Crane

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CRANE.—In Isa_38:14 and Jer_8:7 sûs or sîs is rendered in AV [Note: Authorized Version.] ‘crane,’ RV [Note: Revised Version.] correctly ‘Swallow’ [wh. see]. In the same passages ‘agûr is rendered in AV [Note: Authorized Version.] ‘swallow,’ RV [Note: Revised Version.] ‘crane.’ The crane (Grus communis) is the largest bird which visits W. Palestine; its length is four feet. They arrive in large flocks in the winter (Jer_8:7). Its trumpeting note is strangely described (in Isa_38:14 EV [Note: English Version.] ) as ‘chattering,’ and this makes the translation somewhat doubtful.
E. W. G. Masterman.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
Edited by James Hastings, D.D. Published in 1909

Isa_38:14, "like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter" (rather "twitter"); rather "like a swallow or a crane": sus 'agur. A plaintive and migratory (Jer_8:7) bird is implied by sus; Italian zisilla, "swallow." Gesenius takes gahur as an epithet, "like the circling swallow." Thirteen manuscripts of Kennicott read isis for sus or sis; that goddess having been, according to Egyptian fable, changed into a swallow; a fable transferred to the Greek mythology, in the story of Procne.
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
By Andrew Robert Fausset, co-Author of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown's 1888.

Crane. The crane (Grus cinerea) is a native of Europe and Asia. It stand about four feet high. Its color is ashen gray, with face and neck nearly black. It feeds on seeds, roots, insects and small quadrupeds. It retires in winter to the warmer climates. Jer_8:7.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
By Dr. William Smith.Published in 1863

In Isa_38:14, and Jer_8:7, two birds are mentioned, the שיש and the ענור . The first in our version is translated crane, and the second swallow; but Bochart exactly reverses them, and the reasons he adduces are incontrovertible. Aristophanes curiously observes, that “it is time to sow when the crane migrates clamouring into Africa; she also bids the mariner suspend his rudder and take his rest, and the mountaineer to provide himself with raiment;” and Hesiod, “When thou hearest the voice of the crane, clamouring annually from the clouds on high, recollect that this is the signal for ploughing, and indicates the approach of showery winter.”
Where do the cranes or winding swallows go, Fearful of gathering winds and failing snow?
Conscious of all the coming ills, they fly To milder regions and a southern sky. PRIOR.
The Prophet Jeremiah mentions this bird, thus intelligent of the seasons by an instinctive and invariable observation of their appointed times, as a circumstance of reproach to the chosen people of God, who, although taught by reason and religion, “know not the judgment of the Lord.”
Biblical and Theological Dictionary by Richard Watson
PRINTER 1849.

krān (עגוּר, ‛āghūr; γέρανος, géranos; Latin Grus cinerea): A bird of the family gruidae. The crane is mentioned twice in the Bible: once on account of its voice (Isa_38:14 : ?Like a swallow or a crane, so did I chatter?); again because of the unforgettable picture these birds made in migration (Jer_8:7): ?Yea, the stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle-dove and the swallow and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the law of Yahweh.? Some commentators have adduced reasons for dropping the crane from the ornithology of the Bible, but this never should be permitted. They were close relatives of stork, heron and ibis; almost as numerous as any of these, and residents of Palestine, except in migration. The two quotations concerning them fit with their history, and point out the two features that made them as noticeable as any birds of Palestine. Next to the ostrich and pelican they were the largest birds, having a wing sweep of 8 ft. from tip to tip and standing 4 ft. in height. In migration such immense flocks passed over Palestine as to darken the sky, and when they crossed the Red Sea they appeared to sweep from shore to shore, and so became the most noticeable migratory bird, for which reason, no doubt, they were included in Isaiah's reference to spring migration with the beloved doves, used in sacrifice and for caged pets, and with the swallows that were held almost sacred because they homed in temples. Not so many of them settled in Palestine as of the storks, but large flocks lived in the wilderness South of Jerusalem, and a few pairs homed near water as far north as Merom. The grayish-brown cranes were the largest, and there were also a crested, and a white crane. They nested on the ground or in trees and laid two large eggs, differing with species. The eggs of the brown bird were a light drab with brown speckles, and those of the white, rough, pale-blue with brown splotches. They were not so affectionate in pairs or to their young as storks, but were average parents. It is altogether probable that they were the birds intended by Isaiah, because they best suited his purpose, the crane and the swallow being almost incessant talkers among birds. The word ?chatter,? used in the Bible, exactly suits the notes of a swallow, but is much too feeble to be used in describing the vocalizing of the crane. They migrated in large wedge-shaped companies and cried constantly on wing. They talked incessantly while at the business of living, and even during the watches of the night they scarcely ceased passing along word that all was well, or sending abroad danger signals. The Arabs called the cry of the cranes ?bellowing.? We usually express it by whooping or trumpeting. Any of these words is sufficiently expressive to denote an unusual voice, used in an unusual manner, so that it appealed to the prophet as suitable for use in a strong comparison.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PRINTER 1915.


