עָרֹב9 H6157
A swarm of insects, traditionally flies or a noxious mixture of biting creatures, sent as the fourth plague upon Egypt.
Designates the swarm (עָרֹב) sent as the fourth Egyptian plague, likely derived from the root עָרַב meaning 'to mix,' suggesting a mixed swarm of noxious insects rather than a single species. The Septuagint renders it as κυνόμυια ('dog-fly'), while rabbinic tradition understood it as a mixture of wild beasts or various stinging creatures. All nine occurrences cluster in Exodus 8 and two psalm retellings of the plague narrative (Pss 78:45; 105:31). Spanish interestingly uses both 'enjambre' (swarm) and 'mezcla' (mixture), reflecting the longstanding ambiguity about whether this word emphasizes the collective swarming or the mixed composition of the plague.
Senses
1. swarm of flies, insects — A swarm of biting or stinging insects sent as the fourth plague upon Egypt. The term appears exclusively in the Exodus plague narrative (Exod 8:17-27 [ET 8:21-31]) and its poetic recollections in the Psalms (Ps 78:45; 105:31). The etymology from עָרַב ('to mix') suggests a heterogeneous swarm rather than a single insect species, which is reflected in the diverse translations: English 'swarm/swarms of flies,' Spanish 'enjambre' (swarm) alongside 'mezcla' (mixture), and the LXX's κυνόμυια ('dog-fly'). The plague was devastating enough that Pharaoh temporarily relented (Exod 8:24-28). 9×
AR["الذُّبَابَ", "الذُّبَابُ", "الذُّبَابِ", "ذُباب", "ذُبَابًا", "ذُبَابٌ"]·ben["মাছি", "মাছি-ঝাঁক", "মাছি-ঝাঁক-", "মাছির-ঝাঁক"]·DE["der-schwirren", "schwirren", "swarms-von-flies"]·EN["swarm", "swarms-of-flies", "the-swarm"]·FR["essaim", "le-essaim", "soir"]·heb["ה-ערוב", "ערוב"]·HI["मक्खियाँ", "मक्खियों-की-भीड़", "मक्खियों-के", "मक्खियों-से"]·ID["lalat-pikat"]·IT["brulicare", "il-brulicare", "sera"]·jav["laler", "laler-campuran", "laler-segerombol"]·KO["그-파리", "그-파리가", "그-파리들로", "그-파리들을", "파리-가", "파리-떼-을", "파리가"]·PT["a-mistura", "enxames", "enxames-de-moscas", "mistura"]·RU["мухи", "песих-мух", "песьи-мухи", "песьими-мухами", "песьих-мух"]·ES["enjambre", "la-mezcla", "mezcla", "moscas"]·SW["mainzi"]·TR["sinek", "sinekler", "sinekleri", "sineklerin", "sineklerle"]·urd["مکھیاں", "مکھیوں", "مکھیوں-کے"]
Related Senses
H5971a 1. people, nation (1836×)H5973a 1. accompaniment, together with (956×)H0854 1. with (accompaniment) (665×)H1471a 1. nations, peoples (plural/collective) (466×)G3326 1. with (368×)H1285 1. covenant, pact, treaty (284×)G2453 1. Jewish person, Jew (194×)H4150 1. meeting (tent of meeting) (151×)G2992 1. people/nation (an ethnic or political community) (142×)G4862 1. (129×)G1484 1. Gentiles, non-Jewish nations (128×)H1471a 2. nation, people-group (singular) (98×)H3162b 1. together (97×)H1616 1. sojourner, resident alien (92×)H0567 1. Amorite (people group) (87×)H3064 1. Jew, Jewish person (81×)H3669a 1. Canaanite (ethnic designation) (70×)G1122 1. scribe / expert in the Law (63×)H2114a 1. stranger, foreigner (person) (54×)H5608b 1. scribe, royal secretary (48×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
עָרֹב9 n.m. Ex 8, 20; prob. swarm (mixture, from incessant, involved motion; LagBN 112 doubts);—of plague of stinging flies, coming in a swarm (v. Di Ex) Ex 8:17(×2) + 5 times 8 (J), ψ 78:45; 105:31.