lessons of humility and obedience to God, divine providence was graciously employed in correcting the various superstitions of the Cutheans, and leading them to truer notions of things. When these mixed people introduced into Samaria the several deities of their own countries, and worshiped them according to their own manner; the Lord, jealous of his honour, and concerned to maintain the sanctity of his land, was highly provoked at such profanation, and sent among them a number of lions by which they were grievously vexed and destroyed 46. Why he made choice of these animals to annoy them, may not perhaps be accounted for with any degree of certainty or precision. But if we suppose, as we have some reason to suppose, that Arioch or Ariel, that is the lion God, was their chief and general deity 47; then the sending lions among them was a kind of judgment the most appropriate that we can well conceive, as it served to convince them in the most affecting manner that wherewithal a man sinneth by the same also shall he be punished. But whatever might be the reason for which the punishment was particularly inflicted in this form, yet certain it is that it produced upon them the desired effect. For it brought them to the acknowledgment of the true God; and to a respectful compliance with his laws and worship. And though they continued for a time to join their own gods with the Lord God of Israel, yet did they gradually so advance in knowledge, and ultimately so improve in piety, as to forsake all their false deities and confine themselves to the worship of the Lord, and to the worship of him only 48.

LIZARD. NO LETAAH.

Occurs Levit. xi. 30, only.

All interpreters agree that the original word here signifies a sort of lizard. Bochart takes it for that kind which is of a redish colour, lies close to the earth, and is of a venomous nature.

LOCUST. AN ARBEH. The word is probably derived

RABAH, which signifies to multiply, to become numerous, &c. because of the immense swarms of these animals by which different countries, especially the east, are infested. See this circumstance referred to, Jud. vi. 5; vii. 12; Psalm cv. 34; Jer. xlvi. 23; li. 14; Joel, i. 6; Nahum, iii. 15, and Judith, ii. 19,

46.2 Kings, xvii. 25, 26.

47 The principal deity of the Assyrians was Agns or Mars (see Hyde de rel. vat. Pers. c. ii. p. 62), whose symbol was a lion. Josephus says (Antiq. Jud. 1. ix. c. 14, § 3, and l. xii. c. 5, § 5) that these Cutheans were destroyed by plagues and not by lions. How he came by this reading it is not easy to conceive, unless he translated the Hebrew word " by Agns, which he found to be sometimes used in a sense equivalent to 201μos, pestis, or plague, and then adopted the word as the most common and best understood. Though in truth it is to be suspected it proceeded from a worse cause.

48 See Patrick's Commentary on 2 Kings, xvii. 41. Boylean Lecture, V. 2. p. 81.

Owen's Sermons at the

20; where the most numerous armies are compared to the ARBEH, or locust.

The locust, in entomology, belongs to a genus of insects known among naturalists by the name of GRYLLI. The common great brown locust is about three inches in length; has two antennæ about an inch long, and two pair of wings. The head and horns are brown; the mouth and insides of the larger legs bluish; the upper side of the body and upper wings, brown, the former spotted with black, and the latter with dusky spots. The back is defended by a shield of a greenish hue; the under wings are of a light brown hue tinctured with green, and nearly transparent 49. The general form and appearance of the insect is that of the grasshopper so well known in this country.

These creatures are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament. They were employed as one of the plagues, for the punishment of the Egyptians; and their visitation was threatened to the Israelites as a mark of the divine displeasure. Their numbers and destructive powers very aptly fit them for this purpose. When they take the field they always follow a leader, whose motions they invariably observe. They often migrate from their native country, probably in quest of a greater supply of food. On these occasions they appear in such large flocks as to darken the air, forming many compact bodies, or swarms, of several hundred yards square. These flights are very frequent in Barbary, and generally happen at the latter end of March or beginning of April, after the wind has blown from the south for some days. The month following the young brood also make their appearance, generally following the track of the old ones. In whatever country they settle, they devour all the vegetables, grain, and in fine all the produce of the earth, eating the very bark off the trees; thus destroying at once the hopes of the husbandman, and all the labours of agriculture; for though their voracity be great, yet they contaminate a much greater quantity than they devour, as their bite is poisonous to vegetables, and the marks of devastation may be traced for several succeeding seasons 50.

There are various species of them, which consequently have different names; and some are more voracious and destructive than others; though all are most destructive and insatiable spoilers. Bochart, Hieroz. iii. 251, enumerates ten different kinds which he thinks are mentioned in the Scripture, viz.

49 For a very curious and circumstantial account of the Locust, the reader is referred to Dillon, Travels in Spain, p. 256, ed. 4to.

