(n.) Any carnivorous mammal of the family Hyaenidae, of which three living species are known. They are large and strong, but cowardly. They feed chiefly on carrion, and are nocturnal in their habits.HYENA

hi-e'-na (tsabhua` (Jeremiah 12:9); Septuagint huaine (Jeremiah 12:9; Ecclesiasticus 13:18); compare Arabic dab` or dabu`, "hyaena"; compare tsebho`im, Zeboim (1 Samuel 13:18 Nehemiah 11:34); also compare tsibh`on, Zibeon (Genesis 36:2, 14, 20 1 Chronicles 1:38); but not tsebhoyim, Zeboiim (Genesis 10:19; Genesis 14:2, etc.)): English Versions of the Bible does not contain the word "hyena," except in Ecclesiasticus 13:18, "What peace is there between the hyena and the dog? and what; peace between the rich man and the poor?" In Jeremiah 12:9, where the Hebrew has ha-`ayiT tsabhua` (the Revised Version (British and American) "a speckled bird of prey"), Septuagint has spelaion huaines, "a hyena's den," as if from a Hebrew original having me`arah, "cave," instead of ha-`ayiT, "bird." The root tsabha` may mean "to seize as prey" (compare Arabic seb`, "lion" or "rapacious animal"), or "to dip" or "to dye" (compare Arabic cabagh, "to dye"), hence, the two translations of tsabhua` as "hyena" and as "speckled" (Vulgate versicolor).

The hyena of Palestine is the striped hyena (Hyaena striata) which ranges from India to North Africa. The striped, the spotted, and the brown hyenas constitute a distinct family of the order of Carnivora, having certain peculiarities of dentition and having four toes on each foot, instead of four behind and five in front, as in most of the order. The hyena is a nocturnal animal, rarely seen though fairly abundant, powerful but cowardly, a feeder on carrion and addicted to grave-robbing. The last habit in particular has won it the abhorrence of the natives of the countries which it inhabits. In the passage cited in Ecclus, it is to be noted that it is to the hyena that the rich man is compared. The jaws and teeth of the hyena are exceedingly strong and fitted for crushing bones which have resisted the efforts of dogs and jackals. Its dens are in desolate places and are littered with fragments of skeletons. "Is my heritage unto me as a speckled bird of prey?" (Jeremiah 12:9) becomes a more striking passage if the Septuagint is followed, "Is my heritage unto me as a hyena's den?"

Shaqq-ud-Diba`, "Cleft of the hyenas," is the name of a valley north of Wadi-ul-Qelt, and Wadi-Abu-Diba` (of similar meaning) is the name of an affluent of Wadi-ul-Qelt. Either of these, or possibly Wadi-ul-Qelt itself, may be the valley of Zeboim (valley of hyenas) of 1 Samuel 13:18.

The name of Zibeon the Horite (Genesis 36:2, etc.) is more doubtfully connected with "hyena."

Alfred Ely Day

6649. Tsibon -- "hyena," a Horite
... 6648, 6649. Tsibon. 6650 . "hyena," a Horite. Transliteration: Tsibon
Phonetic Spelling: (tsib-one') Short Definition: Zibeon. Word ...
/hebrew/6649.htm - 6k

6641. tsabua -- colored, variegated
... speckled. Passive participle of the same as tseba'; dyed (in stripes), ie The hyena --
speckled. see HEBREW tseba'. 6640, 6641. tsabua. 6642 . Strong's Numbers
/hebrew/6641.htm - 6k

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... have believed that this was also the origin of the names given to several of the
tribes, such as Gad, "Good Fortune," or of the totems of the hyena and the dog ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

Beasts Similarly Subject to the Law of Mutation.
... years, too, are repudiated. The hyena, if you observe, is of an annual
sex, alternately masculine and feminine. I say nothing of ...
/.../tertullian/on the pallium/chapter iii beasts similarly subject to.htm

Spiritual Significance of the Precepts of Moses Respecting ...
... Moreover, "Thou shall not eat the hyena." He means, "Thou shall not be an adulterer,
nor a corrupter, nor be like to them that are such." Wherefore? ...
/.../barnabas/the epistle of barnabas /chapter x spiritual significance of the.htm

Chapter xxxvi
... Zibe'on signifies "hyena." Basemath (v. Genesis 36:3) means "perfume." 'Eliphaz
seems to mean "pure gold." Re'u'el (v. Genesis 36:4) is "friend of God," though ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxvi.htm

Earth's Ugliest, Deepest Scar.
... its rocks, swept by hot desert winds, it is the land of death, an awful death; no
life save crawling scorpions and vipers, with an occasional hyena and jackal. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks about jesus/earths ugliest deepest scar.htm

The Servant's Obedience
... but is to be treated with insult and to endure that strange blending, so often seen,
of grim infernal laughter with grim infernal fury, the hyena's laugh and ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the servants obedience.htm

Journey to Evora
... He had the most harsh and rapid articulation that has ever come under my observation;
it was the scream of the hyena blended with the bark of the terrier; but ...
//christianbookshelf.org/borrow/letters of george borrow/journey to evora.htm

Choice of Company
... so is the sinner unto the godly. What peace is there between the hyena and
the dog? and what peace between the rich man and the poor? ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/v choice of company.htm

"The Pharaoh Drew Nigh"
... "By this time to-morrow night, I may content myself in a bed of sand with a
covering of hyena-fending stones," the cup-bearer muttered. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xliii the pharaoh drew.htm

On the Way to Thebes
... Now and then the woman-like scream of the wildcat, or the harsh staccato
laugh of the hyena would startle the marshes into silence. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xxi on the way.htm

Hyena
... They are large and strong, but cowardly. They feed chiefly on carrion, and are
nocturnal in their habits. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. HYENA. ...
/h/hyena.htm - 9k

Zeboim (7 Occurrences)
... 13:18). It was probably the ravine now bearing the name Wady Shakh-ed-
Dub'a, or "ravine of the hyena," north of Jericho. (3.) A ...
/z/zeboim.htm - 11k

Zoology
... MOLE (which see) not found in Palestine CHIROPTERA: Bat CARNIVORA (a) Felidae, Cat,
Lion, Leopard (b) Hyaenidae, Hyena (c) Canidae, Dog (including Greyhound ...
/z/zoology.htm - 18k

Zibeon (7 Occurrences)
... zib'-e-on (tsibh`on, "hyena"; HPN, 95; Sebegon): A Horite chief (Genesis 36:2, 14,
20, 24, 29 1 Chronicles 1:38, 40); he is called the "Hivite" in Genesis 36:2 ...
/z/zibeon.htm - 9k

Totemism
... in the tribal names Leah ("wild cow"?), Rachel ("ewe"), Simeon (synonymous with
the Arabic sim`u, which denotes a cross between a wolf and a hyena), Hamor ("ass ...
/t/totemism.htm - 11k

Doleful (2 Occurrences)
... oach, "howling"): The "doleful creatures" referred to in Isaiah 13:21 are probably
"jackals," although some have suggested "leopard," or "hyena." The older ...
/d/doleful.htm - 8k

Bittern (4 Occurrences)
... Tristram says, "Its strange booming note, disturbing the stillness of night, gives
an idea of desolation which nothing but the wail of a hyena can equal ...
/b/bittern.htm - 14k

Simeon (48 Occurrences)
... shama`, "to hear" (Genesis 29:33); some modern scholars (Hitzig, WR Smith, Stade,
etc.) derive it from Arabic sima`, "the offspring of the hyena and female wolf ...
/s/simeon.htm - 35k

Hyenas (3 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Plural of Hyena. Multi-Version Concordance
Hyenas (3 Occurrences). Isaiah 13:22 And wolves will be ...
/h/hyenas.htm - 7k

Hydaspes

/h/hydaspes.htm - 6k

Hyaena

Hyena

Zeboim (7 Occurrences)

Zoology

Zibeon (7 Occurrences)

Totemism

Doleful (2 Occurrences)

Bittern (4 Occurrences)

Simeon (48 Occurrences)

Hyenas (3 Occurrences)

Hydaspes

Syria (73 Occurrences)

Speckled (9 Occurrences)

Egypt (596 Occurrences)

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