPENT.