Fly

Heb. zebub, (Eccl 10:1 ; Isaiah 7:18 ). This fly was so grievous a pest that the Phoenicians invoked against it the aid of their god Baal-zebub (q.v.). The prophet ( Isaiah 7:18 ) alludes to some poisonous fly which was believed to be found on the confines of Egypt, and which would be called by the Lord. Poisonous flies exist in many parts of Africa, for instance, the different kinds of tsetse.

Heb. 'arob, the name given to the insects sent as a plague on the land of Egypt ( Exodus 8:21-31 ; Psalms 78:45 ; 105:31 ). The LXX. render this by a word which means the "dog-fly," the cynomuia. The Jewish commentators regarded the Hebrew word here as connected with the word 'arab , which means "mingled;" and they accordingly supposed the plague to consist of a mixed multitude of animals, beasts, reptiles, and insects. But there is no doubt that "the 'arab " denotes a single definite species. Some interpreters regard it as the Blatta orientalis, the cockroach, a species of beetle. These insects "inflict very painful bites with their jaws; gnaw and destroy clothes, household furniture, leather, and articles of every kind, and either consume or render unavailable all eatables."

FLY

(Verb; `uph petaomai, or, contracted, ptaomai):

Used in preference to "flee" when great speed is to be indicated. "To fly" is used:

(1) Literally, of birds, `uph (Genesis 1:20; Psalms 55:6); da'ah (Deuteronomy 28:49), of sparks (Job 5:7); of the arrow (Psalms 91:5); of the seraphim (Isaiah 6:2,6); of an angel (Daniel 9:21, ya`aph, "to be caused to fly"); of swift action or movement (Psalms 18:10; Jeremiah 48:40); of people (Isaiah 11:14); of a fleet (Isaiah 60:8; 1 Samuel 15:19; 14:32, `asah, "to do," etc.). (2) Figuratively, of a dream (Job 20:8); of man's transitory life (Psalms 90:10); of riches (Proverbs 23:5); of national glory (Hosea 9:11).

For "fly" the Revised Version (British and American) has "soar" (Job 39:26) "fly down" (Isaiah 11:14); for "flying" (Isaiah 31:5) the American Standard Revised Version has "hovering."

W. L. Walker