Topical Encyclopedia
Cooing is a gentle, soft sound often associated with doves or pigeons. In the context of the Bible, cooing is mentioned in relation to the natural world and is often symbolic of peace, innocence, and the gentle communication of love or affection. The imagery of cooing doves is used to evoke a sense of tranquility and divine harmony.
Biblical References:1.
Song of Solomon 2:12 : "The flowers have appeared in the countryside; the season of singing has come, and the cooing of doves is heard in our land." In this verse, the cooing of doves is part of a larger depiction of springtime renewal and love. The Song of Solomon, a poetic book celebrating love and marriage, uses the cooing of doves to symbolize the awakening of love and the beauty of creation. The gentle sound of doves cooing is a metaphor for the tender and affectionate communication between lovers.
2.
Isaiah 38:14 : "Like a swallow or a crane, I chirp; I moan like a dove. My eyes grow weak as I look upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my security." Here, the prophet Isaiah uses the imagery of a dove's moan to express a deep sense of lament and supplication. The cooing or moaning of a dove is likened to the prophet's own cries for help and deliverance, highlighting the dove's role as a symbol of vulnerability and earnest prayer.
Symbolism and Interpretation:In biblical literature, doves are often associated with the Holy Spirit, peace, and purity. The cooing of doves, therefore, can be seen as a representation of the gentle and peaceful presence of God. This symbolism is reinforced by the account of Jesus' baptism, where the Holy Spirit descends like a dove (
Matthew 3:16). The cooing sound, in this context, can be interpreted as the soft whisper of divine communication and the assurance of God's presence.
The use of cooing in the Bible also reflects the pastoral and agrarian context of ancient Israel, where the natural world was a constant backdrop to daily life. The sound of cooing doves would have been a familiar and comforting presence, reminding the people of God's creation and the cycles of life.
Cultural and Historical Context:In ancient Near Eastern cultures, doves were often associated with love and fertility. The cooing of doves, therefore, would have been a familiar motif in both religious and secular contexts. In the Bible, this cultural understanding is woven into the text, enriching the spiritual and emotional layers of the scriptural narrative.
Overall, the cooing of doves in the Bible serves as a multifaceted symbol, representing love, peace, lament, and divine presence. It is a gentle reminder of the beauty and complexity of God's creation and the depth of human emotion in response to the divine.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
p. pr. & vb. n.) of Coo.
Greek
1111. gogguzo -- to mutter, murmur... 1111 (an onomatopoetic term imitating the sound of
cooing doves) -- to murmur or
mutter (grumble) with muffled undertones; (figuratively) murmur, grumble; to
...5167. trugon -- a turtledove
... turtle-dove. From truzo (to murmur; akin to trizo, but denoting a duller sound);
a turtle-dove (ascooing) -- turtle-dove. see GREEK trizo....
1234. diagogguzo -- to murmur among themselves
... 1234 (an onomatopoetic term imitating the sound ofcooing doves and humming bees) --
constantly, intensely (grumble, complain) -- an intensified form of 1111...
Library
The Dove and the Lamb
... The Lamb speaks of meekness and submissiveness and the Dove speaks of peace (what
more peaceful sound than thecooing of a dove on a summer day)....
Significant Phrases
... bent and disposition. benumbed and powerless. bewildered and stupefied. bigots and
blockheads. billing andcooing. birth and breeding. bite and sting. bits and...
The Beast
... The gentle, harmless,cooing "dove." Over against this the Devil is termed "the
Dragon." What a contrast " the Dove and the Lamb, the Dragon and the Beast!...
In his Temple
... There could be heard sharp bargaining, the lowing of cattle, the bleating of sheep,
thecooing of doves, mingled with the chinking of coin and angry disputation...
Of the Kind of Signs we are Now Concerned With.
... For when the poultry-cock has discovered food, he signals with his voice for the
hen to run to him, and the dove bycooing calls his mate, or is called by her...
Conventional Signs, on the Other Hand, are those which Living...
... For when the poultry-cock has discovered food, he signals with his voice for the
hen to run to him, and the dove bycooing calls his mate, or is called by her...
Of Meditation --The First Degree of Prayer or Mystical Theology.
... But to make it appear that doves use theircooing on occasions not only of grief
but also of love and joy, the sacred lover, describing the natural spring-time...
Mission Tours.
... that be required, one can spend hours very pleasantly reading or writing, as it
may be, and listening if inclined to the cawing of the crows, thecooing of the...
The Many-Sided Contrast of Wisdom and Folly
... It comes back either croaking with blood on its beak, orcooing with an olive
branch in its mouth. All life is at once sowing and reaping....
On the Life and Poetic Genius of Edward Young.
... Delta. We love to think of Young riding through the green lanes of his parish,
andcooing out to himself his plaintive minstrelsies....
Thesaurus
Cooing (1 Occurrence)... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Coo. Multi-Version Concordance
Cooing (1 Occurrence). Song of Songs 2:12 The flowers
...Cook (17 Occurrences)
Groan (32 Occurrences)
... A somewhat similar word, haghah, means the complaining sound like that of thecooing
of doves (Isaiah 59:11 Nahum 2:7). Nehi is the sound of lamentation of the...
Coo (1 Occurrence)
Resources
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