Ferret
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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
FERRET

fer'-et ('anaqah, the Revised Version (British and American) GECKO): Occurs only in Leviticus 11:30 the King James Version, in the list of animals which are unclean "among the creeping things that creep upon the earth." the Revised Version (British and American) has "gecko" with the marginal note, "Words of uncertain meaning, but probably denoting four kinds of lizards." The list of animals in Leviticus 11:29, 30 includes

(1) choledh, English Versions of the Bible "weasel";

(2) `akhbar, English Versions of the Bible "mouse";

(3) tsabh, the King James Version "tortoise," the Revised Version (British and American) "great lizard";

(4) 'anaqkah, the King James Version "ferret," the Revised Version (British and American) "gecko";

(5) koach the King James Version "chameleon," the Revised Version (British and American) "land crocodile";

(6) leTa'ah, English Versions of the Bible "lizard";

(7) chomeT, the King James Version "snail," the Revised Version (British and American) "sand lizard";

(8) tinshemeth, the King James Version "mole," the Revised Version (British and American) "chameleon."

It will be noted that while Revised Version makes the first two mammals and the remaining six reptiles, the King James Version makes not only (1) and (2) but also (4) and (8) mammals, and (7) a mollusk. So far as this general classification is concerned the King James Version follows the Septuagint, except in the case of (7). It must be borne in mind that all these words except (2) and (8) occur only in this passage, while (2) and (8) occur each in only a few passages where the context throws but uncertain light upon the meaning. Under these circumstances we ought to be content with the rendering of the Septuagint, unless from philology or tradition we can show good reason for differing. For 'anaqah, Septuagint has mugale, which occurs in Herodotus and Aristotle and may be a shrew mouse or a field mouse. Just as the next word, koach, is found in other passages (see CHAMELEON) with the meaning of "strength," so 'anaqah occurs in several places signifying "moaning" or "sighing" (Psalm 12:5; Psalm 79:11; Psalm 102:20 Malachi 2:13). It seems to be from the root, 'anaq, "to choke," "to be in anguish" (compare `anaq, "a collar"; chanaq, "to choke"; Arabic `unq, "neck"; Arabic khanaq, "to strangle"; Greek anagke; Latin angustus; German enge, Nacken; English "anxious," "neck"). Some creature seems to be meant which utters a low cry or squeak, and neither "ferret" (the King James Version) nor "gecko" (Revised Version (British and American)) seems to have a better claim than the older Septuagint rendering of mugale = "shrew mouse" or "field mouse."

Alfred Ely Day

Strong's Hebrew
604. anaqah -- a ferret, shrewmouse
... 603, 604. anaqah. 605 . a ferret, shrewmouse. Transliteration: anaqah Phonetic
Spelling: (an-aw-kaw') Short Definition: gecko. ... ferret. ...
/hebrew/604.htm - 6k
Library

Footnotes
... ante oculos suos ferret? Quapropter non culpandi sunt iudices, qui ecclesiastica
consuetudine nomen gratiae [ie christianae] audierunt.". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pohle/grace actual and habitual/footnotes.htm

Touching the Hidden Keys.
... There was some secret hidden beneath the surface of those ten days. With
his usual keenness Mr. Moody set himself to ferret it out. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on prayer/touching the hidden keys.htm

Travelling in Palestine --Roads, Inns, Hospitality, Custom-House ...
... living. In such places the secret police, whom Herod employed, would ferret
out the opinions of the populace while over their cups. ...
/.../sketches of jewish social life/chapter 4 travelling in palestineroads.htm

From the Conference of 1773 to the Commencement of the War in 1776
... other. Some such will never be wanting. But give them no countenance; rather
ferret them out, and drag them into open day.". This ...
/.../chapter 1 from the conference.htm

Naparima and Montserrat
... They find, I presume, that they are protected enough from monkeys, wild cats, and
gato- melaos (a sort of ferret) by being hung at the extremity of the bough. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter x naparima and montserrat.htm

The Memphite Empire
... equally potent magician could elude their vigilance, paralyze their energies, if
not for ever, at least for a sufficient length of time to ferret out the ...
/.../chapter iithe memphite empire.htm

Smith's Bible Dictionary
Ferret

one of the unclean creeping things mentioned in (Leviticus 11:30) The animal referred to was probably a reptile of the lizard tribe (the gecko). The rabbinical writers seen to have identified this animal with the hedgehog.

