ἀετός

ἀετός — aetós

ἀετός, (οῦ, ὁ (like Latinavis, from ἄημι on account of its wind-like flight (cf. Curtius, § 596)) (from Homer down), in the Sept. for נֶשֶׁר, an eagle: Rev 4:7; Rev 8:13 (Rec. ἀγγέλου); Rev 12:14. In Mat 24:28; Luk 17:37 (as in Job 39:30; Pro 30:17) it is better, since eagles are said seldom or never to go in quest of carrion, to understand with many interpreters either thevultur percnopterus, which resembles an eagle (Pliny, h. n. 10, 3 "quarti generis — viz.aquilarum — est percnopterus), or thevultur barbatus. Cf. Winers RWB under the word Adler; (Tristram, Nat. Hist. of the Bible, p. 172ff). The meaning of the proverb (cf. examples in Wetstein (1752) on Matthew, the passage cited) quoted in both passages is, 'where there are sinners (cf. πτῶμα), there judgments from heaven will not be wanting'.