Jeremiah's metaphor for Egypt's coming destroyer - a 'gadfly from the north' representing Nebuchadnezzar's invasion. Whether the precise insect is gadfly, hornet, or some other stinging pest matters less than the image's effectiveness: a relentless, painful, inescapable attacker. Egypt, described as a beautiful heifer, will be tormented by this northern pest. The metaphor combines contempt and threat - the mighty Babylon is reduced to an insect, yet this insect will destroy proud Egypt. Ancient versions vary in identification, but all recognize a biting, troublesome creature. Like all prophetic imagery, the point transcends zoology: judgment comes, and nothing can swat it away.