ATS Bible Dictionary
Ferret

A sort of weasel, Le 11:30. The Hebrew word means rather a species of lizard, the gecko, which Moses forbids as unclean.

Easton's Bible Dictionary
Leviticus 11:30 (R.V., "gecko"), one of the unclean creeping things. It was perhaps the Lacerta gecko which was intended by the Hebrew word (anakah, a cry, "mourning, " the creature which groans) here used, i.e., the "fan-footed" lizard, the gecko which makes a mournful wail. The LXX. translate it by a word meaning "shrew-mouse," of which there are three species in Palestine. The Rabbinical writers regard it as the hedgehog. The translation of the Revised Version is to be preferred.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (n.) An animal of the Weasel family (Mustela / Putorius furo), about fourteen inches in length, of a pale yellow or white color, with red eyes. It is a native of Africa, but has been domesticated in Europe. Ferrets are used to drive rabbits and rats out of their holes.

2. (n.) To drive or hunt out of a lurking place, as a ferret does the cony; to search out by patient and sagacious efforts; -- often used with out; as, to ferret out a secret.

3. (n.) A kind of narrow tape, usually made of woolen; sometimes of cotton or silk; -- called also ferreting.

4. (n.) The iron used for trying the melted glass to see if is fit to work, and for shaping the rings at the mouths of bottles.

Thesaurus
Ferret (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (n.) To drive or hunt out of a lurking place, as a ferret does the cony; to search
out by patient and sagacious efforts; -- often used with out; as, to ...
/f/ferret.htm - 11k

Lizard (3 Occurrences)
... King James Version "tortoise," the Revised Version (British and American) "great
lizard" (which see); (4) 'anaqah, the King James Version "ferret," the Revised ...
/l/lizard.htm - 16k

Gecko (1 Occurrence)
... British and American) for 'anaqah, only in Leviticus 11:30; Septuagint mugale,
"shrew mouse" or "field mouse"; the King James Version ferret): Probably a shrew ...
/g/gecko.htm - 7k

Zoology
... CARNIVORA (a) Felidae, Cat, Lion, Leopard (b) Hyaenidae, Hyena (c) Canidae, Dog
(including Greyhound), Fox, Jackal, Wolf (d) Mustelidae, Ferret, Badger, Marten ...
/z/zoology.htm - 18k

Weasel (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary. (n.) Any one of various species of small carnivores
belonging to the genus Putorius, as the ermine and ferret. ...
/w/weasel.htm - 9k

Ferrets (1 Occurrence)

/f/ferrets.htm - 6k

Ferocious (4 Occurrences)

/f/ferocious.htm - 7k

Snail (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Snail (2 Occurrences). Leviticus 11:30 And the ferret,
and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole. (KJV WBS YLT). ...
/s/snail.htm - 10k

Mole (2 Occurrences)
... its kind; (DBY NAS). Leviticus 11:30 And the ferret, and the chameleon,
and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole. (KJV WBS YLT). ...
/m/mole.htm - 12k

Bible Concordance
Ferret (1 Occurrence)

Leviticus 11:30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
(KJV BBE WBS YLT)

Subtopics

Ferret

Ferret: General Scriptures Concerning

Related Terms

Lizard (3 Occurrences)

Gecko (1 Occurrence)

Zoology

Weasel (1 Occurrence)

Ferrets (1 Occurrence)

Ferocious (4 Occurrences)

Snail (2 Occurrences)

Mole (2 Occurrences)

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