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Bible Dictionaries
Swallow
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
or deror , from darar , "free, spontaneous motion" (Psalms 84:3). (See BIRD.) 'Αgur is probably the "crane", from ga'ar "to chatter", as Latin grus is related to garrio , in Isaiah 38:14, and sus (the Italian zisilla ) the "swallow": "like a swallow or a crane." In Proverbs 26:2 the sense is "as the bird ("sparrow") by wandering, as the swallow (deror ) by flying, never lights upon us, but flies to the winds, so the curse for which we have given no just cause shall not come" to hurt us; contradicting the common superstition that a curse brings its fulfilment, however undeserved; nay Providence shields His people from Satan's and his agents' malice. Balaam could not curse Israel whom God had blessed (Deuteronomy 23:5), nor Shimei David, nay God requited David good instead (2 Samuel 16:5-12; Psalms 109:28).
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Fausset, Andrew R. Entry for 'Swallow'. Fausset's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/fbd/s/swallow.html. 1949.
