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Night Hawk
NIGHT HAWK (תַּחְמָס, H9379, night-hawk Eng. VSS, owl Vulg. LXX). The root meaning of the Heb. word is “robber.” All authorities regard this as an owl, and from the position in the list of forbidden meats it could be of mediumsize, perhaps short- or long-eared owl.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)
The Hebrew tachmac means "to tear and scratch the face," so that it is very difficult to select the bird intended by its use. Any member of the eagle, vulture, owl or hawk families driven to desperation would "tear and scratch" with the claws and bite in self-defence. The bird is mentioned only in the lists of abominations (see
See Hawk.
Gene Stratton-Porter