H8227a H8227a
rock badger, hyrax; small mammal (hyrax syriacus) living in rocky areas, classified as unclean in Levitical law
This noun refers to the rock badger or hyrax, a small furry mammal that lives in rocky terrain. Leviticus 11:5 and Deuteronomy 14:7 classify it as unclean because it chews the cud but doesn't have split hooves (though actually hyraxes don't truly ruminate—the classification uses observable behavior). Psalm 104:18 poetically celebrates that 'the high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.' Proverbs 30:26 commends the rock badgers as 'a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the rocks.' The multilingual glosses show some variation (Spanish conejo 'rabbit', French/German rock-badger/hyrax). These creatures exemplify wisdom through habitat choice—weak but protected by dwelling in inaccessible rock crevices.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The rock badger or hyrax (hyrax syriacus), a small mammal dwelling in rocky areas. Classified as unclean in dietary law (Lev 11:5, Deut 14:7) for appearing to chew cud without having split hooves. Celebrated in wisdom literature as weak creatures that wisely make homes in rock crevices (Prov 30:26), with Psalm 104:18 noting rocks as their refuge. The hyrax exemplifies survival through smart habitat choice rather than strength—a wisdom theme resonant in Proverbs. 4×
AR["الْ-وَبْرَ", "الْوَبارُ", "الْوَبْرَ", "لِلوَبر"]·ben["-শাফান", "-শৈল-খরগোশেরা", "তারা", "শাফনদের-জন্য"]·DE["[שפנים]", "der-Fels-badger", "der-hyrax", "für-der-Fels-badgers"]·EN["for-the-rock-badgers", "rock-badgers", "the-hyrax", "the-rock-badger"]·FR["le-hyrax", "le-rocher-badger", "à-Shafân", "שפנים"]·heb["ה-שפן", "ל-שפנים", "שפנים"]·HI["चट्टानी बिज्जू", "पहाड़ी-बिज्जू", "बिज्जू-के-लिए", "शाफान"]·ID["Pelanduk", "pelanduk", "untuk-kelinci-kelinci-batu"]·IT["[לשפנים]", "il-hyrax", "il-roccia-badger", "rock-badgers"]·jav["kanggé-tikus-gunung", "landak", "mèrmot", "pelanduk"]·KO["그-바위를", "그-사팝을", "너구리들이", "바위너구리-들-을-위한"]·PT["coelhos", "o-hiráx", "o-hírax", "para-os-hirães"]·RU["-дамана", "дамана", "даманы", "для-даманов"]·ES["Conejos", "el-conejo", "el-damán", "para-los-conejos"]·SW["kwa-pimbi", "pelele"]·TR["Kaya-porsuğu", "kaya-porsuğunu", "kaya-tavşanı", "tavaz-tavuklara"]·urd["بجو", "بجّوں-کے-لیے", "شفن"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. שָׁפָן n.m. Lv 11:5 rock-badger, hyrax syriacus, AV RV coney;—abs. שׁ׳ Dt 14:7 = Lv 11:5 (P; unclean animal); living in rocks, pl. שְׁפַנִּים ψ 104:18 Pr 30:26.—Vid. RobBR iii. 66, 387 TrNHB 75; FFP 1, and Pl. 1 Dr Dt PostHast. DB coney McLean-ShipleyEncy. Bib. id..