Dictionaries :: Insects

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Insects:

in'-sekts: In English Versions of the Bible, including the marginal notes, we find at least 23 names of insects or words referring to them: ant, bald locust, bee, beetle, cankerworm, caterpillar, creeping thing, cricket, crimson, flea, fly, gnat, grasshopper, honey, hornet, locust, louse, (lice), moth, palmer-worm, sandfly, scarlet-worm, silk-worm. These can be referred to about 12 insects, which, arranged systematically, are: Hymenoptera, ant, bee, hornet; Lepidoptera, clothes-moth, silk-worm; Siphonaptera, flea; Diptera, fly; Rhynchota, louse, scarletworm; Orthoptera, several kinds of grasshoppers and locusts.

The word "worm" refers not only to the scarletworm, but to various larvae of Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Diptera. "Creeping things" refers indefinitely to insects, reptiles, and beasts. In the list of 23 names given above honey and bee refer to one insect, as do crimson and scarlet. Sandfly has no place if "lice" be retained in Ex 8:16 ff. Bald locust, beetle, canker-worm, cricket, and palmerworm probably all denote various kinds of grasshoppers and locusts. When the translators of English Versions of the Bible had to do with two or more Hebrew words for which there was only one well-recognized English equivalent, they seem to have been content with that alone, if the two Hebrew words occurred in different passages; e.g. zebhubh, "fly" (Ec 10:1; Isa 7:18), and ‘arobh, "fly" (Ex 8:21 ). On the other hand, they were put to it to find equivalents for the insect names in Le 11:22; Joe 1:4, and elsewhere. For cale'am (Le 11:22) they evidently coined "bald locust," following a statement of the Talmud that it had a smooth head. For gazam and yeleq they imported "palmer-worm" and "canker-worm," two old English names of caterpillars, using "caterpillar" for chasil. The King James Version "beetle" for chargol is absolutely inappropriate, and the Revised Version (British and American) "cricket," while less objectionable, is probably also incorrect. The English language seems to lack appropriate names for different kinds of grasshoppers and locusts, and it is difficult to suggest any names to take the places of those against which these criticisms are directed. See under the names of the respective insects. See also SCORPION and SPIDER, which are not included here because they are not strictly insects.

Written by Alfred Ely Day

Nave's Topical Bible

Insects: Clean and Unclean (Ceremonially Speaking)

Lev 11:21-25; Deu 14:19

Insects: References Concerning

See ANT;

     BEE; BEETLE;

     CANKERWORM; CATERPILLAR;

     FLEA; FLIES;

     GNAT (N/A); GRASSHOPPER;

     HORNET; HORSE-LEECH;

     LICE; LOCUST;

     MOTH;

     PALMERWORM;

     SCORPION; SNAIL; SPIDER;

     WORM

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

Insects: Created by God

Gen 1:24,25

Insects: Divided Into

Clean and fit for food

Lev 11:21,22

Unclean and abominable

Lev 11:23,24

Insects: Mentioned in Scripture

Ant

Pro 6:6; 30:25

Bee

Jdg 14:8; Psa 118:12; Isa 7:18

Beetle

Lev 11:22

Caterpillar

Psa 78:46; Isa 33:4

Cankerworm

Joe 1:4; Nah 3:15,16

Earthworm

Job 25:6; Mic 7:17

Flea

1Sa 24:14

Fly

Exd 8:22; Ecc 10:1; Isa 7:18

Gnat

Mat 23:24

Grasshopper

Lev 11:22; Jdg 6:5; Job 39:20

Hornet

Deu 7:20

Locust

Exd 10:12,13

Bald locust

Lev 11:22

Lice

Exd 8:16; Psa 105:31

Maggot

Exd 16:20

Moth

Job 4:19; 27:18; Isa 50:9

Palmer-worm

Joe 1:4; Amo 4:9

Spider

Job 8:14; Pro 30:28

Insects: Fed by God

Psa 104:25,27; 145:9,15