גֵּב
a locust (from its cutting)
Definition
The Hebrew noun גֵּב (gêb) refers specifically to a type of locust, likely named for its cutting or gnawing action. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Isaiah 33:4, where it is used metaphorically to describe the swift and devouring plunder gathered by an invading army, much like a swarm of locusts strips the land. While other Hebrew words for locusts (like 'arbeh') often denote a literal insect plague, גֵּב in this singular instance carries a strong figurative sense of sudden, collective destruction. The word emphasizes the creature's destructive capacity rather than its biological classification.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only in Isaiah 33:4. The context is a prophetic description of God's judgment, where the spoils of war are gathered 'as the caterpillar gathers' and men rush on them 'as the locusts (גֵּב) leap.' Its usage is purely metaphorical, comparing the rapid, overwhelming movement of soldiers to the leaping and devouring nature of a locust swarm. This singular poetic use sets it apart from more common terms for locusts found in narrative or legal texts.
Etymology
גֵּב is likely derived from the root גּוּב (gûb, H1461), meaning 'to dig' or 'to cut.' This connection suggests the name originates from the insect's cutting or gnawing mouthparts as it devours vegetation. It is compared to the similar word גּוֹב (gôb, H1462), another term for a locust or grasshopper, indicating a shared semantic field focused on swarming, destructive insects.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, גֵּב contributes to the biblical theme of locusts as instruments of divine judgment and symbols of overwhelming, devouring forces (cf. Exodus 10:4, Joel 1:4). In Isaiah 33:4, it underscores the suddenness and totality of God's intervention against the arrogant. Understanding this specific Hebrew term enriches the reading by highlighting the poetic precision of the prophecy, where the chosen word vividly conveys the swift, collective, and destructive nature of the coming reckoning.
In the ancient Near East, locust swarms were a catastrophic agricultural reality, capable of stripping entire regions of food. The metaphor in Isaiah 33:4 would have been immediately and viscerally understood by an agrarian society. The specific term גֵּב, emphasizing cutting or gnawing, directly connects to the observable damage caused by these insects, making the prophetic warning about an invading army powerfully concrete.
אַרְבֶּה ('arbeh, H0697) — the most common general term for 'locust,' often used for literal plagues. גּוֹב (gôb, H1462) — another specific term for a locust or grasshopper, similar in derivation and meaning. חָגָב (ḥāgāb, H2284) — a general term for a grasshopper or locust, sometimes used for clean insects permitted as food (Leviticus 11:22).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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