יוֹנָה

n.f. dove (NH id.; Aramaic id., ܝܰܘܢܳܐ )—abs. יוֹנָה Gn 8:8 + 20 times; cstr. יוֹנַת ψ 56:1; sf. יוֹנָתִי Ct 2:14 + 2 times; pl. יוֹנִים Na 2:8 + 6 times; cstr. יוֹנֵי Ez 7:16 (v. infr.);—dove Gn 8:9, 10, 11, 12 (all J); often of offerings, בֶּן־יוֹנָה Lv 12:6 (P; an individual of the species; ‖ תֹּר); בְּנֵי (ה)יונה (‖ תֹּרִים) 1:14; 5:7, 11; 12:3; 14:22, 30; 15:14, 29 Nu 6:10 (all P); חֲרֵי יוֹנִים dove’s dung 2 K 6:25 (Kt, yet v. GeiUrschrift 409); in various similes: Ephr. is כְּיוֹנָה פּוֹתָה like a silly dove Ho 7:11 (allowing itself to be snared); sim. of retun of exiles, like eager flight of doves 11:11, of ships with white outspread sails Is 60:8; אֵבֶר כַּיּוֹנָה ψ 55:7; v. also כַּנְפֵי יוֹנָה 68:14; sim. of fugitive Moab Je 48:28; also כְּיוֹנֵי הַגֵּאָיוֹת Ez 7:16 like the doves of the valleys (but on txt v. Co, who emends כיונים הוֹגִיּוֹת, but regards phr. as gloss); sim. of mourning כְּקוֹל יוֹנִים Na 2:8; without קוֹל, הגה כיונים Is 38:14; 59:11 (from mournful note); fig. of beauty (only Ct): עֵינַיִךְ יוֹנִים thine eyes are (those of) doves Ct 1:15; 4:1, v. also v 12; term of endearment, יוֹנָתִי my dove Ct 2:14; 5:2; 6:9. Elsewhere only ψ 56:1 (title) יוֹנַח אֵלֶם רְחֹקִים (עַל) prob. name of melody: To ‘the dove of distant terebinths’ (read אֵלִים for אֵלֶם; v. אֵלֶם supr. p. 48, and Baeψψ, p. xvii).—On sanctity of dove among Semites, v. RSSem.i. 202, 275.