אַרְבֶּה (ar.beh)
ar.beh
locust
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 19 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun arbeh refers to a specific type of locust, often used collectively to describe a swarm. In the Old Testament, this insect appears most frequently in narratives of judgment and poetic imagery. The book of Exodus uses it to illustrate the devastation of the plague on Egypt, while the prophets Joel and Psalms employ it as a symbol of overwhelming force or sudden loss.
Beyond its literal meaning, the word carries rich figurative weight. It can signify a rapid disappearance, as when a swarm vanishes from sight, or represent insignificance against the power of God. In some contexts, it highlights intense activity or chaos. This versatility allows the text to move seamlessly from describing a physical agricultural disaster to portraying spiritual or national upheaval.
The recurrence of arbeh in Exodus and the prophetic books underscores its role as a divine instrument. When Joel describes an army advancing like locusts, he taps into a shared cultural understanding of their destructive capacity. The word thus bridges the natural world and theological narrative, showing how ordinary creatures can serve as powerful metaphors for God’s actions in history.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word arbeh describes a swarm of locusts, creatures known in the ancient Near East for their ability to strip fields bare in moments. When the Bible mentions them, it is rarely just about agriculture. Instead, they stand as a powerful symbol of overwhelming force or sudden loss. In Exodus, God uses this natural disaster to demonstrate His authority over Egypt. The sheer number of these insects mirrors the intensity of divine judgment and the vulnerability of human plans against God’s will.
Yet the story does not end with destruction. In Joel, the prophet speaks of a future where God restores what the locusts have eaten. This offers a profound hope: even when life feels stripped away by forces beyond our control, there is a promise of restoration. The text invites us to see that while chaos may seem total, it is not final. God’s power extends beyond the swarm, offering renewal where there was once only ruin.
This imagery reminds us that we are not alone in our seasons of scarcity or fear. The same God who sent the plague also promised to restore the years lost. It encourages a faith that looks past immediate devastation toward long-term healing. We can trust that our labor is seen, and that no loss is beyond the reach of divine care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 19 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ locust[s]7×
- locust[s]6×
- like <the>/ locust2×
- to the/ locust1×
- the/ locust1×
- more than/ locust[s]1×
- like <the>/ locust[s]1×
- for the/ locust[s]1×
- a locust1×
- [belongs] to the/ locust1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הָֽ/אַרְבֶּ֔ה2×
- הָ/אַרְבֶּֽה\׃2×
- אַרְבֶּה֙2×
- אַרְבֶּ֤ה2×
- מֵֽ/אַרְבֶּ֔ה1×
- לָ/אַרְבֶּֽה\׃1×
- לָ/אַרְבֶּ֑ה1×
- כָּֽ/אַרְבֶּֽה\׃1×
- כָּ/אַרְבֶּ֖ה1×
- כָּ/אַרְבֶּ֑ה1×
- הָֽ/אַרְבֶּ֣ה1×
- הָֽ/אַרְבֶּ֗ה1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 10:14
The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt. They were very grievous. Before them there were no such locusts as they, nor will there ever be again.
This verse emphasizes the unique severity of the plague, noting that such a swarm had never been seen before and would never be seen again, highlighting its role as a specific divine act.
-
Joel 2:25
I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the great locust, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar, my great army, which I sent among you.
Here the locusts are identified as God's 'great army,' linking the physical destruction directly to His sovereign action and setting the stage for the promise of restoration.
-
Psalms 109:23
I fade away like an evening shadow. I am shaken off like a locust.
The psalmist uses the locust being shaken off as a metaphor for fading away, showing how the word can represent insignificance and the fragility of human life.
-
Proverbs 30:27
The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.
This observation notes that locusts advance in ranks without a king, illustrating order and collective strength even among creatures that lack human leadership.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word arbeh mean?
Why are locusts mentioned so often in the Bible?
Is there hope associated with the locust in Scripture?
Every Occurrence (19 verses across 11 books)
Exodus 5 verses
Or else, if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country,
Exodus 10:12Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land…
Exodus 10:13Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and Yahweh brought an east wind on the land all that day, and all…
Exodus 10:14The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt. They were very grievous. Before…
Exodus 10:19Yahweh sent an exceedingly strong west wind, which took up the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea. There remained…