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שְׂלָו

𐤔𐤋𐤅

sᵉlâv

H7958 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שלה to be tranquil, to be at ease, to be complacent

Definition

A type of bird identified as quail, collectively or generically; specifically, the migratory bird provided as food in biblical narratives. In the Hebrew Bible, שְׂלָו refers to a species of game bird, understood as quail, which appears in contexts describing the provision of meat during the wilderness wanderings of the Israelites. The term denotes the bird both as a source of food and as a flock or mass caught or encountered.

Semantic Range

quail (as a species of bird); quails (as flocks or collective food source); migratory game bird eaten by Israelites in the wilderness

Root / Etymology

From the root שָׁלָה (to be tranquil, at ease), possibly by orthographic or phonetic variation, but the noun form שְׂלָו is a specialized term for the quail bird. The connection to themes of 'ease' or 'sluggishness' is suggested due to the quail's behavior, possibly reflecting the bird's slow flight or ease of capture, but the precise etymological path remains uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

שְׂלָו appears exclusively in contexts related to the provision of food during the Israelites' journey in the wilderness (Exodus 16:13; Numbers 11:31–32; Psalms 105:40). Unlike other biblical terms for birds or game, שְׂלָו is not generic but refers specifically to this migratory bird event. In later Jewish (Second Temple, rabbinic) usage, the term continues to signify quail. English translations using 'quail' adequately capture the basic meaning, though they may obscure the narrative and cultural importance of the word in its original contexts. The associated idea of 'sluggishness' or 'ease' is more conjectural and is not explicit in biblical usage. The word does not appear in texts referring to later Israelite, Judahite, or Judean dietary practice outside these specific episodes.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or שְׂלָיו; by orthographical variation from שָׁלָה through the idea of sluggishness; the quail collectively (as slow in flight from its weight); quails.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שלה (š-l-h) — to be tranquil, to be at ease, to be complacent

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7887 שִׁילֹה in Shiloh
H7944 שַׁל the careless misstep
H7951 שָׁלָה I was at ease
H7952 שָׁלָה may you become complacent
H7953 שָׁלָה he will draw out

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7958-01 הַ/שְּׂלָ֔ו haselav HTd/Ncfsa the quail the quail 2
H7958-03 שְׂלָ֑ו selav HNcfsa quail quail 1
H7958-02 שַׂלְוִים֮ salevim HNcfpa quail quails 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7958-01 Exodus 16:13 הַ/שְּׂלָ֔ו haselav HTd/Ncfsa the quail the quail
H7958-02 Numbers 11:31 שַׂלְוִים֮ salevim HNcfpa quail quails
H7958-01 Numbers 11:32 הַ/שְּׂלָ֔ו haselav HTd/Ncfsa the quail the quail
H7958-03 Psalms 105:40 שְׂלָ֑ו selav HNcfsa quail quail
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