Bee
(deborah). (1:44; Judges 14:8; Psalms 118:12; Isaiah 7:18) Bees abounded in Palestine, honey being a common article of food (Psalms 81:16) and was often found in the clefts of rocks and in hollow trees. (1 Samuel 14:25,27) English naturalists know little of the species of bees that are found in Palestine, but are inclined tn believe that the honey-bee of Palestine is distinct from the honey-bee (Apis mellifica) of this country.
The passage in (Isaiah 7:18) refers “to the custom of the people in the East of calling attention to any one by a significant hiss or rather hist .” We read, (Judges 14:8) that “after a time,” probably many days, Samson returned to the carcass of the lion he had slain, and saw bees and honey therein.
“If any one here represents to himself a corrupt and putrid carcass, the occurrence ceases to have any true similitude, for it is well known that in these countries, at certain seasons of the year, the heat will in the course of twenty-four hours completely dry up the moisture of dead camels, and that, without their undergoing decomposition their bodies long remain like mummies, unaltered and entirely free from offensive odor.”—Edmann .
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Bee
Bee be (debhorah; compare Arabic dabr, "a swarm of bees," also Arabic debbur, "a wasp," said to be a corruption of zunbur, "a wasp"; all are apparently from the Hebrew dabhar, "to speak," "arrange," "lead," "follow," or from Arabic dabara, "follow" (compare Arabic dabbara, "arrange"), though the connection in meaning is not apparent): Honey is mentioned many times in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, but the word "bee" occurs only four times, and only one of the four times in connection with honey in the story of Samson (Jg 14:8). Both wild and domesticated bees are found today in Palestine, but it is not clear that bees were kept in Bible times, although it would seem very probable. The frequently recurring phrase, "a land flowing with milk and honey," certainly suggests that the honey as well as the milk is a domestic product. The hives now in use are very primitive and wasteful as compared with hives that are made in Europe and America. Sometimes a large water jar is used. More frequently a cylinder about 3 or 4 ft. long and 6 inches in diameter is constructed of mulberr…
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Bee
The bee is known in Arab, as nahl, but dabr is a swarm of bees, pi. dubur. The common term for wasp or hornet is dabbiir, which is a corruption of zenbtir. The bee is an insect found in large numbers in Syria and Pal., both wild and hived. The wild bee is most common in lonely ra^•ines, where it makes its nest in the clefts of tlie precipitous rocks, often with great difficulty accessible to man. They also make their hives in hollow trees (1 S 14*>- **) ; but aa the forests are few in these lands, they are a les* natural refuge for the bees than the rocks (cf. 1 it 32", Ps 81'°). Tristram says that they are specially abundant in the wilderness of Juda;a, and that most of the honey sold in S. Pal. comes from these wild hives. This explains the allusion (Mt3'), 'and his meat was locusts and wild honey.' It also explains the sentence (Dt 1"), 'The Amorites, which dwelt in the mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do.' When tame bees are disturbed, it is well kno^vn how furiously they will attack their disturber. But their vehemence is as nothing to that of the wild bee…
Fausset's Bible Dictionary on Bee
(Deborah.) Whence Rebekah's nurse (Gen 35:8) and the judge (Judges 4) were named; the bee's industry, fruitfulness, and sweetness suggesting the similitude. In Deu 1:44 "the Amorites chased you as bees do"; Psa 118:12; Isa 7:18; the bold pertinacity with which bees in swarming hosts assail the object of their wrath is the point of comparison. "The Lord shall hiss for the bee that is in the land of Assyria"; i.e., He will call for the enemy to invade the Holy Land. Bees were drawn out of their hives by hissing or whistling. They were as numerous in Assyria as "the fly" in marshy Egypt. "They shall come and rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the reeks, and upon all thorns, and upon all bushes"; the foes, like bees, swarming and settling on all places. Hereafter He will "hiss for" His people to "gather them, for He hath redeemed them" (Zec 10:8). Wild honey, such as John Baptist ate (Mat 3:4), abounded in Palestine, often liquid, whence the land is described as "flowing with milk and honey" (Exo 3:8). Often found in the rocks (Psa 81:16; Deu 32:13), or in a ho…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia