Hence, a new group obtained by the subdivision of the first group into animals of the air and animals of the water.Ī third factor was the mode of propagation.

Birds, created to 'fly in the expanse of heaven,' are called the 'birds of heaven' that is, of the air. Fishes are the 'living things' of the waters, of the sea, of the rivers.

The habitat of animals is introduced as a second factor. Theodore Gill, M.D., LL.D., Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. prepared by William Frank under the direction of Prof. Such, at least, is the interpretation that both the Septuagint and the Vulgate have given to the original text. The air evidently was not yet recognized as an element. 20-23), the other for the terrestrial animals taken from the earth (Gen. The creation of animals is divided into two distinct acts: the one for the fishes and birds taken from the water (Gen. 25 is the complex outcome of no less than four different factors.įirst in order comes the origin or element from which the animals were produced. Man and quadrupeds are said 'to go' rather than 'to walk,' but the same is also said of the serpent (Gen. Birds in the Bible are said to fly, but reptiles are nowhere said to creep, nor fish to swim. Moreover, the mode of living seems to be absolutely foreign to either the primitive classification or its simpler substitute. This division, however, is but a later and abridged form of a more complete classification, consisting of six distinct groups as recorded in Gen. In fact, we find these four groups enumerated, side by side, throughout the Biblical books: for instance, in Gen. It is generally considereed that the Bible divides animals into four groups, according to their mode of moving: (1) quadrupeds, or walkers (2) birds, or fliers (3) reptiles, or creepers (4) fishes, or swimmers. 17), or 'all in whose nostrils was the breath of life' (Gen. 11, 17), sometimes with the addition, 'in which there is breath of life' (Gen. The Biblical writers, when speaking of animals, generally look at them either from the standpoint of man's superiority-and thus avoid lessening the distance between the animals and their godlike and God-appointed ruler by uniting the two under a common name-or from the point of view of the Creator of all, and then merge man and brutes, together with inanimate beings, and angels as well, into the universal appellative of 'creature.' When exceptionally-as in the narrative of the Deluge-man and brutes are recorded together, it is done by means of a circumlocution or descriptive clause, like 'all flesh' (Gen. Popular Jewish philosophy accords willingly to animals all the characteristics man has in common with them, inclusive of life. It is, however, never so used in Hebrew, nor in certain other languages, reflecting the popular rather than the scientific mind. Etymologically speaking, this latter Hebrew word corresponds well enough with the Latin animal and still better with the Greek ζῶōυ it might, therefore, have been used of man as well as of brutes. 10 or simply ḥayyah (living): as a rule collectively (Gen.

To contrast them with plants and minerals, animals are called in Hebrew (living soul): used always collectively in Gen.

Pecunia animal