Bee
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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
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 (Judges 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 mulberry withes plaited together and plastered with mud or cow dung. A number of these cylinders are placed horizontally, being piled up together under some rude structure which serves as a protection from the direct rays of the sun. In the passage already cited it is related that Samson found a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion which he had killed on his previous visit. We are not told how much time had intervened, but it does not take long in the dry climate of Palestine for scavenging beasts and insects to strip the flesh from the bones and make the skeleton a possible home for a swarm of bees. The other three passages refer to the offensive power of bees. In Deuteronomy 1:44, in the speech of Moses he says, "The Amorites chased you, as bees do"; in Psalm 118:12, the psalmist says, "They compassed me about like bees"; in Isaiah 7:18, the bee is the type of the chastisement that the Lord will bring from the land of Assyria.

Alfred Ely Day

Greek
3193. melissios -- made by bees.
... Word Origin from melissa (a bee) Definition made by bees. honeycomb. From meli;
relating to honey, ie Bee (comb) -- honeycomb. see GREEK meli. 3192, 3193. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3193.htm - 6k

980. bioo -- to live
... to live. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: bioo Phonetic Spelling: (bee-o'-o)
Short Definition: I live, pass my life Definition: I live, pass my life. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/980.htm - 6k

1913. epibibazo -- to place upon
... to place upon. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: epibibazo Phonetic Spelling:
(ep-ee-bee-bad'-zo) Short Definition: I place upon Definition: I place upon (a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1913.htm - 6k

973. biastes -- a violent man
... a violent man. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: biastes Phonetic
Spelling: (bee-as-tace') Short Definition: a forceful, violent man Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/973.htm - 6k

982. biotikos -- pertaining to life
... pertaining to life. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: biotikos Phonetic
Spelling: (bee-o-tee-kos') Short Definition: belonging to ordinary life ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/982.htm - 6k

981. biosis -- manner of life
... manner of life. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: biosis Phonetic
Spelling: (bee'-o-sis) Short Definition: manner of life Definition: manner of ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/981.htm - 6k

970. bia -- strength, force
... strength, force. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: bia Phonetic Spelling:
(bee'-ah) Short Definition: force, violence Definition: force, violence ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/970.htm - 6k

4461. rhabbi -- my master, my teacher
... my master, my teacher. Part of Speech: Hebrew Form (Indclinable) Transliteration:
rhabbi Phonetic Spelling: (hrab-bee') Short Definition: Rabbi, my master ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4461.htm - 7k

979. bios -- life, living
... life, living. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: bios Phonetic Spelling:
(bee'-os) Short Definition: life, manner of life, livelihood Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/979.htm - 7k

971. biazo -- to force
... to force. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: biazo Phonetic Spelling:
(bee-ad'-zo) Short Definition: I use force, violence, suffer violence Definition: ( ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/971.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew
1682. deborah -- a bee
... 1681, 1682. deborah. 1683 . a bee. Transliteration: deborah Phonetic
Spelling: (deb-o-raw') Short Definition: bees. Word ... 3). bee. ...
/hebrew/1682.htm - 6k

4125. Moabi -- descendant of Moab
... 4124, 4125. Moabi or Moabiyyah. 4126 . descendant of Moab. Transliteration:
Moabi or Moabiyyah Phonetic Spelling: (mo-aw-bee') Short Definition: Moabite. ...
/hebrew/4125.htm - 6k

3864. Lubim -- inhab. of N. Africa
... inhab. of N. Africa. Transliteration: Lubim Phonetic Spelling: (loo-bee') Short
Definition: Lubim. Word Origin of uncertain derivation Definition inhab. ...
/hebrew/3864.htm - 6k

2900. Tobiyyahu -- "Yah is my good," three Israelites, also an ...
... "Yah is my good," three Israelites, also an Ammonite. Transliteration: Tobiyyahu
or Tobiyyah Phonetic Spelling: (to-bee-yaw') Short Definition: Tobiah. ...
/hebrew/2900.htm - 6k

6163. Arabiy -- inhab. of Arabia
... 6162, 6163. Arabiy. 6163a . inhab. of Arabia. Transliteration: Arabiy Phonetic
Spelling: (ar-aw-bee') Short Definition: Arabian. Arabian ...
/hebrew/6163.htm - 5k

3833. labiy' -- a lion
... 3832, 3833. labiy'. 3833a . a lion. Transliteration: labiy' Phonetic Spelling:
(law-bee') Short Definition: great. great, old, stout lion, lioness, young lion ...
/hebrew/3833.htm - 5k

998. binah -- an understanding
... 997, 998. binah. 999 . an understanding. Transliteration: binah Phonetic
Spelling: (bee-naw') Short Definition: understanding. Word ...
/hebrew/998.htm - 6k

1002. birah -- a castle, palace
... 1001, 1002. birah. 1003 . a castle, palace. Transliteration: birah Phonetic
Spelling: (bee-raw') Short Definition: citadel. Word ...
/hebrew/1002.htm - 5k

999. binah -- an understanding
... 998, 999. binah. 1000 . an understanding. Transliteration: binah Phonetic
Spelling: (bee-naw') Short Definition: understanding. ...
/hebrew/999.htm - 6k

1001. bira -- palace
... 1000, 1001. bira. 1002 . palace. Transliteration: bira Phonetic Spelling:
(bee-raw') Short Definition: palace. Word Origin see biretha. palace ...
/hebrew/1001.htm - 5k

Library

The Spider and Bee.
... IV. CREATION. Hymn 91 The spider and bee. John Newton 8,8,8,8. The spider and bee.
On the same flow'r we often see. The loathsome spider and the bee; ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/hymn 91 the spider and.htm

The Bee Saved from the Spider.
... IV. CREATION. Hymn 92 The bee saved from the spider. John Newton 8,6,8,6. The
bee saved from the spider. The subtle spider often weaves. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/hymn 92 the bee saved.htm

Fun and Mischief. His Little Cousin and the "Gnats. " the Aurora ...
... Fun and Mischief. His Little Cousin and the "Gnats." The Aurora Borealis. A
Bumble-bee Scrape. Another Bee Scrape. ... A Bumble-bee Scrape. Another Bee Scrape. ...
/.../chapter iv fun and mischief.htm

"Shall we Gather at the River. "
... Cho."Aa, ke guh e zhah min see bee, Qua nah je wung qua nah je wung see bee.
Ke guh e zhah min, suh an ge nug, Ewh qua nah je wung, see bee. ...
/.../nuhguhmoowin 31 shall we gather.htm

The Fift Part.
... Such as thinke they are, or can bee zealous enough, neede no other conviction to
bee poore, blinde, naked, wretched and pittifull Laodiceans: Fire is ever ...
/.../ward/a coal from the altar to kindle the holy fire of zeale/the fift part.htm

Revel. 3. 19. Be Zealous.
... This watch-word of Christ, if it be not now a word in season, I know not when ever
it was, or will bee: Would he now vouchsafe to bestow a letter upon his ...
/.../revel 3 19 be zealous.htm

The Fourth Part.
... are as water and ice: mutually producing each other; when it is once come downe
upon thine altar; though no water can quench it, yet must it bee preserved fresh ...
/.../ward/a coal from the altar to kindle the holy fire of zeale/the fourth part.htm

A Coale from the Altar.
... There are many strange fires which having sought to carry away the credit of it,
have brought in an ill name upon it: from these it would bee distinguished. ...
/.../a coale from the altar.htm

Appendix
... but ye in all thinges obedience is dewe unto him, either active, if ye thing commanded
be not against God's woord, or passive yf itt bee, except pardon can bee ...
/.../greene/the development of religious liberty in connecticut/appendix.htm

The Third Part.
... word, not with humours; tempered with charity, not with bitternesse: such a mans
praise is of God though not of men: such a mans worth cannot bee set foorth ...
/.../ward/a coal from the altar to kindle the holy fire of zeale/the third part.htm

Smith's Bible Dictionary
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 .

