Gazelle
GAZELLE
See ROE.
Fuente: American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
Gazelle
See Antelope
Fuente: Plants Animals Of Bible
Gazelle
(Antilope dorcas), an animal of the genus Antelopide, probably designated by the Gr. term (comp. Act 9:36) and the Heb. , tsebi’ (rendered “roe” in 2Sa 2:18; 1Ch 12:8; Pro 6:5; Son 2:7; Son 2:9; Son 2:17; Son 3:5; Son 8:14, Isa 13:14; and “roebuck” in Deu 12:15; Deu 12:22; Deu 14:5; 1Ki 4:23), or in the feminine form , tsebiyah’ (“roe,” Son 4:5; Son 7:3); “both terms, however, being applicalale to the whole group; and the Hebrew name is by distant nations now used for allied species which are unknown in Arabia and Syria. Of this sub-genus gazella at least one species, but more probably four or five, still inhabit the uplands and deserts of Egypt, Arabia, and the eastern and southern borders of Palestine. All these species are nearly allied, the largest not measuring more than two feet in height at the shoulder, and the least, the corinna, not more than about twenty inches. They are graceful and elegant in form, with limbs exceedingly slender, and have large and soft eyes, lyrated horns, black, wrinkled, and striated most robust in sub-gutturosa and kevella, most slender in corrina, and smallest in cora. Their livery is more or less buff and dume, white beneath, with small tufts of hair or brushes on the fore-knees; they have all a dark streak passing from each ear through the eyes to the nostrils, and a hand of the same color from thee elbow of the fore-leg along the sides to the flank, excepting the corinna, whose markings are more rufous and general colors lighter. Most, if not all, have a feeble bleating voice, seldom uttered, are unsurpassed in graceful timidity, gregarious in habit, and residents on the open deserts, where they are unceasingly watchful, and prepared to flee with such speed that greyhounds are liable to be killed by over-exertion in the chase.” They roam over the plains of Syria sometimes in herds of a thousand (Russell, Aleppo, 2:14): Their flesh is lean, but highly prized (Prosp. Alpin. Hist. nat. AEg. 4:9). They are often made the symbol of female beauty (Son 2:9; Son 2:17; Son 8:14) by Orientals (Seth, ad ben Zohair, page 98 sq.; Dopke, Comment. z. Hohesl. page 97; Rosenmller, AMorgenl. 4:129): See Thomson, Land and Book, 1:251 sq.; Kelly’s Syria, page 38 sq. SEE ANTELOPE; SEE DEER.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Gazelle
GAZELLE (zeb, tr. [Note: translate or translation.] 2Sa 2:18, 1Ch 12:8 etc. in AV [Note: Authorized Version.] roe; in Deu 14:5 etc. roebuck, but in RV [Note: Revised Version.] gazelle).The gazelle (Arab. [Note: Arabic.] ghazal, also zabi) is one of the commonest of the larger animals of Palestine; it is one of the most beautiful and graceful of antelopes. It is fawn and white in colour; it is much hunted (Pro 6:5, Isa 13:14); it is noted for its speed (2Sa 2:13, 1Ch 12:8); its flesh is considered, at least in towns, a delicacy.
Ghazaleh (female gazelle) is a favourite name for a girl among the Yemin Jews, as Dorcas and Tabitha, with the same meaning, were in NT times (Act 9:36; Act 9:40).
E. W. G. Masterman.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Gazelle
ga-zel (, cebh, and feminine , cebhyah; compare , Tabeitha (Act 9:36), and Arabic zabi; also Arabic ghazal; , Dorkas (Act 9:36); modern Greek , zarkadi): The word gazelle does not occur in the King James Version, where cebh and cebhyah, in the 16 passages where they occur, are uniformly translated roe or roebuck. In the Revised Version (British and American) the treatment is not uniform. We find gazelle without comment in Deu 12:15, Deu 12:22; Deu 14:5; Deu 15:22; 1Ki 4:23. We find roe, with marginal note or gazelle, in Pro 6:5; Son 2:7, Son 2:9, Son 2:17; Son 4:5; Son 8:14; Isa 13:14. We find roe without comment in 2Sa 2:18; 1Ch 12:8; Son 3:5; Son 7:3. In the last passage cited, Son 7:3, while the American Standard Revised Version has no note, the English Revised Version refers to Son 4:5, where gazelle is graven in the margin. In the opinion of the writer, the rendering should be gazelle in all of these passages. It must be acknowledged, however, that the gazelle and the roe-deer are of about the same size, and are sometimes confused with each other. The Greek dorkas may refer to either, and in Syria the roe-deer is sometimes called ghazal or even wal, which is the proper name of the Persian wild goat.
The gazelle is an antelope belonging to the bovine family of the even-toed ruminants. There are more than twenty species of gazelle, all belonging to Asia and Africa. The species found in Syria and Palestine is the Dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas). It is 2 ft. high at the shoulders. Both sexes have unbranched, lyrate, ringed horns, which may be a foot long. The general coloration is tawny, but it is creamy white below and on the rump, and has a narrow white line from above the eye to the nostril. Several varieties have been distinguished, but they will not bear elevation to the rank of species, except perhaps Gazella merilli a form of which a few specimens have been obtained from the Judean hills, having distinctly different horns from those of the common gazelle. The gazelle is found singly or in small groups on the interior plains and the uplands, but not in the high mountains. It is a marvel of lightness and grace, and a herd, when alarmed, makes off with great rapidity over the roughest country (2Sa 2:18; 1Ch 12:8; Pro 6:5; Son 8:14). The beauty of the eyes is proverbial. The skin is used for floor coverings, pouches or shoes, and the flesh is eaten, though not highly esteemed. See DEER; GOAT; ZOOLOGY.