SOLOMON AND THE BIRDS
Posted: 03.08.26 in Articles category
Birds feature in the lives of various people throughout the Bible. Specific birds appear in the narratives of prominent individuals like Noah, Elijah and Peter, and the stories of their avian encounters are well known. Mention Elijah for example and the story of the prophet being fed by ravens quickly comes to mind. Think of Peter and the rooster crowing when the disciple betrayed Jesus. Yet birds were also important to other key biblical characters, even if we don’t read about any specific events involving them and birds. One such individual was Solomon.
In total there are eighteen avian references in the quartet of books in the Old Testament associated with King Solomon – 1 Kings, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs. Arguably, the most significant is the 33rd verse of 1 Kings chapter 4 which highlighted Solomon’s fame as a teacher of natural history: “He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish.” We learn earlier in the chapter that “God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore”. That wisdom was demonstrated in part through Solomon’s considerable knowledge, for example, by speaking three thousand proverbs, writing more than one thousand songs and teaching about nature as described in verse 33. Such was the king’s fame for wisdom that people from all nations came to listen including the Queen of Sheba (who allegedly became a lover and bore Solomon’s child according to some ancient traditions).
We learn in the book of 1 Kings that Solomon taught about birds, but what did he teach and why? We can only surmise, yet perhaps there are clues we can detect from those other seventeen references. Song of Songs uses avian imagery in its love poetry with the lover’s eyes described metaphorically as ‘doves’ and his hair as ‘raven black’, but these generally read as words of endearment and affection rather than any insight and understanding about birds. Let’s look instead at the avian references found in the two books of wisdom literature, beginning with six sayings in Proverbs attributed to Solomon.
“How useless to spread a net where every bird can see it!” Proverbs 1 verse 17
“Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.” Proverbs 6 verse 5
“… like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.” Proverbs 7 verse 23
“Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.” Proverbs 23 verse 5
“Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.” Proverbs 26 verse 2
“Like a bird that flees its nest is anyone who flees from home.” Proverbs 27 verse 8.
It is noteworthy that half of these references relate to the hunting of birds with snares and nets, presumably because Solomon, like many of his contemporaries, hunted birds as well as other animals. Indeed, in the book of 1 Kings chapter 4 we are told that the king’s daily household provisions included hunted “choice fowl”, deer and gazelles, as well as plenty of farmed animals.
The other three references are more eclectic in terms of subject matter. My personal favourite is the verse in chapter 26 about undeserved curses being like darting swallows and fluttering sparrows – words of reassurance spoken at a time when cursing was used as a powerful psychological weapon to invoke fear and anxiety on the part of those being cursed.
Our final trio of avian references can be found as follows in the book of Ecclesiastes which historically have been attributed to Solomon, although its authorship is not made explicit.
“Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so people are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them.” Ecclesiastes 9 verse 12
“Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.” Ecclesiastes 10 verse 20
“when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; then people rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint” Ecclesiastes 12 verse 4
I will refrain from offering commentary on each of these, but I am intrigued by the seemingly curious command not to revile the king just in case a bird is spying and reports back to the king. Reminds me of the Norse legend about the two ravens Hugin and Munin reporting back each day to Odin.