קִפּוֹז
𐤒𐤐𐤅𐤆
qippôwz
H7091 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A type of nocturnal creature mentioned as inhabiting desolate or ruined places; likely a bird of prey or a night animal, possibly an owl or a creature symbolically associated with desolation. The word's precise zoological identification is uncertain, but it conveys an image of a solitary, wild inhabitant of wastelands. Its semantic range includes associations with desolation, night, and wilderness denizens.
Semantic Range
owl, nocturnal bird of prey, wild animal of desolate places, possibly snake; emblem of desolation; symbol of wilderness or ruin
Root / Etymology
From an unused root, suggested by some to be related to the idea of 'contracting' or 'springing forward' (possibly קפז), though the actual derivation is uncertain. The word appears only in postexilic prophetic literature, and its etymological connection to specific animal terms in other Semitic languages is unclear.
Historical & Contextual Notes
קִפּוֹז appears only in Isaiah 34:15, a passage describing desolation and the haunting of ruined places by wild creatures in Yeshua's prophecy against Edom. Traditionally, translations have rendered it 'great owl' or 'arrow-snake,' though neither identification is certain. Some lexicographers suggest it could refer to a night owl, based on parallelism with other creatures inhabiting ruins (like the lilith or desert creatures), while others propose a darting snake. The uncertainty owes in part to limited occurrence and lack of corroborating evidence from other Semitic languages. In later translation traditions, such as the Septuagint, the creature is sometimes rendered as 'hedgehog' or otherwise left unidentified, revealing ongoing difficulties in precise identification. The term thus primarily evokes the theme of desolate places inhabited by uncanny animals, rather than identifying an exact species.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to contract, i.e.; spring forward; an arrow-snake (as darting on its prey); great owl.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קפז (q-p-z) — contract, spring forward, dart
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7091-01 |
קִפּוֹז֙ | qipoz | HNcfsa |
the arrow-snake | darting wasteland-owl | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7091-01 |
Isaiah 34:15 | קִפּוֹז֙ | qipoz | HNcfsa |
the arrow-snake | darting wasteland-owl |