Scripture Alphabet Of Animals
Bee

Although the bee is so small an animal, it is very well known; and many learned men have spent a great deal of time in observing it, and have written many very curious things about it. They tell us that there is in every hive a queen, larger than the rest, whom they all follow and obey; and that if she dies or is carried away, they all leave their work and unless the queen is restored or another one provided, they refuse to eat, and soon die. Only one queen is allowed in a hive at a time. She does not go out to gather honey, but those who attend upon her bring to her cell as much as she wants.

It is very pleasant to watch the bees at their work, for they are quite as busy as the ants, and as they are so much larger, it is more easy to see what they are doing. Every thing about them seems curious and beautiful; their waxen cells, their manner of gathering honey and storing it up, their neatness and order, all are admirable. They are perfectly harmless when left to themselves; but if they are attacked, they fly around the person who disturbs them, in great numbers, and sometimes sting him very severely. David once said of his enemies, " They compassed me about like bees."

Honey is often spoken of in the Bible. When Jacob wished his sons to go down into Egypt a second time to buy food, he said to them, "Take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down the man (Joseph) a present; a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds." God told the children of Israel that he would give them "a land flowing with milk and honey," meaning one that was beautiful and fertile, producing abundantly every thing that would be needed for their comfort. When David had been obliged to flee from Jerusalem to escape his wicked son Absalom, he was in great want of provisions for himself and his followers. After a long and fatiguing march he reached a certain city; and there three rich men who were friendly to him, sent "wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese," besides beds for them to rest on; for they said, The people is hungry, and wary, and thirsty in the wilderness."

Perhaps no man ever loved the commandments of God more truly than king David. He says in the Psalms, "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" and again he says of God's judgments, "More are they to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honey-comb."

Besides the bees that live in hives, there are many called wild bees, which live in the woods, and put their honey in the clefts of rocks, or in old trees and other similar places. In the fourteenth chapter of Judges Jud 14 you will find this story: There was a very strong man named Samson, and once when he was travelling by himself in a lonely place, a young lion came roaring along in the very path where he was going. Would you not have been afraid? I suppose Samson was, at first, for the lion was very strong and very hungry, and Samson had nothing in his hand to kill him with. But God gave him strength, and when the lion came up, Samson caught hold of him and tore him in pieces, as you would tear a piece of cloth. Then he left him dead on the ground. Sometime after he came back the same way, and thought he would look after the lion that he had killed. He soon found the skeleton, that is, the dry bones without any flesh on them; and when he looked at the parts of the dead lion he found that a swarm of bees had been there, and laid up a great plenty of honey. So he took some of it in his hands to eat as he went along.

You can learn of the little bee to try to be useful, and to resolve in the words of the hymn which I dare say you have learned:

"In works of labor or of skill
I would be busy too;
For Satan finds some mischief still
For idle hands to do."

"In books, or work, or healthful play,
Let my first years be past;
That I may give for every day
Some good account at last."

Easton's Bible Dictionary
First mentioned in Deuteronomy 1:44. Swarms of bees, and the danger of their attacks, are mentioned in Psalm 118:12. Samson found a "swarm of bees" in the carcass of a lion he had slain (Judges 14:8). Wild bees are described as laying up honey in woods and in clefts of rocks (Deuteronomy 32:13; Psalm 81:16). In Isaiah 7:18 the "fly" and the "bee" are personifications of the Egyptians and Assyrians, the inveterate enemies of Israel.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (p. p) of Be; -- used for been.

2. (n.) An insect of the order Hymenoptera, and family Apidae (the honeybees), or family Andrenidae (the solitary bees.) See Honeybee.

3. (n.) A neighborly gathering of people who engage in united labor for the benefit of an individual or family; as, a quilting bee; a husking bee; a raising bee.

