### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **chăçîydâh**, represented by `{{H2624}}`, refers to the **stork**, a bird whose name is derived from a root meaning "kind." It is described as the kind or maternal bird. The word appears **6 times** across **6 unique verses** in the Bible and is also used idiomatically to mean **feather**.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical texts, `{{H2624}}` is presented in several contexts. It is twice listed among the unclean flying creatures that the Israelites were forbidden to eat ([[Leviticus 11:19]], [[Deuteronomy 14:18]]). The **stork** is also recognized for its natural instincts; Jeremiah uses it as an example of a creature that knows its appointed migratory times, contrasting it with a people who do not know God's judgment [[Jeremiah 8:7]]. In the Psalms, the **stork** is mentioned as part of the natural world, with the fir trees serving as its house [[Psalms 104:17]]. In a prophetic vision, two women are described as having "wings like the wings of a **stork**" [[Zechariah 5:9]], and in Job, the word is used for the **feathers** of an ostrich [[Job 39:13]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help illustrate the context in which `{{H2624}}` appears:
* `{{H601}}` **ʼănâphâh** (heron): This term for an unclean bird appears directly alongside the **stork** in the dietary laws found in both Leviticus and Deuteronomy ([[Leviticus 11:19]], [[Deuteronomy 14:18]]).
* `{{H1744}}` **dûwkîyphath** (lapwing): This word for another unclean bird is also listed with the **stork** and the **heron** in the same legal passages ([[Leviticus 11:19]], [[Deuteronomy 14:18]]).
* `{{H3671}}` **kânâph** (wing): This word is explicitly connected to the **stork** in Zechariah's vision, where the beings have wings like those of a **stork** [[Zechariah 5:9]].
* `{{H84}}` **ʼebrâh** (feather, wing): This term is used in parallel with `{{H2624}}` in the passage about the ostrich, which asks about its **wings** and **feathers** [[Job 39:13]].
* `{{H6833}}` **tsippôwr** (a little bird): This general word for **bird** is used in the passage that then specifies the **stork**'s unique nesting place in the fir trees [[Psalms 104:17]].
* `{{H8064}}` **shâmayim** (heaven): The **stork** is observed in the **heaven**, or sky, as it follows its migration paths [[Jeremiah 8:7]]. This word also appears in Zechariah's vision involving the wings of a **stork** [[Zechariah 5:9]].
### Theological Significance
The symbolic and theological weight of `{{H2624}}` is drawn from its natural characteristics and its role in the law.
* **Symbol of Natural Order:** The **stork**'s instinctual awareness of seasons is held up as a model of obedience to inherent design. It serves as a rebuke to a people who fail to discern their spiritual times [[Jeremiah 8:7]].
* **Classification in Mosaic Law:** By being designated as unclean, the **stork** plays a role in the dietary laws that defined Israel's holiness and separation from other nations [[Leviticus 11:19]].
* **Imagery of Purposeful Movement:** The "wings of a **stork**" in Zechariah's vision symbolize a powerful and deliberate force, capable of transporting a divine burden between the earthly and heavenly realms [[Zechariah 5:9]].
* **Part of God's Creation:** The mention of the **stork** having a home in the fir trees highlights God's provision for all creatures within the natural world [[Psalms 104:17]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2624}}` **chăçîydâh** is a specific term for the **stork**, a creature used in scripture to convey lessons about nature, law, and prophecy. It functions as a literal animal within God's creation, a symbol of instinctual wisdom, an element in Israel's purity laws, and a source of powerful imagery. Through its few but significant appearances, the **stork** illustrates how the created world is used to teach profound truths about divine order and human responsibility.
TRV