H8438a H8438a
worm; maggots/larvae, or scarlet dye produced from the coccus ilicis insect, depending on context
This noun has two related senses: literal worms (maggots) and scarlet dye produced from an insect. Exodus 16:20 describes manna breeding worms when kept overnight. Isaiah 1:18 uses it in the famous promise: 'though your sins are like scarlet (shanim), like crimson (tola), they shall be white as snow'—tola here is scarlet dye. Lamentations 4:5 mentions those 'brought up in scarlet' (tola) now lying on ash heaps, evoking luxury garments. The scarlet dye came from the crushed bodies of coccus ilicis insects (similar to cochineal), creating the linguistic link between worm and crimson. The multilingual glosses show both meanings (Spanish gusanos 'worms', escarlata 'scarlet'). One creature yields both decay (worms) and beauty (costly dye)—a pairing rich with symbolic potential.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Either worms/maggots (as in spoiled manna, Exod 16:20) or scarlet/crimson dye (Isa 1:18, Lam 4:5). The dye came from crushed coccus ilicis insects, creating the semantic link between 'worm' and 'scarlet.' Isaiah's famous promise contrasts sins 'like scarlet' becoming white—the deepest, most permanent dye miraculously bleached. Lamentations evokes luxury through scarlet garments. One Hebrew word captures both corruption (maggots in decay) and costly beauty (crimson dye from insect bodies). 4×
AR["القِرْمِزِ", "دُودًا", "كَالدُّودِ", "وَ-دودُ"]·ben["-কৃমির-মতো", "এবং-কৃমি", "কীট", "লাল-কাপড়ে"]·DE["[כתולע]", "[תולע]", "und-Scharlach-von", "worms"]·EN["and-worm-of", "like-the-crimson", "scarlet", "worms"]·FR["[כתולע]", "[תולע]", "et-ver-de", "worms"]·heb["ו-תולעת", "כ-תולע", "תולע", "תולעים"]·HI["और-कीड़ा", "किरमिजी", "कीड़े", "जैसे-कीड़े-का-रंग"]·ID["dan-kain", "kain-merah", "seperti-kain-merah", "ulat"]·IT["[כתולע]", "[תולע]", "e-scarlatto-di", "worms"]·jav["cacing", "kados-abrit-terang", "lan-abrit", "wungu"]·KO["그리고-볌간-실", "벌레들이", "진홍-같이", "진홍색-의"]·PT["como-o-carmesim", "e-carmesim-de", "escarlate", "vermes"]·RU["багрянице", "и-червлёную", "как-червлень", "черви"]·ES["como-carmesí", "escarlata", "gusanos", "y-gusano-de"]·SW["kama-mdudu", "mabuu", "na-nyuzi", "zambarau"]·TR["kurtlar", "kırmızı", "kırmızı-boya-gibi", "ve-kırmızı-iplik"]·urd["اور-کیڑا", "قرمزی", "کیڑے", "کیڑے-کی-طرح"]
Related Senses
H6629 1. flock, sheep/goats (small livestock) (274×)H1241 1. cattle, herd (bovine livestock) (183×)H0352a 1. ram (male sheep) (156×)H6499 1. young bull, bullock (130×)H3532 1. lamb, young male sheep (105×)H2543 1. donkey (male ass) (96×)H7794 1. ox, bull (79×)H7462b 1. shepherd (agent noun) (76×)H5795 1. she-goat(s), female goat(s) (68×)H7462b 2. to shepherd, tend, pasture (60×)H1581 1. camel (domestic animal) (54×)H0738b 1. lion (46×)G4263 1. sheep (39×)H5739 1. flock or herd of livestock (38×)H5695 1. calf, young bull (35×)H0738a 1. lion (large predatory feline) (34×)H0860 1. female donkey (34×)H3611 1. dog (animal) (32×)H3715a 1. young lion, lion cub (31×)G0721 1. Lamb (29×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. תּוֹלָע n.[m.] worm, scarlet stuff (dyed with the coccus ilicis, v. שָׁנִי, ThatcherHast.DB Colours);— 1. worm, only pl. תּוֹלָעִים, in stale manna Ex 16:20 (P). 2. scarlet stuff, abs. sg. תּוֹלָע Is 1:18 (in sim. ‖ שָׁנִים; opp. צֶמֶר); token of luxury La 4:5.