COCK (Heb. זַרְזָר, cf. Aram. זַרְזִיר, wrestler, antagonist, starling; Syr. and Arab. zarzira, starling; Gr. ἀλέκτωρ, G232, a poetic form of ἀλεκτρύων, cock; cf. ἀλεξητήρ, protector, from ἀλέξω, to ward off, defend). The cock was the male of the common domestic fowl, the rooster. The cock may be the bird mentioned in 1 Kings 4:23, where “fatted fowl” are mentioned among Solomon’s daily fare. It is not unlikely that Solomon, who had extensive commerce with the E, should have imported poultry from that region (cf. 1 Kings 10:22, whence he is said to have brought peacocks). Proverbs 30:31 includes “the strutting cock” among “things that are stately,” although this rendering depends on the Gr. and Lat. tr. rather than the Heb. text.

Domestic poultry originated in Asia, although the precise location is unknown. One breed came from Malacca and one from Java. The cock was known in India, but not in Egypt, during ancient times. Pisthetaerus called the cock the Persian bird, and it is probable that the Greeks obtained these domestic birds from Persia. They were perhaps introduced into Pal. by the Romans, who prized them both for food and for cock fighting. The Mishna says that the people did not rear cocks at Jerusalem because of the holy things. This restraint could not have applied to foreigners, and many Jews must also have kept them.

Except for one reference to “cockcrowing” as a designation for early morning (Mark 13:35), all the NT references are to the occasion of Peter’s denial of Christ (Matt 26:34, 74, 75; Mark 14:30, 68 [in some texts], 72; Luke 22:34, 60, 61; and John 13:38; 18:27). In each of the gospel accounts, Jesus predicted at the Last Supper that Peter would deny Him three times before the cock crew; and in all four accounts it is recorded that the cock crew immediately after Peter had done so. Luke says that the cockcrowing reminded Peter of Jesus’ words and prompted him to go out and weep bitterly (Luke 22:61, 62). In Mark’s account a second cockcrowing is mentioned (Mark 14:30, 72). This no doubt refers to the same general time as the cockcrowing of the other gospels, i.e., just before dawn. The first crowing, usually unnoticed, would occur shortly after midnight.

Tradition has grown up around this incident, leading to the belief that there was one particular rooster that God used to awaken Peter’s conscience. There is even a church in Jerusalem named “The Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu” built in memory of Peter’s repentance on this occasion. It is probable that there was a whole chorus of roosters crowing and the reference is only to the time when cocks crew.