Peacocks

Appear not to have been known in Palestine, until imported in the navy of Solomon, 1Ki 10:22 2Ch 9:21 . See TARSHISH.\par

Peacocks. (Hebrew, tuccyyim). Among the natural products, which Solomon’s fleet brought home to Jerusalem, mention is made of "peacocks," 1Ki 10:22; 2Ch 9:21, which is probably the correct translation. The Hebrew word may be traced to the Talmud or Malabaric togei, "peacock."

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.

These were imported by Solomon along with ivory and apes. The Hebrew word tukkiyyim is very similar to the Cingalese name of the peacock, tokei, and this is doubtless the bird intended. 1Ki 10:22; 2Ch 9:21. The common peacock is the Pavo cristatus. In Job 39:13 is the word renanim, and this is supposed to refer to the ostrich: q.v.

PEACOCKS.—1. tûkkîyyîm, 1Ki 10:22, 2Ch 9:21. The word may he from the Tamil tokei meaning ‘peacock,’ but from the fact that the LXX [Note: Septuagint.] has in 1Ki 10:22 ‘carved stones,’ and that in 2Ch 9:21 the word is omitted, the tr. [Note: translate or translation.] is doubtful. The peacock (Pavo cristatus) is a native of India. 2. rĕnânîm, AV [Note: Authorized Version.] tr. [Note: translate or translation.] in Job 39:13 ‘peacock.’ See Ostrich.

E. W. G. Masterman.