Hebrew word · H8449

תֹּר

tor

turtledove

Tor is the turtledove, a small migrating wild dove whose name imitates its call. Bnei yonah, 'sons of the dove', are young rock doves or pigeons. These were the only birds Israel's law accepted for the altar.

Appears 14 times in 14 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

dove, turtledove

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Leviticus 12:8

Range of meaning

Tor is the turtledove, a small migrating wild dove whose name imitates its call. Bnei yonah, 'sons of the dove', are young rock doves or pigeons. These were the only birds Israel's law accepted for the altar.

Against the English

KJV's 'two turtles' means turtledoves. In 1611 'turtle' was the normal English word for the bird, from Latin turtur. Modern readers hear 'reptile'. Modern versions all say 'turtledoves' and 'young pigeons'.

How it drifted

English 'turtle' for the reptile came later, probably from French tortue. The bird sense of 'turtle' dropped out of everyday speech, so the KJV text now misleads.

Used elsewhere in the period

The same pair of birds appears in Lev 1:14; 5:7; 14:22; 15:14, 29; Num 6:10. The Mishnah has a whole tractate (Kinnim, 'bird-pairs') on these offerings. It also rules that turtledoves are valid when grown and pigeons when young (m. Hullin 1:5). Mark 11:15 and John 2:14 mention dove-sellers in the Temple courts. Luke 2:24 quotes this verse for Mary's offering.

From the study of Leviticus 14:22

Range of meaning

The turtledove (Streptopelia turtur), a migratory bird that arrives in Israel in spring. Its cooing marks the season (Song 2:12; Jer 8:7). Used as a term of endearment (Ps 74:19).

Against the English

'Turtledove' is accurate. The 'turtle' has nothing to do with tortoises: it comes from Latin turtur, which imitates the bird's call.

Used elsewhere in the period

Gen 15:9 (Abraham's covenant ceremony); Lev 1:14; 5:7; 12:6, 8; Num 6:10. Rabbinic law (m. Hullin 1:5) holds that turtledoves are valid only when grown and pigeons only when young, because wild turtledoves were caught as adults while domestic pigeons were taken as squabs from the dovecote.

From the study of Leviticus 5:7

Range of meaning

Tor: the turtledove, a migratory wild dove whose arrival marks spring (Song 2:12; Jer 8:7). Yonah: the rock dove or pigeon, wild or kept in dovecotes. 'Sons of a dove' means young birds.

Against the English

'Turtledoves or young pigeons' is accurate. 'Turtle' here has nothing to do with the reptile. It comes from Latin turtur, which imitates the bird's purring call.

Used elsewhere in the period

Gen 15:9: Abram's covenant animals include a tor and a young bird. Later Jewish law (Mishnah Hullin 1:5) took the turtledoves to be adult birds and the pigeons to be young ones. In the Second Temple period, pigeons for these offerings were sold in the temple courts (Mark 11:15; John 2:14).

Where it appears

Genesis · 1

  1. Genesis 15:9 וְתֹ֖ר and a turtle-dove

    And the LORD said to him, “Bring Me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a turtledove and a young pigeon.”

Leviticus · 9

  1. Leviticus 1:14 הַתֹּרִ֗ים the turtle-doves

    If, instead, one’s offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, he is to present a turtledove or a young pigeon.

  2. Leviticus 5:7 תֹרִ֛ים turtle-doves

    If, however, he cannot afford a lamb, he may bring to the LORD as restitution for his sin two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.

    Here: The wild turtledove, a migratory bird (Jer 8:7) that was caught rather than raised. It cost very little.

  3. Leviticus 5:11 תֹרִ֗ים turtle-doves

    But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he may bring a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a sin offering. He must not put olive oil or frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering.

  4. Leviticus 12:6 תֹ֖ר a turtle-dove

    When the days of her purification are complete, whether for a son or for a daughter, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering.

  5. Leviticus 12:8 תֹרִ֗ים turtle-doves

    But if she cannot afford a lamb, she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”

    Here: The turtledove, a small wild dove that migrates and arrives in spring (Song 2:12; Jer 8:7). It is named for its cooing call. It was cheap and easy to trap.

  6. Leviticus 14:22 תֹרִ֗ים turtle-doves

    and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, whichever he can afford, one to be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering.

    Here: The wild turtledove, a small migratory dove that arrives in the land in spring. One of the two kinds of bird Israel's law allowed on the altar.

  7. Leviticus 14:30 הַתֹּרִ֔ים the turtle-doves

    Then he must sacrifice the turtledoves or young pigeons, whichever he can afford,

  8. Leviticus 15:14 תֹרִ֔ים turtle-doves

    On the eighth day he is to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, come before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and give them to the priest.

  9. Leviticus 15:29 תֹרִ֔ים turtle-doves

    On the eighth day she is to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

Numbers · 1

  1. Numbers 6:10 תֹרִ֔ים turtle-doves

    On the eighth day he must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

Psalms · 1

  1. Psalm 74:19 תּוֹרֶ֑ךָ turtle-dove your

    Do not deliver the soul of Your dove to beasts; do not forget the lives of Your afflicted forever.

Song of Songs · 1

  1. Song of Songs 2:12 הַתּ֖וֹר the turtle-dove

    The flowers have appeared in the countryside; the season of singing has come, and the cooing of turtledoves is heard in our land.

Jeremiah · 1

  1. Jeremiah 8:7 וְתֹ֤ר and a turtle-dove

    Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons. The turtledove, the swift, and the thrush keep their time of migration, but My people do not know the requirements of the LORD.

    Here: The turtledove. It is a migrant, and its spring arrival was a familiar sign of the season (Song 2:12).

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.