Bible Dictionaries
Pelican
Holman Bible Dictionary
Any member of a family of large, web-footed birds with gigantic bills having expandable pouches attached to the lower jaw. Pelicans are found in Palestine. The Hebrew term translated pelican in Leviticus 11:18; Deuteronomy 14:17 , however, suggests a bird which regurgitates its food to feed its young. Other passages (Psalm 102:6; Isaiah 34:11; Zephaniah 2:14 ) associate the same Hebrew term with deserted ruins, an unlikely habitat for the pelican. Suggested identifications include the jackdaw (NAS margin), owl (NAS margin, NRSV), and vulture (RSV).
Copyright Statement
These dictionary topics are from the Holman Bible Dictionary, published by Broadman & Holman, 1991. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Broadman & Holman.
Bibliography Information
Butler, Trent C. Editor. Entry for 'Pelican'. Holman Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hbd/p/pelican.html. 1991.