LOCTJST Oulkiist), (Heb. r973, ar-beh.),generic term; order, Hemifitera; species, Gryllus, Lin nxus.
It is an insect remarkable for numbers and voracity, and hence one of the most dreadful scourges of Eastern countries. Locusts, when mature, can fly to a considerable height, and, oc casionally alighting for food and rest, they are often borne by the wind hundreds of miles. The locust is two inches or more in length. It is a winged, creeping thing. Like other insects of the order Orthoptera, it has four wings. Those of the anterior pair are narrow, while those of the pos terior pair are broader, folded up when not in use, and transparent. It has six legs, on four of which it walks, while the hindmost pair, which are much longer than the others and equal to the body in length, it uses for springing (Lev. Xi :21, 22). The mouth is furnished with cutting jaws, by means of which it nips off leaves and blades of grass.
There are many species of these insects found in the United States, but none precisely such as live in the Orient. The locusts most de structive and doubtless ordinarily referred to by the Bible are of two kinds, Acrydium peregrinum and CEdifioda inigratoria. In our English Bible seven terms probably describe this insect or allied species—viz., locust, bald locust, beetle, canker worm, caterpillar, grasshopper, palmer-worm.
These seven terms are made to translate nine Hebrew names. The confusion of the entire sub ject may be seen by the fact that "locust" repre sents four original words, "grasshopper" two, and "caterpillar" two, while two original words have each a twofold translation. Doubtless the Jews themselves applied some of these terms as loosely and widely as we do such a word as "worm." It is probable that several of the seven names mentioned describe locusts in their immature state. After leaving the egg this insect passes through changes answering to those of the butterfly, but is never dormant as a chrysalis. From first to last it is voracious, but when it is mature and can fly it lays its eggs and drifts away in vast clouds, perhaps to perish in the ocean. The locusts which the writer saw devastating portions of Syria were fully three inches long when their wings were closed (Lev. xi:22).
Van Lennep in writing of the destruction caused by locusts says: "The ground over which their devastating hordes have passed at once as sumes an appearance of sterility and dearth. Well did the Romans call them 'the burners of the land,' which is the literal meaning of our word 'locust.' On they move, covering the ground so completely as to hide it from sight, and in such numbers that it often takes three or four days for the mighty host to pass by. When seen at a distance this swarm of advancing locusts resembles a cloud of dust or sand, reaching a few feet above the ground as the myriads of insects leap forward. The only thing that mo mentarily arrests their progress is a sudden change of weather, for cold benumbs them while it lasts. They also keep quiet at night, swarming like bees on the bushes and hedges until the morning sun warms and revives them and enables them to proceed on their devastating march (Nahum iii: 17). They 'have no king' nor leader, yet they
falter not, but press Oil ill serried ranks, urged in the same direction by an irresistible impulse, and turn neither to the right hand nor to the left for any sort of obstacle (Prov. xxx:27). When a wall or a house lies in their way they climb straight up, going over the roof to the other side, and blindly rush in it the open doors and windows (Exod. x:6; Joel ii:9). When they come to water, be it a mere puddle or a river, a lake or the open sea, they never attempt to go round it, but unhesitatingly leap in and are drowned; and their dead bodies, floating on the surface, form a bridge for their companions to pass over. The scourge thus often comes to an end, but it as often happens that the decomposi tion ot millions of insects produces pestilence and death (Joel ii:2o). History records a remark able instance which occurred in the year 125 before the Christian era. 'lite insects were driven by the wind into the sea in such vast numbers that their bodies, being driven back by the tide upon the land, caused a stench. which produced a fearful plague, whereby 8o,000 persons perished in Libya, Cyrene, and Egypt." The passage in Lev. XI :22 describes four dis tinct insects of the locust order. "Beetle" is plainly a mistranslation for some one of these leapers,since whatever only crept or flew could be used for food. The locusts were ceremonially clean. John the Baptist ate them. and many others, par ticularly in Abyssinia, do so still; and being salted and fried, they taste like river cray fish (see as above, Lev. xi:22).
FiguratiVe. The Assyrians were like custs, for their number and their destructive In fluence, in the kingdoms of Israel and Judah (Is. xxxiii :4, 5; Nah. Hi:15, 17) ; and they ruined them. after they had been terribly mowed by the Syrians (Antos vii :1 ; comp. Joel i :6, 7 ; :2-9).
In the book of Revelation (ix :7) we have a literal description of the symbolical locust, which gives us a terrific impression of their power, and which is curiously illustrated by a passage from an Eastern traveler. An Arab from Bagdad, he says, compared the head of the locust to that of the horse; its breast to that of the lion ; its feet to those of the camel; its body to that of the serpent ; its tail to that of the scorpion ; and so of other parts. In like man ner the Italians still call locusts little horses, and the Germans call them hay-horses. (Schaff, Bib. Dict.) LOD (16d), (Heb. lode, Chron. viii:12; Ezra ii:33; Neh. vii:37; xi:35), is doubtless the city of Lydda (Acts ix:32, etc.). (See LYDDA.) LO-DEBAR(16'-de'bar),(Heb.1;1 lo-deb-ar', no pasture).
A town of Gilead, named with places east of Jordan (2 Sam. xvii :27). It was the home of Machir who entertained Mephibosheth and sent food to David (2 Sam. ix:5).