Tortoise
TORTOISE
Lev 11:29 . The Hebrew word rather denotes a species of lizard, so named in the original for its slowness of motion.
Fuente: American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
Tortoise
See Turtle
Fuente: Plants Animals Of Bible
Tortoise
(, tsab, so called, according to Gesenius, from moving slowly; Sept. . ; Vulg. crocodilus) occurs only in Lev 11:29 as the name of some unclean animal; Bochart (Hieroz. 2, 463) with reason refers the Heb. term to the kindred Arabic dhab, a large kind of lizard, which, from the description of it as given by Damir, appears to be the Psamlnmosaurus scillcus, or Monritor terrestris of Cuvlier (Rayne Anim. 2, 26). This lizard is the waran el-hard of the Arabs, i.e. the land- waran (Yranus arenarius), in. contradistinction from the waran el-bahr, i.e. the water-lizard (Monitor Niloticus), It is common enough in the deserts of Palestine and North Africa. It is probably the of Herodotus (4, 192) and Dioscorides (2, 71), or perhaps their , the Scincus offcinalis. SEE SNAIL.
The land-monitor (Psammoscaurus scincus) is a lizard three or four feet in length, which, living in the sandy and rocky wastes, subsists on the beetles and other small animals that are found in such arid situations. It is of a-yellowish or dusky tint, with darker green spots and bands, and with yellow claws. Tristram, however, thinks the animal in question is the Uromastix spinipes, a large species of lizard very common in the desert and sands of North Africa and Arabia. It. is also well known in the Judean wilderness, living in holes of the rocks and burrowing in the sand. It sometimes attains the length of two feet. Its most peculiar characteristic is its powerful spiny tail, broad and massive, and incrusted with close rows of stout prickly scales, This is its weapon of defense, which it uses with effect against its assailant. Its: color is grass green, spotted with brown, but darker when irritated. It has a slow and awkward gait, turning its head from side to side with great caution as it walks… It rarely bites, but when it does so nothing will induce it to relinquish its grasp. It feeds chiefly on beetles, but will attack larger animals, even chickens, when in confinement. It is eaten by the Arabs (Nat. Hist. of the Bible, p. 255). SEE LIZARD.
The same Hebrew word , tsab, is translated covered [wagons] in Num 7:3, and the same idea seems to be prominent in Isa 66:20, where our translators have rendered it litters. According to Gesenius, it means in both these passages a sedan or palanquin (so called from being gently borne). SEE LITTER.
Several kinds of tortoise inhabit Palestine and the surrounding regions. Among the land tortoises the bordered tortoise (Testudo marginaata), probably the of Aristotle-a little species closely resembling the common T. Greac-replaces this latter in Egypt and the coast of Barbary; and, a near ally, T. Mauritanica, extends throughout. North Africa and Western Asia, from, Algiers to the Caspian. Besides these, several marsh-tortoises (Emys, etc.) are common in the fresh waters of those regions, and are particularly troublesome to horses wading or drinking (see Wood, Bible Animals, p. 507 sq.). SEE ZOOLOGY.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Tortoise
(Heb. tsabh). Ranked among the unclean animals (Lev. 11:29). Land tortoises are common in Syria. The LXX. renders the word by “land crocodile.” The word, however, more probably denotes a lizard, called by the modern Arabs _dhabb_.
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Tortoise
tsab. From tsaabab “to move slowly” (Lev 11:29); rather “the great lizard.” Septuagint translated “the land crocodile”: mentioned by Herodotus iv. 192; the varan, of the desert; it subsists on beetles, etc.; of a dusky yellow color, with dark green spots and yellow claws; the waran el hard, the Psammosaurus scincus or Monitor terrestris of Cuvier. Arabic dhab, a lizard often two feet long, abounding in Egypt and Syria. Tristram makes it the Uromastix spinipes (Nat. Hist., 255). Its flesh dried was used as a charm or medicine; the Arabs made broth of its flesh (Hasselquist, 220); the Syrians ate its flesh (Jerome adv. Jovin. ii. 7, 334). Several kinds of tortoise (marsh tortoises, etc.) abound in Palestine. Some have even conjectured that “the tortoise” is meant by the word translated “bittern” in the prophecies of Isaiah and Zephaniah. (See BITTERN.)
Fuente: Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
Tortoise
TORTOISE (tsb, Lev 11:29 RV [Note: Revised Version.] great lizard).Several kinds of land and water tortoises are common in the Holy Land, but here the reference is probably to some kind of lizard. See Lizard.
E. W. G. Masterman.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Tortoise
tortus, tortis, tortois. (the King James Version) (, cabh, the Revised Version (British and American) great lizard; compare the Arabic word, dabb, the thorny-tailed lizard): The word cabh occurs as the name of an animal only in Lev 11:29, being the third in the list of unclean creeping things.
The same word is found in Isa 66:20, translated litters, and in Num 7:3, where eghloth cabh is translated covered wagons. Gesenius derives the word, in all senses, from the root cabhabh, to move gently, to flow; compare Arabic dabba, to flow. The Arabic noun dabb is Uromastix spinipes, the Arabian thorny-tailed lizard. This lizard is about 18 inches long, its relatively smooth body being terminated with a great tail armed with rings of spiny scales. The Arabs have a familiar proverb, ‘akad min dhanab ud-dabb, knottier than the tail of the dabb. The Septuagint has for cabh in Lev 11:29 , ho krokodeilos ho chersaos, the English equivalent of which, land-crocodile, is used by the Revised Version (British and American) for the fifth in the list of unclean creeping things, koah, the King James Version chameleon.
The writer does not know what can have led the translators of the King James Version to use here the word tortoise. Assuming that the thorny-tailed lizard is meant, the great lizard of the Revised Version (British and American) may be considered to be a fair translation. See LIZARD.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Tortoise
tsab. One of the unclean animals. The Hebrew word is supposed to refer to a lizard, but to what species is not known: perhaps the dhab of the Arabs, a large lizard. The R.V. has ‘great lizard.’ The tortoise, however, is common in Palestine. Lev 11:29.
Fuente: Concise Bible Dictionary
Tortoise
Lev 11:29
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
Tortoise
Tortoise. (Hebrew, tsab). The tsab occurs only in Lev 11:29, as the name of some unclean animal. The Hebrew word may be identified, with the kindred Arabic, dhab, “a large kind of lizard,” which appears to be the Psommosaurus scincus of Cuvier.