Insect

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Insects are a group of arthropods that have six legs, three parts to their bodies (head, thorax, abdomen), two antennae and thousands of compound eyes. They may or may not have wings, depending on the variety. The study of insects is called entomology, which is not to be confused with etymology.

Contents

[edit] In the Bible

Insects appear here and there throughout the Bible. These include:

[edit] Fowls that creep

Leviticus 11:20
All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.

The "fowls" in the above King James Version passage are generally considered to actually refer to (flying) insects, although of course insects don't walk on four legs. This is arguably a error on the authors' part, though this is debatable.

[edit] Ants

Proverbs 6:6-8
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

These most amazing of all creatures are mentioned only in the Proverbs, in Proverbs 6:6 and Proverbs 30:25. Even the authors of these passages realised that ants are strong and prudent, and to be looked up to.[1]

[edit] Bees

While not quite as good as ants, bees do feature more prominently in the Bible. However, they are not viewed in as positive a light as ants. They are first mentioned in a passage noting that the Israelites had been persued by the Amorites like a swarm of bees.[2] Later on, Israel's enemy, the Assyrians, will be compared to a bee, while the Egyptians (also enemies) will be compared to flies.[3]

[edit] Beetles

God may love beetles, but they only appear once in the Bible in a passage telling the reader that they are edible.[4] And the passage probably isn't even talking about them.[5]

[edit] Locusts

Perhaps the most popular kind of insect in the Bible, the locust appears repeatedly in plague form,[6][7][8] as food,[9] and even as a tribulation in Revelation.[10] However, in several cases 'locust' is a mistranslation of something else, or some other word is a mistranslation of 'locust'.

[edit] See also

[edit] Footnotes

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