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the list of birds forbidden to be eaten by the Levitical law (Leviticus 11:19; Deuteronomy 14:18). It is like the crane, but larger in size. Two species are found in Palestine, the white, which are dispersed in pairs over the whole country; and the black, which live in marshy places and in great flocks. They migrate to Palestine periodically (about the 22nd of March). Jeremiah alludes to this (Jeremiah 8:7). At the appointed time they return with unerring sagacity to their old haunts, and re-occupy their old nests. “There is a well-authenticated account of the devotion of a stork which, at the burning of the town of Delft, after repeated and unsuccessful attempts to carry off her young, chose rather to remain and perish with them than leave them to their fate. Well might the Romans call it the pia avis!”
In Job 39:13 (A.V.), instead of the expression “or wings and feathers unto the ostrich” (marg., “the feathers of the stork and ostrich”), the Revised Version has “are her pinions and feathers kindly” (marg., instead of “kindly,” reads “like the stork’s”). The object of this somewhat obscure verse seems to be to point out a contrast between the stork, as distinguished for her affection for her young, and the ostrich, as distinguished for her indifference.
Zechariah (5:9) alludes to the beauty and power of the stork’s wings.
•STRAIN AT Simply a misprint for “strain out” (Matthew 23:24).
•STRANGER This word generally denotes a person from a foreign land residing in Palestine. Such persons enjoyed many privileges in common with the Jews, but still were separate from them. The relation of the Jews to strangers was regulated by special laws (Deuteronomy 23:3; 24:14-21; 25:5; 26:10-13). A special signification is also sometimes attached to this word. In Genesis 23:4 it denotes one resident in a foreign land; Exodus 23:9, one who is not a Jew; Numbers 3:10, one who is not of the family of Aaron; Psalm 69:8, an alien or an unknown person. The Jews were allowed to purchase strangers as slaves (Leviticus 25:44, 45), and to take usury from them (Deuteronomy 23:20).
•STRAW Used in brick-making (Exodus 5:7-18). Used figuratively in Job 41:27; Isaiah 11:7; 25:10; 65:25.