דִּישֹׁן
the leaper, i.e. an antelope
Definition
The Hebrew noun דִּישֹׁן (dîyshôn) refers to a specific type of antelope or gazelle, characterized by its leaping or bounding movement. Its name, derived from a root meaning 'to leap' or 'to spring,' highlights this distinctive behavior. In its sole biblical occurrence, it is listed among the clean animals permitted for food in the Mosaic law (Deuteronomy 14:5). The term is often identified with the addax, a desert antelope known for its agility, or more broadly with a class of swift, leaping antelopes.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in Deuteronomy 14:5. It appears in a legal context within a list of clean animals that the Israelites were permitted to eat. Its usage is purely descriptive and taxonomic, serving to specify one of the kinds of game that could be lawfully consumed.
Etymology
The word דִּישֹׁן (dîyshôn) is a derivative of the root דּוּשׁ (dûsh, H1758), which primarily means 'to tread' or 'to thresh,' but in certain forms can convey the sense of leaping or springing forcefully. This connection suggests the animal's name emphasizes its powerful, bounding gait, likened to the pounding action of threshing.
Semantic Range
While the word itself is not theologically loaded, its inclusion in Deuteronomy 14:5 is significant for understanding the biblical concept of holiness and separation. The dietary laws distinguished Israel from surrounding nations and taught discernment. Understanding that דִּישֹׁן specifies a clean animal enriches the reading of this text by highlighting the precise care taken in God's instructions for his people's daily life and worship.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, precise identification of animal species was important for ritual purity and sustenance. The 'pygarg' (KJV translation) or antelope was likely a recognizable game animal for the Israelites. Modern readers might simply see 'antelope,' but the original term carried a more specific connotation of a leaping, agile creature of the wild, valued as a source of food.
צְבִי (tsᵉvî, H6643) — A more general term for gazelle or roebuck, also listed as clean in Deuteronomy 14:5, often emphasizing grace and beauty. אַיָּל (ʼayyāl, H354) — Typically translated 'hart' or 'deer,' another clean animal known for its swiftness and used in poetic imagery (e.g., Psalm 42:1).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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