4. (n.) Pieces of hard wood bolted to the sides of the bowsprit, to reeve the fore-topmast stays through; -- called also bee blocks.

Thesaurus
Bee (1 Occurrence)
... In Isaiah 7:18 the "fly" and the "bee" are personifications of the Egyptians and
Assyrians, the inveterate enemies of Israel. Noah Webster's Dictionary. ...
/b/bee.htm - 10k

Flies (16 Occurrences)
... and beelzeboul, "Beelzebul," or beelzeboub, "Beelzebub" (Matthew 10:25; Matthew
12:24, 27 Luke 11:15, 18, 19); compare Arabic dhubab, "fly" or "bee"; (Note: "dh ...
/f/flies.htm - 15k

Insects (17 Occurrences)
... Versions of the Bible, including the marginal notes, we find at least 23 names of
insects or words referring to them: ant, bald locust, bee, beetle, cankerworm ...
/i/insects.htm - 14k

Hornet (3 Occurrences)
... Compare Isaiah 7:18, where the fly and the bee symbolize the military forces of
Egypt and Assyria: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that Yahweh will ...
/h/hornet.htm - 11k

Fly (33 Occurrences)
... and beelzeboul, "Beelzebul," or beelzeboub, "Beelzebub" (Matthew 10:25; Matthew
12:24, 27 Luke 11:15, 18, 19); compare Arabic dhubab, "fly" or "bee"; (Note: "dh ...
/f/fly.htm - 26k

Deborah (10 Occurrences)
... A bee. ... deb'-o-ra (debhorah, signifying "bee"): (1) Rebekah's nurse, who died near
Bethel and was buried under "the oak of weeping" (Genesis 35:8 margin). ...
/d/deborah.htm - 14k

Honey (62 Occurrences)
... 4:11). (3.) Debash denotes bee-honey (Judges 14:8); but also frequently a vegetable
honey distilled from trees (Genesis 43:11; Ezek. 27:17). ...
/h/honey.htm - 34k

Hiss (13 Occurrences)
... margin "him") from the end of the earth"; 7:18, "Yahweh will hiss for the fly that
is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in ...
/h/hiss.htm - 14k

Bedstead (1 Occurrence)

/b/bedstead.htm - 18k

Zoology
... Crocodile, Sand Lizard (sv LIZARD) Amphibians: Frog Fishes: Fish (in general) Mollusks:
Snail, Murex (Purple) Insects: HYMENOPTERA: Ant, Bee, Hornet LEPIDOPTERA ...
/z/zoology.htm - 18k

Bible Concordance
Bee (1 Occurrence)

Isaiah 7:18 It will happen in that day that Yahweh will whistle for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Bee

Bee in Palestine

Bee: Called by Hissing

Bumble Bee

Related Terms

Flies (16 Occurrences)

Insects (17 Occurrences)

Hornet (3 Occurrences)

Fly (33 Occurrences)

Deborah (10 Occurrences)

Honey (62 Occurrences)

Hiss (13 Occurrences)

Bedstead (1 Occurrence)

Zoology

Wolf (4 Occurrences)

Whistle (3 Occurrences)

Totemism

Thaddaeus (2 Occurrences)

Remotest (13 Occurrences)

Moth (10 Occurrences)

Piping (3 Occurrences)

Proper (62 Occurrences)

Bees (5 Occurrences)

Beef

Brooks (28 Occurrences)

Artemis (5 Occurrences)

Sting (5 Occurrences)

Sources (3 Occurrences)

Sip (1 Occurrence)

Diana (5 Occurrences)

Distant (56 Occurrences)

Rivers (81 Occurrences)

Streams (80 Occurrences)

Uttermost (48 Occurrences)

Extremity (46 Occurrences)

Been (10765 Occurrences)

Asshur (133 Occurrences)

Names (133 Occurrences)

Chronology

Assyria (124 Occurrences)

Old (3966 Occurrences)

Testament (13 Occurrences)

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