ארבה. The word is probably derived from רבה, which signifies _to
multiply_, _to become numerous_, &c; because of the immense swarms of
these animals by which different countries, especially in the east, are
infested. See this circumstance referred to, Judges vi, 5; vii, 12;
Psalm cv, 34; Jer. xlvi, 23; li, 14; Joel i, 4; Nahum iii, 15; Judith
ii, 19, 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 greatσκνιφες brown
locust is about three inches in length, has two antennæ about an inch
long, and two pairs 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. 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 is 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. 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 enumerates ten different kinds which he thinks are
mentioned in the Scripture.
Writers in natural history bear abundant testimony to the Scriptural
account of these creatures. Dr. Shaw describes at large the numerous
swarms and prodigious broods of those locusts which he saw in Barbary.
Dr. Russel says, Of the noxious kinds of insects may well be reckoned
the locusts, which sometimes arrive in such incredible multitudes, that
it would appear fabulous to give a relation of them; destroying the
whole of the verdure wherever they pass.” Captain Woodroffe, who was for
some time at Astrachan, a city near the Volga, sixty miles to the
north-west of the Caspian Sea, in latitude 47°, assures us, that, from
the latter end of July to the beginning of October, the country about
that city is frequently infested with locusts, which fly in such
prodigious numbers as to darken the air, and appear at a distance as a
heavy cloud. As for the Mosaic permission to the Jews of eating the
locusts, Lev. xi, 22, however strange it may appear to the mere English
reader, yet nothing is more certain than that several nations, both of
Asia and Africa, anciently used these insects for food; and that they
are still eaten in the east to this day. Niebhur gives some account of
the several species of locusts eaten by the Arabs, and of their
different ways of dressing them for food. The Europeans,” he adds, do
not comprehend how the Arabs can eat locusts with pleasure; and those
Arabs who have had no intercourse with the Christians will not believe,
in their turn, that these latter reckon oysters, crabs, shrimps,
cray-fish, &c, for dainties. These two facts, however, are equally
certain.” Locusts are often used figuratively by the prophets, for
invading armies; and their swarms aptly represented the numbers, the
desolating march of the vast military hordes and their predatory
followers, which the ancient conquerors of the east poured down upon
every country they attacked.
multiply_, _to become numerous_, &c; because of the immense swarms of
these animals by which different countries, especially in the east, are
infested. See this circumstance referred to, Judges vi, 5; vii, 12;
Psalm cv, 34; Jer. xlvi, 23; li, 14; Joel i, 4; Nahum iii, 15; Judith
ii, 19, 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 greatσκνιφες brown
locust is about three inches in length, has two antennæ about an inch
long, and two pairs 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. 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 is 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. 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 enumerates ten different kinds which he thinks are
mentioned in the Scripture.
Writers in natural history bear abundant testimony to the Scriptural
account of these creatures. Dr. Shaw describes at large the numerous
swarms and prodigious broods of those locusts which he saw in Barbary.
Dr. Russel says, Of the noxious kinds of insects may well be reckoned
the locusts, which sometimes arrive in such incredible multitudes, that
it would appear fabulous to give a relation of them; destroying the
whole of the verdure wherever they pass.” Captain Woodroffe, who was for
some time at Astrachan, a city near the Volga, sixty miles to the
north-west of the Caspian Sea, in latitude 47°, assures us, that, from
the latter end of July to the beginning of October, the country about
that city is frequently infested with locusts, which fly in such
prodigious numbers as to darken the air, and appear at a distance as a
heavy cloud. As for the Mosaic permission to the Jews of eating the
locusts, Lev. xi, 22, however strange it may appear to the mere English
reader, yet nothing is more certain than that several nations, both of
Asia and Africa, anciently used these insects for food; and that they
are still eaten in the east to this day. Niebhur gives some account of
the several species of locusts eaten by the Arabs, and of their
different ways of dressing them for food. The Europeans,” he adds, do
not comprehend how the Arabs can eat locusts with pleasure; and those
Arabs who have had no intercourse with the Christians will not believe,
in their turn, that these latter reckon oysters, crabs, shrimps,
cray-fish, &c, for dainties. These two facts, however, are equally
certain.” Locusts are often used figuratively by the prophets, for
invading armies; and their swarms aptly represented the numbers, the
desolating march of the vast military hordes and their predatory
followers, which the ancient conquerors of the east poured down upon
every country they attacked.