50❝ Dans quelque endroit que se jettent ces espèces d'armées elles ne laissent rien après elles, elles consument même en peu d'heures le travail et le revenu de toute une année. Ces petits animaux dévorent tout ce qu'il y a de verdure dans les champs, ils pelent, ils rongent, ils écorchent tout. Ils sont même si voraces, que lorsqu'il ne leur reste plus rien à manger, ils se déchirent entre eux, et se dévorent les uns les autres." Scheuchzer, tom. ii. p. 62.

(1) (5)

ARBEH. (2) 2 Gob. (3) Di】 GAZAM. (4) CHAGAB. CHANAMAL. (6) CHASIL. (7) CHARGAL. (8) JELEK. (9) DyD SOLAM. (10) byby TSELTSAL. From what he has written, and from various other sources 51, I shall endeavour to give an explanation of each of these names, with the aim to identify the several species, and elucidate the passages of Scripture in which they are mentioned.

.ARBEH ארבה (1)

Occurs Exod. x. 4, 12, 13, 14, 19; Levit. xi. 22; 1 Kings, viii. 37; 2 Chron. vi. 28; Psalm lxxviii. 46; cv. 34; cix. 23; Prov. xxx. 27; Joel, i. 4, ii. 25 ; and translated "Grasshopper," Jud. vi. 5; vii. 12; 1 Kings, viii. 37; Job, xxxix. 20; and Jer. xlvi. 23. See GRASSHOPPER.

This is probably the general name, including all the species. If understood of a single kind, it must be without doubt the "gryllus gregarius" of Forskal, or the common gregarious locust, which the Arabs call 7872 DJERAD; and which the Jews who dwell in Yemen assured Mr. Forskal is the same with the

.ארבה Hebrew

Is it not probable that the fable of the HARPIES originated from the plunderings of the locust tribes? The name 'Aqui is not dissimilar to the Hebrew 27 ARBEH, the generic name of the locusts. CELENO resembles the Syriac DVD SOLHAMO, and the Hebrew Dyo SALAM: ACHOLOE may be deduced from NACHAL, to devour; and AELLO from by HAHOL 52.

(2.) 1 GOB, or GOBAI. Isai. xxxiii. 4; Amos, vii. 1; and Nah. iii. 17, only.

גובי

Bochart derives it from the Arabic e terra emergere ;" Castel furnishes another root, the Arabic N "secuit." which is the reading of many MSS. is formed says Houbigant, as captivity, and signifies a swarm of locusts.

This is supposed to be the locust in its caterpillar state; so called either from its shape in general, or from its continually hunching up its back in moving, says Parkhurst; who adds, to explain these passages, I would observe that it is in their caterpillar state that the locusts are the most destructive, marching directly forward, and in their way eating up every thing that is green and juicy; that in and near the Holy Land, they are in this state in the month of April, which corresponds to the beginning of the springing up of the latter growth after the king's feedings (Amos, vii. 1), which was in March: and in the beginning of June, or in the time of cooling (Nah. iii. 17), when the people are retired to their cool summer houses, or country

51 Rosenmuller, note in Bocharti Hieroz. tom. iii. Oedmann Vermischte Sammlungen, Fasc. ii. part 2. Tyschsen Comment. de Locustis quarum in V. T. mentio fit, Rostoch. 1787. Ludolphus, De Locustis. append. Hist. Ethiop. Hasæus, de Judaica terra depopulatio per Gazam, Arbe, Jelek, et Chasil, ad vat. Joel. illstr. 1724.

52 See Clericus, diss. de stat. sal. sub. finem, appendix in Com. Genes.

seats, the caterpillar-locusts of the second brood are settled in the fences, whither the parent-locusts had retired to lay their eggs. But for the farther illustration of these particulars I must request the reader attentively to peruse Dr. Shaw's Travels, p. 187, 2d edition, and compare it with Harmer's Observations, v. i. p. 225, &c. and v. ii. p. 466, &c.

Increase thyself as the locust, increase thyself as the numerous locust:
Multiply thy merchants more than the stars of heaven.

Yet the locust hath spoiled, and hath flown away.

Thy crowned princes are as the numerous locust,

And the captains as the GOBAI

Which encamp in the hedges in the cold day.

The sun riseth, they depart: and their place is not known.

Nah. iii. 16, 17.

Your spoil shall be gathered as the CHASIL gathereth: As the GOBIM run to and fro, so shall they run and seize it. Isai.

xxxiii. 4.

(3.) DI GAZAM. Occurs Amos, iv. 9; and Joel, i. 4; ii. 25, only, and in our translation is rendered "the palmer worm."