Fig. 137?Numidian Crane: Grus Virgo
Crane (Isa_38:14; Jer_8:7). The correctness of the translation in these passages has however been called in question, for if the 'crane' of Europe had been meant by either denomination, the clamorous habits of the species would not have been expressed as 'chattering;' and it is most probable that the striking characteristics of that bird, which are so elegantly and forcibly displayed in Hesiod and Aristophanes, would have supplied the lofty diction of prophetical inspiration with associations of a character still more exalted. It is supposed, therefore, that the 'Ardea virgo' of Linn, the 'Grus virgo' of later writers, and 'Anthropoides virgo' of some, is the bird really meant, though not coming from the north, but from Central Africa, down the Nile, and in the spring arriving in Palestine, while troops of them proceed to Asia Minor, and some as far north as the Caspian. They are frequently found portrayed on Egyptian monuments, and Hasselquist, who saw them on the Nile, afterwards shot one near Smyrna: they visit the swamp above that city, and the lake of Tiberias, and depart in the fall, but do not utter the clangor of the crane, nor adopt its flight in two columns, forming an acute angle, the better to cleave the air. This bird is not more than three feet in length; it is of a beautiful bluish grey, with the cheeks, throat, breast, and tips of the long hinder feathers and quills black, and a tuft of delicate white plumes behind each eye. It has a peculiar dancing walk, which gave rise to its French denomination of 'demoiselle.'
The Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature
by John Kitto.

Isa_38:14 (a) Hezekiah uses this word to illustrate the emptiness of his heart and the loneliness of his spirit when he was on his sick bed.

Jer_8:7 (a) Israel is said to know less about GOD's dealings than the crane knows about her own life. The crane knows what to do and when to do it, but Israel did not seem to know.
Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types
press 1957.

Crane
occurs in our version as the translation of סוס(sus, literally a leaper, from its swiftness, Isa_38:14) or סיס(sis, Jer_8:7), in connection with another bird, the עַגוּר(agur', the chatterer, or, as Gesenius renders it in Isaiah, the chattering, as an epithet of the other), which latter is rendered “swallow” in our version. The Rabbins agree with our version in rendering the former of these words (sus or sis) by “crane;” but Bochart and Gesenius (in accordance with the Sept., Theod., and Vulg.), more correctly, as we think, decide in favor of “swallow;” while Luther, rejecting both, prefers “heron.” Where so much diversity of opinion reigns, it will be most safe to search for the true meaning by examining the internal evidence furnished by the texts in question, the two names occurring in no other instance. In Isaiah, allusion is made to the voice of both the species (if distinct), which is described by the verb “to chatter,” in accordance, or nearly so, with all critical authorities. SEE SWALLOW. In Jeremiah, where both names occur in the same order, the birds are represented as “observing the time of their coming.” Now, if the “crane” of Europe had been meant by either denomination, the clamorous habits of the species would not have been expressed as “chattering;” and it is most probable that the striking characteristics of that bird, which are so elegantly and forcibly displayed in Hesiod and Aristophanes, would have supplied the lofty diction of prophetical inspiration with associations of a character still more exalted. Sus or sis is the name of a fabulous long-legged bird in Arabian legends, but it also indicates the expressive sound of the swallow's voice, while agur is transferred with slight alteration to the stork in several northern tongues.
The Teuticon aiber, Dutch oyevaer, Esthonian aigr and aigro, therefore support the view that the latter term is a tribal epithet of one of the great wading birds; but neither the Hebrew text nor the Teutonic names point to the crane of Europe (Ardea grus, Linn., Grus cinerea of later ornithologists), since that species has a loud trumpet voice, and therefore does not “chatter;” but especially because in its migrations it crosses the Mediterranean into Africa, and does not appear in Palestine, unless by accident (driven thither possible by a western storm of wind); and when a troop of cranes alight under these circumstances, it is only for a moment; they do not give evidence of purposely assembling like the swallow. Thus the few characteristics indicated might seem to point out the stork, which does assemble in Syria in flocks before its departure, and is not a clamorous bird, having little or no voice But as the stork is clearly designated by a different appellation in the original, SEE STORK, we must search for another species as the representative of the sus, or at least of the latter term; and we fortunately find one which completely answers to the conditions required; for, being neither a genuine crane, a stork, nor a heron, having a feeble voice, and striking, but distinct manners, it is remarkable for beauty, numbers, residence, and periodical arrival and departure. The Numidian crane (Ardea virgo of Linn., the Grus virgo of later writers, and Anthropoides virgo of some) is the bird, we have every reason to conclude, intended by “agur,” though not coming from the north, but from Central Africa, down the Nile (the very circumstance which puzzled Hasselquist), and in the spring arriving in Palestine, while troops of them proceed to Asia Minor, and some as far north as the Caspian. They are frequently found portrayed on Egyptian monuments, and the naturalist just quoted, who saw them on the Nile, afterwards shot one near Smyrna. they visit the swamp above that city, and the lake of Tiberias, and depart in the fall, but do not utter the clangor of the crane, nor adopt its flight in two columns, forming an acute angle, the better to cleave the air. This bird is not more than three feet in length; it is of a beautiful bluish gray, with the cheeks, throat, breast, and tips of the long hinder feathers and quills black, and a tuft of delicate white plumes behind each eye. It has a peculiar dancing walk, which gave rise to its French denomination of “demoiselle” (see the Penny Cyclopaedia, s. v, Herons). SEE BIRD.
The Hebrew term sus occurs frequently elsewhere, but only in the sense of “horse” or cavalry.

CYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL
press 1895.

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