Why shephanim?

Why shephanim? The NASB refers to the shaphan or shephanim in Leviticus 11:5, Deuteronomy 14:7, Psalm 104:18, and Proverbs 30:26, directly transliterating the Hebrew word שָּׁפָן. In these references the KJV and NIV use coney and the ESV uses rock badger. In all cases they are talking about the species Procavia capensis, now known as Rock Hyraxes. The Bible describes them as simple yet exceedingly wise, making their houses in the cliffs. They are still common throughout the Holy Land and most of Africa. Unable to dig tunnels with their soft feet, they have to live in abandoned burrows or clefts in the rock. Since they appear to chew the cud, they were unclean under the old covenant. Actually, they have long incisor teeth which they can use to defend themselves. They live for their entire lives (about 10 years) in small herds made up of multiple family units. They probably will still be around when Jesus returns.

I want to be like the shephanim.

The title image is of a Cape Hyrax, species Procavia capensis, taken at Hardap Dam, Namibia. The copyright holder, Hans Hillewaert, releases it under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 license.
Posted by Tim at 5/24/2013 04:05:00 PM
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13 comments:

  1. Lovely Lillith4/20/2009 09:19:00 AM

    I don't mean to go Comic Book Guy on you, but the shephanim were excluded not due to chewing the cud, but because they didn't chew the cud AS WELL AS have a cloven hoof. In the same verse, rabbits and camels were disqualified due to chewing the cud but having no cloven hoof, whereas pigs were excluded because they had cloven hooves but didn't chew the cud. Deuteronomy 14:6-8

    I will also say thank you, as your site gave me more information about the critters, as I never knew what the heck they were.

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  2. Michele9/23/2010 02:15:00 PM

    Thanks for the information, I was looking for a definition after reading Psalm 104.

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  3. Anonymous6/25/2011 08:48:00 AM

    Me too. I was reading Psalm 104 which I LOVE by the way, it paints such a beautiful picture! Wondered what the were. Thank you!

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    1. Jan8/20/2020 08:25:00 AM

      I'm with you on Psalm 104 and Psalm 103. I like it so much I'm definitely going to print it out and attach it to my bathroom mirror for awhile to keep re-reading it's beauty. Maybe I could even memorize it.

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  4. Anonymous9/30/2013 06:47:00 AM

    Thank you for the helpful information.

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  5. Dan Pellegrino6/05/2016 12:42:00 AM

    Thanks

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  6. 4everoptimistic9/07/2016 05:25:00 AM

    Seems to be a common thing, what are they? Thank you for your information.

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  7. Anonymous5/14/2017 10:59:00 PM

    Most interesting - thank you!

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  8. Unknown5/30/2017 05:33:00 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  9. Unknown8/30/2018 10:45:00 AM

    Since GOD gave us dominion over the animals an earth I needed to understand what it was yet this gave me little understanding of them I search on an thank you for the information. GOD BLESS YOU AN THIS SITE....

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  10. Drummerken11/20/2018 12:22:00 PM

    https://gloriousgrace.com/2017/11/21/evening-november-20/. Evening, November 20, edited from Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

    “The shephanim [Rock Badgers] are not mighty people, yet they make their houses in the rocks.” — Proverbs 30:26

    Conscious of their own natural defenselessness, the shephanim resort to burrows in the rocks, and are secure from their enemies. My heart, be willing to gather a lesson from these frail folks. You are as weak and as exposed to peril as the timid rock badgers; be as wise to seek a shelter.

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  11. Unknown1/30/2020 12:12:00 PM

    Site was very helpful, better then the other ones I went to. Thanks

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  12. beckyyates37@gmail.com12/30/2020 10:32:00 PM

    I was just trying to figure out if there was some hidd n meaning in the verse from Proverbs 30:26? Thank you for the information on what they are and look like. God bless and Happy New Years to all.

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