Bochart says that this is a kind of locust, which, furnished with very sharp teeth, gnaws off, not only grass and grain, and the leaves of trees, but even their bark and more tender branches. But Michaelis, agreeing with the LXX translation р and the Vulgate "eruca," thinks it means the caterpillar, which might have its name from the sharp sickle with which its mouth is armed, and with which it cuts the leaves of trees to pieces; and which, beginning its ravages long before the locust, seems to coincide with the creature mentioned in Joel, i. 4: but Tychsen thinks it the "Gryllus cristatus" of Linnæus.

(4.) CHAGAB. Occurs Levit. xi. 22; Numb. xiii. 34; 2 Chron. vii. 13; Eccl. xii. 5; and Isai. xl. 22. See the article GRASSHOPPer.

Tychsen supposes it the "Gryllus Coronatus" of Linnæus. (5.) CHANAMAL, Psalm lxxviii. 47.

Bochart, following some of the Rabbins, would render this a species of locust. In our translation it is rendered “hail;” but the word for hail in Exod. ix. which is here referred to, is 7. As is found only in Psalm lxxviii. 47, its signification is uncertain. The French word Chenille bears some resemblance to it.

(6.)'D CHASIL. Occ. Deut. xxviii. 38; Psalm lxxviii. 46; Isai. xxxiii. 4; 1 Kings, viii. 37; 2 Chron. vi. 28; Joel, i. 4; ii. 25.

This has been variously rendered. Paulus in Clav. Psalmorum, p. 197, thinks it the "eruca, quæ ex nympha, (s. larva) prorepserit." Oedman, Fasc. ii. c. vi. p. 158, that it is the "cimex Ægyptius," Linn. and Tychsen that it is the "gryllus verucivorus," Linn. Sys. Nat. t. i. p. iv. p. 2067. See CATER

PILLAR.

.CHARGOL הרגל (.7)

Occ. Levit. xi. 22, only.

Rosenmuller, in his notes to Bochart, suggests that this may be the "Gryllus onos," or "papus" of Linnæus. See BEETLE. (8.) JELEK. Occ. Psalm cv. 34; Jer. li. 27; Joel, i. 4; ii. 25; and Nah. iii. 15. See CANKER-WORM.

Oedman, Fasc. ii. c. vi. p. 126, takes it for the " Gryllus cristatus," Linn. Sys. Nat. t. i. p. 4. p. 2074, and Tychsen the "Gryllus hæmatopus,-horripilans."

(9.) Dyo SOLAM. Occ. Levit. xi. 22, only, where it is rendered "the bald locust."

A kind of locust, probably so called from its rugged form, as represented in Scheuchzer's Pys. Sacr. tab. ccl. fig. i. Tychsen is persuaded that it is the "Gryllus eversor;" Linn.

(10.) by TZALTZAL. Occ. Deut. xxviii. 42, only.

Michaelis, Suppl. Lex. Hebr. defines this the "Gryllus talpiformis;" Oedmann, Fasc. ii. p. 140, opposes this; and Tychsen insists that it must intend the " Gryllus Stridulus” of Linn. t. i. p. 14, p. 2078, and that its very name imports this. Most of the ancient versions, says Dr. Geddes, favour some such meaning; yet he is inclined to think that it is not an animal, but a particular sort of blight that principally affects trees; and therefore follows the LXX who render it guy 53, and the Vulgate "rubigo 54."

II. These insects come into the catalogue of animals permitted for food; Levit. xi. 20-22. "All fowl that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you. Yet these ye may eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet to leap withal upon the earth." The author of "Scripture Illustrated," remarking the obscurity of this rendering, "fowl-going on all four; flying-creeping; legs above their feet"-observes that the passage would read thus, literally-All winged reptiles, walking on four feet are abomination to you: but yet these ye may eat from among all winged creepers, going on four, those which have in them joints (D CAROIM), at the upper part of their hind legs ( REGELI), for the purpose of leaping from off the earth. These parts of the locust had exercised the critical inquiries of Michaelis, Quest. xxx. which Niebuhr answered by information, that “Arbah is the name at Bagdad and Maskat of those locusts of passage,

53 Suidas, however, says that the word means a little animal which is born in the fruit, and destroys it; Ingidioy ti ey tw oitw yeyoμɛvov: but he adds, that some consider it only as a malady that harbours in the seeds, and corrupts the fruit; rives νόσον επιγνόμενον τοις σπέρμασιν, ο λυμαίνεται τον καρπον.

54 Mr. Bruce, in describing the Zimb, says, "The Chaldee version is content with calling this animal simply Zebub, which signify fly in general, as we express it in English. The Arabs call it Zimb in their translation, which has the same general signification. The Ethiopic calls it Tsalsalya, which was the true name of this particular fly in Greek, and was the same in Hebrew." He must have referred to the insect abovementioned.