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Document Details : Title: Rats are Like Snakes, and Hares are Like Goats Subtitle: A Study in Israelite Land Animal Taxonomy Author(s): WHITEKETTLE, Richard Journal: Biblica Volume: 82 Issue: 3 Date: 2001 Pages: 345-362 DOI: 10.2143/BIB.82.3.3200393 Abstract : Israelite taxonomic thought drew a contrast between a land animal taxon referred to by the words שרץ or רמש that contained animals such as rats and snakes (Land Animals I), and a land animal taxon referred to by the words בהמה or חיה that contained animals such as hares and goats (Land Animals II). This essay shows that the Land Animals I taxon was characterized by locomotory movement in the horizontal plane and the Land Animals II taxon was characterized by locomotory movement in the vertical plane. Thus, the contrast was between land animals that were perceived to move along the ground (Land Animals I) and land animals that were perceived to move over the ground (Land Animals II). |
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