Bible Lexicons

 I. יוֺנָה noun feminine dove (Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic id., ) — absolute יוֺנָה Genesis 8:8 20t.; construct יוֺנֵת Psalm 56:1; suffix יוֺנָתִי Song of Solomon 2:14 2t.; plural יוֺנִים Nahum 2:8 6t.; construct יוֺנֵי Ezekiel 7:16 (see below); — dove Genesis 8:8,9,10,11,12 (all J); often of offerings, בֶּןיֿוֺנָה Leviticus 12:6 (P; an individual of the species; "" תֹּר); בְּנֵי (ה)יוֺנִים "" תֹּרִיםׅ Leviticus 1:14; Leviticus 5:7,11; Leviticus 12:8; Leviticus 14:22,30; Leviticus 15:14,29; Numbers 6:10 (all P); חֲרִי יוֺנִים dove's dung 2 Kings 6:25 (Kt, yet see Gei ^{Urschrift 409}); in various similes: Ephraim is כְּיוֺנָה מּוֺתָה like a silly dove Hosea 7:11 (allowing itself to be snared); simile of return of exiles, like eager flight of doves Hosea 11:11, of ships with white outspread sails Isaiah 60:8; אֵבֶר כַּיּוֺנָה Psalm 55:7; see also כַּנְפֵי יוֺנָה Psalm 68:14; simile of fugitive Moab Jeremiah 48:28; also כְּיוֺנֵי הַגֵּאָיוֺת Ezekiel 7:16 like the doves of the valleys (but on text see Co, who emends כיונים הוֺגִיּוֺת, but regards phrase as gloss): simile of mourning כְּקוֺל יוֺנִים Nahum 2:8; without קוֺל, הגה כיונים Isaiah 38:14; Isaiah 59:11 (from mournful note); figurative of beauty (only Canticles): עֵינַיִךְ יוֺנִים thine eyes are (those of) doves Song of Solomon 1:15; Song of Solomon 4:1, see also Song of Solomon 4:12; term of endearment, יוֺנָתִי my dove Song of Solomon 2:14; Song of Solomon 5:2; Song of Solomon 6:9. Elsewhere only Psalm 56:1 (title) (עַל) יוֺנַת אֵלֶם רְחֹקִים probably name of melody: To 'the dove of distant terebinths' (read אֵלִים for אֵלֶם; see אֵלֶם above, and Bae ^{Psalm , p. xvii}). — On sanctity of dove among Shemites, see RS ^{Semitic i. 202,275}.