The cormorant is mentioned several times in the Bible, primarily in relation to its status as an unclean bird according to Jewish dietary laws. The cormorant belongs to the Phalacrocoracidae family of birds, which are medium to large sized aquatic birds found around the world. Some key facts about the cormorant in the Bible:
- Cormorants are listed among the unclean birds that the Israelites are forbidden from eating in Leviticus 11:17 and Deuteronomy 14:17.
- The inclusion of the cormorant on these lists likely stems from their fish diet, as fish without fins or scales were also considered unclean.
- While often translated as “cormorant” in English versions of the Bible, the Hebrew word in question is “shâlâk”, referring to birds from the “plunger” family.
- Cormorants were also associated with desolation and ruin in some passages, such as Isaiah 34:11 and Zephaniah 2:14.
Overall, the cormorant has a largely negative symbolism in the Bible, being designated as unclean and tied to imagery of desolation. However, its inclusion does provide insight into Jewish classification of birds according to the Mosaic Law.
The Cormorant’s Place Among the Unclean Birds
In the book of Leviticus, God provides Moses and Aaron with a list of animals that the Israelites are not permitted to eat. This includes the cormorant, which is specifically called out in Leviticus 11:17:
“And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray…” (KJV)
The cormorant appears again in Deuteronomy 14:17, nestled among the birds of prey and carrion eaters which the Israelites are instructed not to consume.
These rules concerning clean and unclean animals were central aspects of Jewish dietary restrictions, setting them apart from other societies at the time. The exact rationale behind which animals were prohibited is not entirely clear. In the case of the cormorant, it was likely its diet of fish—specifically fish without fins and scales—that led to its status as an unclean bird.
Why Were Cormorants Considered Unclean?
Looking at the other birds described as unclean, they were either birds of prey or those that ate fish or carrion. So the cormorant’s status stems from:
- Its diet – Cormorants primarily eat fish, which was considered unclean if the fish did not have fins and scales (Leviticus 11:9-12). The type of fish cormorants consumed typically did not meet this requirement.
- Its hunting methods – Cormorants dive into the water to catch prey, rather than hunting above ground like other birds of prey.
- Its association with the sea/water – Many unclean birds had an aquatic connection, with the seas representing chaos and danger in ancient Near Eastern symbolism.
The consumption of the cormorant may have been seen as spiritually or physically polluting for these reasons. The prohibition against them served as a way to uphold Jewish dietary purity and obedience to God’s commands.
Associations with Desolation and Ruin
In addition to being listed as ceremonially unclean, the cormorant is referenced in two prophetic passages that tie the bird to imagery of desolation and ruin.
Isaiah 34:11 lists the cormorant and other desert creatures as inhabiting the destroyed city of Edom:
“But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness.” (KJV)
Here, cormorants help convey complete desolation and abandonment following God’s judgment on Edom.
A similar picture is found in Zephaniah 2:13-15, where God pronounces judgment on Nineveh. Verse 14 states:
“And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds; for he shall uncover the cedar work.” (KJV)
Once again, cormorants inhabiting the city represent its utter abandonment and ruin following divine judgment.
The Cormorant as a Symbol
The imagery involving the cormorant emphasizes a few key symbolic associations:
- Desolation – As aquatic birds, cormorants inhabiting a city represent its abandonment and desolation.
- Chaos/disorder – As unclean birds, cormorants may represent the triumph of chaos, tying back to the sea’s association with disorder in the ancient Near Eastern mindset.
- Judgment – Their presence in prophetic passages emphasizes the cities’ fate as divine punishment.
So while not playing a major role, the cormorant served as a potent symbolic bird in select prophetic Bible passages, underscoring key themes of desolation, disorder, and judgment.
The Cormorant in Translation
As mentioned previously, the term translated as “cormorant” in most English Bibles is the Hebrew word “shâlâk.” This refers to diving birds from the “plunger” family more broadly, likely referring to cormorants, gannets, or other diving waterfowl in the ancient Near East.
The King James Version uses the translation “cormorant,” mirroring the Latin “mergulus” used in the Vulgate. However, some more modern English translations opt for words like “water hen” (Revised Standard Version) or simply “bird” (New International Version) in certain passages.
This lack of consensus on the precise meaning of shâlâk has led to ambiguity over which specific species is intended in these verses. Suggestions range from the great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) to the pygmy cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmeus) – both regional diving birds. Most scholars conclude one of these cormorant species is the most likely meaning, though the exact species remains uncertain.
Why the Variation in Translation?
The lack of specificity in the Hebrew term contributes to varied translation choices:
- Shâlâk refers to a family of diving birds, not one specific species.
- There are multiple species of cormorant-like waterfowl found in the ancient Near East.
- Ancient Hebrew terminology for specific bird species is somewhat imprecise.
- Modern translators must interpret the likely meaning based on context and their knowledge of wildlife.
So while “cormorant” has basis in oldest translations like the KJV, some modern versions opt for a more generalized term to acknowledge the linguistic uncertainty. But experts agree some species of diving bird in the cormorant family appears the most likely meaning.
The Cormorant and Pelican
Some biblical references associate the cormorant with the pelican. For instance, Psalm 102:6 (KJV) states:
“I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert. I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.”
The same verse in the New International Version substitutes “cormorant” in place of “pelican.” This arises from linguistic confusion between the two terms:
- The Hebrew word is “ka’ath”, likely derived from “vomiting” – reflecting the pelican’s gullet pouch.
- But in some Semitic languages, “ka’ath” refers to the pygmy cormorant instead.
- This overlap results in ambiguity over which species the word denotes.
Modern scholars lean towards “cormorant” as the intended meaning, based on the PSALM 102 context and known wildlife of the Near East. But the relationship between the ancient Hebrew terms for cormorant and pelican explain why some translations opt for “pelican.”
Pelican Symbolism
When understood as “pelican,” Psalm 102:6 associates the bird with the wilderness and solitude. The pelican represented:
- Isolation – Pelicans are solitary nesters, reinforcing the psalmist’s loneliness.
- Desolation – Like the cormorant, pelicans symbolized abandoned ruins.
- Despair – Ancient belief that pelicans fed their young with their own blood tinted the bird with tragedy.
So this passage likely drew upon established symbolism of the pelican as a lonely, mournful figure. However, the original meaning was likely “cormorant”, with the confusion stemming from linguistic similarities with the Hebrew word for pelican.
References to the Cormorant in Other Ancient Texts
References to the cormorant appear not only in the Bible, but in other literary and mythological texts of the ancient Near East. For instance:
- Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs use the cormorant as a symbol representing the “soul of the dead.”
- The Babylonian Talmud prohibits using cormorant blood in certain Jewish rituals, as an unclean animal.
- Ancient Greek poets refer to the halcyon, a mythological bird associated with the cormorant, as an omen for storms and rough seas.
- Pliny the Elder in his Natural History describes the oily eggs and guano piles of cormorants inhabiting the Mediterranean.
These examples confirm the widespread familiarity with cormorants in this region and time period. They were recognized as aquatic, fish-eating birds associated with wild, untamed habitats. The Bible echoes some of these associations in its own symbolism of the cormorant.
Cormorants as a Near Eastern Cultural Marker
More broadly, references to recognizable animals like the cormorant served as cultural touchstones in the ancient Near East. Mentioning the cormorant:
- Associated texts with local wildlife familiar to the audience.
- Served as poetic imagery relying on this familiarity to convey meaning.
- Anchored important concepts like chaos, desolation, and death to known natural symbols.
- Revealed regional perspectives on topics like purity/pollution and social order through treatment of certain animals.
So the lowly cormorant played a role in revealing biblical principles and Near Eastern perspectives by providing relatable local imagery and symbolism.
The Cormorant Controversy in Zion National Park
While best known for its biblical significance, the cormorant makes modern headlines for its impact on sport fisheries in Utah’s Zion National Park.
The Cormorant Population Boom
In recent decades, cormorant numbers have surged along the Virgin River through Zion Canyon:
- Population rose from around 100 pairs in 1990 to over 1,500 pairs by 2000.
- Factors include lack of natural predators, bans on DDT pesticides, and abundant smallmouth bass prey.
- Each cormorant eats roughly one pound of fish daily. With seasonal migration, that means cormorants eat 660,000 pounds of Zion fish annually.
This cormorant population explosion has alarmed wildlife managers and anglers.
Impact on Smallmouth Bass Fishery
The smallmouth bass is a popular sport fish that draws anglers to Zion. But bass numbers dropped sharply with cormorants’ voracious appetites:
- Zion’s smallmouth bass population declined by 80% from 1990 to 2007.
- Average bass size also decreased from 14 inches to around 9 inches in length.
- With bass scarce, cormorants shifted focus to rare native fish like the Virgin River chub.
These impacts on sport fisheries and endangered fish have made the cormorant a contentious species in Zion.
Management Efforts
Zion National Park has implemented various programs to curb cormorant impacts:
- Culling efforts from 1998-2008 reduced numbers through egg oiling, shooting, and nest removal.
- Roosting deterrents like wires over streams displace birds from prime fishing spots.
- Stocking programs aim to rebuild smallmouth bass populations.
While necessary to protect fisheries, these cormorant control tactics have also drawn criticism from conservation groups. The conflict reflects dilemmas posed when a native species like the cormorant becomes “overabundant.”
Conclusion
The cormorant plays a modest but meaningful role in the Bible, relegated to the status of unclean while also serving as a symbol of desolation and chaos in prophetic passages. This mirrors the bird’s broader perception in the ancient Near East as a wild, untamed creature of untamed habitats. While not referenced frequently in Scripture, the cormorant provides modern readers glimpses of biblical wildlife and important spiritual themes and principles when it does appear. Its role also highlights the intimate connection between culture and nature in biblical times.
At the same time, the cormorant today illustrates how species balances have changed over time. Its rocketing numbers and impacts on sport fisheries pose wildlife management challenges, showing how human interests can clash with conservation. The cormorant’s biblical significance makes it hard to categorize simply as a nuisance, even as Zion National Park wrestles with its ballooning populations. In both ancient and modern contexts, the cormorant represents dynamic relationships between human society and the natural world.