Original Word: תַּחְמָס
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: tachmac
Pronunciation: takh-MAHS
Phonetic Spelling: (takh-mawce')
KJV: night hawk
NASB: owl
Word Origin: [from H2554 (חָמַס - done violence)]

1. a species of unclean bird (from its violence), perhaps an owl

disease, grievous, that are sickness

From chamac; a species of unclean bird (from its violence), perhaps an owl -- night hawk.

see HEBREW chamac

Word Origin
from chamas
Definition
male ostrich
NASB Translation
owl (2).

תַּחְמָס noun [masculine] name of male ostrich, according to Bo^ii.830 Thes (Thes derives from violence of this bird, compare Arabic violence, also ostrich; other conjectures are: owl ᵐ5 ᵑ9; swallow, Saad: see also Kn in Di) — mentioned as unclean Leviticus 11:16 (P) Deuteronomy 14:15.

Lexical Range and Identification

תַּחְמָס appears to designate a particular species of owl native to the arid lands of the Near East. Modern field zoologists usually propose the screech-owl, marsh-owl, or similar nocturnal raptor. Its solitary, desert-dwelling habits match the common biblical association of owls with ruins and wilderness (Psalm 102:6; Isaiah 34:11), though those references employ different Hebrew terms. Whatever the precise species, the creature is clearly nocturnal, carnivorous, and regarded as unclean under Mosaic legislation.

Scriptural Context

Leviticus 11:16 and Deuteronomy 14:15 place the תַּחְמָס within the catalogues of birds Israel was forbidden to eat. The Berean Standard Bible renders the larger section: “These you are to detest among the birds… the hawk, every kind of raven, the ostrich, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk” (Leviticus 11:13-16). By paralleling the list in Deuteronomy, Moses underscores the permanent place of the תַּחְמָס in the category of uncleanness.

Theological Significance of Unclean Birds

1. Holiness Distinctions: The clean–unclean divide trained Israel to discern between what was holy and common (Leviticus 10:10). Even seemingly minor prohibitions, such as abstaining from the תַּחְמָס, reinforced that every aspect of life belonged under Yahweh’s rule.
2. Moral Instruction: Predatory or scavenging habits symbolized spiritual defilement. By avoiding such birds, Israel acted out a rejection of violence and death as patterns of life.
3. Covenant Identity: Dietary obedience differentiated Israel from surrounding peoples whose pagan rites occasionally featured nocturnal birds as omens or sacrificial offerings.

Historical and Cultural Background

Ancient Near-Eastern texts portray owls as emissaries of the underworld or harbingers of doom. Against that backdrop, Israel’s Torah reoriented fear of the night: God alone determined blessing and curse. Archaeological evidence from desert strongholds (e.g., Qumran) shows owl imagery etched on pottery shards—possibly apotropaic symbols Israel was taught to repudiate by abstaining from the bird itself.

Symbolic Resonances in Scripture

While תַּחְמָס occurs only in the dietary lists, other Hebrew words for owl supply a rich network of imagery:
• Desolation: “I am like an owl among the ruins” (Psalm 102:6).
• Judgment: Edom’s downfall pictured with “screeching owls” inhabiting its palaces (Isaiah 34:11-15).

The shared motif is one of forsakenness and divine reproof—an implicit commentary on what it means to live outside covenant blessing. The inclusion of תַּחְמָס among the unclean fits this wider biblical symbolism.

Christological and New Testament Perspectives

Jesus Christ declared all foods clean (Mark 7:19; Acts 10:15). The ceremonial barrier represented by the תַּחְמָס has been abolished in Him. Nevertheless, the moral impulse endures: God’s people remain called to distinguish light from darkness. Paul’s exhortation, “Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:11), echoes the ancient lesson embedded in the owl’s nocturnal, predatory nature.

Practical Ministry Applications

• Teaching Holiness: The obscure prohibition against eating the תַּחְמָס serves as an excellent object lesson on wholehearted obedience, even in matters that seem inconsequential.
• Addressing Syncretism: By highlighting Israel’s rejection of birds tied to pagan superstition, pastors can warn against blending biblical faith with cultural occultism.
• Caring for Creation: Recognizing the owl’s ecological role encourages stewardship without romanticizing what Scripture places in the realm of uncleanness.

Conclusion

Though mentioned only twice, the תַּחְמָס reminds readers that every creature, every appetite, and every cultural symbol falls under God’s authoritative word—calling His people to purity, discernment, and ultimately to the One who fulfills the Law in perfect holiness.

הַתַּחְמָ֖ס התחמס hat·taḥ·mās hattachMas hattaḥmāsInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts