In biblical literature, the term "chirp" is often associated with the sounds made by birds or insects, but it also appears in a metaphorical context, particularly in the prophetic books of the Old Testament. The Hebrew word often translated as "chirp" is "tsaphaph," which can refer to the faint, whispering sounds made by certain creatures or even by spirits.

Biblical References:

1. Isaiah 8:19 : "When men tell you to consult the spirits of the dead and the spiritists who whisper and mutter, should not a people consult their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?" In this passage, the word "mutter" is sometimes translated as "chirp," indicating the indistinct, low sounds made by mediums and spiritists. The prophet Isaiah warns against seeking guidance from these sources, emphasizing the importance of consulting God instead.

2. Isaiah 29:4 : "You will be brought low; you will speak from the ground, and your speech will mumble out of the dust. Your voice will come ghostlike from the earth; out of the dust your speech will whisper." Here, the imagery of a voice whispering or chirping from the ground is used to describe the humbled state of Jerusalem. The sound is faint and indistinct, symbolizing weakness and defeat.

Symbolic Meaning:

In the biblical context, chirping is often symbolic of weakness, insignificance, or the deceptive nature of false guidance. The faint, indistinct sound of chirping is contrasted with the clear and authoritative voice of God. This symbolism serves as a warning against relying on sources of guidance that are not rooted in the divine truth of Scripture.

Theological Implications:

From a theological perspective, the use of "chirp" in the Bible underscores the importance of discerning true spiritual guidance from false or misleading sources. The Bible consistently teaches that God is the ultimate source of wisdom and guidance, and believers are encouraged to seek His voice through prayer, Scripture, and the counsel of the Holy Spirit.

Practical Application:

For Christians today, the concept of "chirping" can serve as a reminder to be cautious of voices that claim to offer spiritual insight but do not align with biblical truth. It encourages believers to prioritize their relationship with God and to seek His guidance above all else, ensuring that their spiritual foundation is built on the solid rock of His Word.1. (v. i.) To make a shop, sharp, cheerful, as of small birds or crickets.

2. (n.) A short, sharp note, as of a bird or insect.

CHIRP

cherp (tsaphaph): "Chirp" occurs in the King James Version marginand the Revised Version, margin of Isaiah 29:4, "Thy voice shall be as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper (margin, "chirp") out of the dust." The reference is to "the sounds made by wizards and ventriloquists, who imitated the chirping of the bats which was supposed to proceed from the Iower world"; hence, for "peep" of the King James Version in Isaiah 8:19 we have "chirp"-"wizards, that chirp and that mutter."

Figurative: We have also in Isaiah 10:14 the Revised Version (British and American), in a figurative allusion to young birds, "chirped" instead of "peeped."

See CHATTER.

W. L. Walker

5149. trizo -- to cry, chirp, to grind the teeth
... to cry, chirp, to grind the teeth. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: trizo Phonetic
Spelling: (trid'-zo) Short Definition: I grate, gnash Definition: I grate ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5149.htm - 6k6850. tsaphaph -- to chirp, peep
... 6849, 6850. tsaphaph. 6851 . to chirp, peep. Transliteration: tsaphaph Phonetic
Spelling: (tsaw-faf') Short Definition: whisper. ... chirp, chatter, peep, whisper ...
/hebrew/6850.htm - 6k

"The King Kissed Barzillai. " 2 Sam. xix. 39
... beside my mother." Elevation may undo us. A sparrow could only chirp even
though in a golden cage. Barzillai felt, "A rustic, like I ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/champness/broken bread/lv the king kissed barzillai.htm

The Evolution of Language
... The sighing of the wind, the flowing of the stream, the beat of the surf, the note
of the bird, the chirp of the grasshopper, the hiss of the snake, would each ...
/.../the lowell lectures on the ascent of man/chapter v the evolution of.htm

The Spies
... gladness, for he has found the Saviour, and, like a young fledgling that has just
taken wing, he delights to fly about in the sunshine, and chirp merrily in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the spies.htm

A Book for Boys and Girls Or, Temporal Things Spritualized.
... Christ is risen. The shell doth crack, the chick doth chirp and peep,
The flesh decays, as men do pray and weep. The shell doth ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a book for boys and.htm

Knowledge. Worship. Gratitude.
... From them God hears no song of gratitude, no chirp of praise, though birds would
charm the woodlands with their minstrelsy: these are worse than the dumb ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 30 1884/knowledge worship gratitude.htm

The Unclean Spirits.
... did "peep" and "mutter;" their speech was low out of the dust; they spoke out of
the ground, and whispered; or, as in the margin, did "peep" or "chirp" out of ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the unclean spirits.htm

Assurance
... Thou art high in assurance. Oh, then rejoice! How musical is the bird! How does
it chirp and sing, though it knows not where to pick up the next crumb! ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/6 assurance.htm

Moody's Stories
Moody's Stories. <. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/moodys stories/moodys stories.htm

A Sermon for the Time Present
... wrung out to him. Any sparrow can chirp in the daylight; it is only the
nightingale that can sing in the dark. Children of God, whenever ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 33 1887/a sermon for the time.htm

Antichrist.
... God in these happy days, shall see antichrist only in its ruins; they shall, like
the sparrows, the little robins, and the wren, sit and sing, and chirp one to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xxiii antichrist.htm

Chirp (3 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A short, sharp note, as of a bird or insect. Int. Standard Bible
Encyclopedia. CHIRP. cherp (tsaphaph): "Chirp" occurs in ...
/c/chirp.htm - 8k

Peep (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vi) To cry, as a chicken hatching or newly hatched;
to chirp; to cheep. ... 4. (n.) The cry of a young chicken; a chirp. ...
/p/peep.htm - 8k

Mutter (6 Occurrences)
... your tongue uttereth wickedness." In Isaiah 8:19 haghah describes the tone of voice
used by the necromancers in uttering their formulas, "that chirp and that ...
/m/mutter.htm - 9k

Chatter (5 Occurrences)
... chat'-er (tsaphaph): This word, which means to "peep," "twitter" or "chirp," as
small birds do, is translated "chatter" only in Isaiah 38:14, "Like a swallow ...
/c/chatter.htm - 8k

Necromancers (8 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 8:19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto the necromancers and unto
the soothsayers, who chirp and who mutter, say, Shall not a people seek unto ...
/n/necromancers.htm - 9k

Ghosts (3 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 8:19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar
spirits and unto the wizards, that chirp and that mutter: should not a people ...
/g/ghosts.htm - 7k

Ghostlike (1 Occurrence)
... speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust; and thy voice
shall be as of a ghost out of the ground, and thy speech shall chirp out of ...
/g/ghostlike.htm - 6k

Wizards (10 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 8:19 When they tell you, "Consult with those who have familiar spirits and
with the wizards, who chirp and who mutter:" shouldn'ta people consult with ...
/w/wizards.htm - 10k

Fowl (73 Occurrences)
... compare Jeremiah 12:9, "bird," "birds of prey"; Ezekiel 39:4, "ravenous birds");
tsippor, Aramaic tsippar (from tsaphar, "to twitter or chirp"), "a chirper ...
/f/fowl.htm - 36k

Chirped (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Chirp. Multi-Version Concordance
Chirped (1 Occurrence). Isaiah 10:14 My hand has found ...
/c/chirped.htm - 6k

Chirp: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus