Peacocks
tukkiyim. 1Ki 10:22; 2Ch 9:21; in Job 39:13 for "peacocks" translated "ostrich hen". (See OSTRICH) Related to Tamil togei "peacock," Sanskrit, sikhin "crested"; from its singular crown of upright divergent shafts, each tipped with a disc; Pavo cristatus (Linnaeus). Its ocellated train is not the tail, which is short, but the feathers of the loins, rump, and tail coverts, which it can at will erect into a circular spread disc.
The peacock was unknown to the Assyrians, judging from the monuments; also to the Egyptians; but is mentioned in Aristophanes (Birds, 484), 426 B.C. Probably Solomon first brought it by his Tarshish ships to the West from the East.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Peacocks
The word ‘peacocks’ occurs in two passages, 1 K 10” (where xx seems to have translated it by πελεκητοί =‘things [86. λίθοι, stones) carved by an axe’) and 2 Ch 95: (where LXX omits the word). The Vulg. in both has pavi. A third place in which AV gives ‘peacock’ (Job 3915) has another Heb. original (Ὁ) réndnim), which doubtless refers to the ostrich, as in RV. As we have no reason to doubt the correctness of the rendering ‘ peacocks’ for tukkiyyim, this stately bird, Pavo cristatus, L., was doubtless imported by Solomon either direct from India (? Ophir=Abhira) or from some port to which Hiram’s sailors had brought it from India (see Cheyne in Expos. Times, July 1898, p. 472). Sir E. Tennant (Ceylon, ii. 102) has shown that the Tamil name of ‘ peacocks’ is tokei, apparently a cognate of tukkiyyim. It is very abundant in the forests of India, and in some of the native states it is illegal to shoot it. We have no mention of its introduction into Mediterranean regions earlier than the time of Solomon. It is, however, very frequently alluded to in the Gr, and Lat, classics. G. E. Post.
Smith's Bible Dictionary on Peacocks
(Heb. tuccyyim). Among the natural products which Solomon’s fleet brought home to Jerusalem, mention is made of “peacocks,” (1 Kings 10:22; 2 Chronicles 9:21) which is probably the correct translation. The Hebrew word may be traced to the Talmud or Malabaric togei, “peacock.”
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia