הַ/יַּנְשׁ֖וּף

𐤄/𐤉𐤍𐤔𐤅𐤐

hayaneshuf

the great owl

or יַנְשׁוֹף; apparently from נָשַׁף; (compare נֶשֶׁף); an unclean (acquatic) bird; probably the heron (perhaps from its blowing cry, or because the nightheron is meant )); (great) owl.s

H3244

Deuteronomy 14:16 · Word #4

Lexicon H3244

Lemmaיַנְשׁוּף
Lemma (Paleo)𐤉𐤍𐤔𐤅𐤐
Transliterationyanshûwph
Strong'sH3244
In-contextthe great owl

Morphology HTd/Ncmsa All morphology codes

Part of Speech N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea
Subtype c — Common — Common noun
Gender m — Masculine — Masculine
Number s — Singular — Singular
State a — Absolute — The noun stands independently

SIBI-P1 H3244-01

the blowing-owl

Rootנשף (n-š-p̄)
Core Meaningsblowing, breathing, exhaling, twilight, dusk-wind
Semantic Rangea nocturnal bird, likely an owl or night-heron; associated with desolation, night activity, or haunting cries
Conceptual SignificanceListed among the unclean birds in Levitical dietary laws, this creature evokes themes of desolation and wilderness. Its connection to dusk or blowing sounds reinforces biblical imagery of abandonment and night, often symbolizing judgment or isolation.
Morphological NotesNoun, common masculine singular absolute with prefixed definite article (הַ־). No pronominal suffix. Appears in lists of unclean birds.
Rendering RationaleThe noun יַנְשׁוּף is likely derived from the root נשף (“to blow, breathe; twilight”), reflecting either the bird’s blowing call or its activity at dusk. The form is masculine singular absolute with the definite article ("the"), so the rendering preserves both the singular masculine sense and the root-related imagery of blowing.

AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)

Words from Root נשף (blowing, breathing, exhaling, twilight, dusk-wind)

SILEX Code Transliteration SIBI-P1
H5399-01 nashef breeze-twilight
H5399-02 neshef breeze-twilight
H5399-03 vaneshef in the twilight-breeze

Word Usage (3 occurrences of H3244)

Location Form Transliteration Meaning
Leviticus 11:17 הַ/יַּנְשֽׁוּף hayaneshuf great owl
Deuteronomy 14:16 הַ/יַּנְשׁ֖וּף hayaneshuf the great owl
Isaiah 34:11 וְ/יַנְשׁ֥וֹף veyaneshof and owl