In the context of the Bible, the term "wasp" is not explicitly mentioned in most translations, including the Berean Standard Bible . However, the concept of stinging insects, which could include wasps, is present in the biblical narrative, particularly in the context of divine judgment and the natural world.

Biblical References:

1. Hornets as Divine Agents: The closest reference to wasps in the Bible is the mention of hornets, which are similar stinging insects. In several passages, God uses hornets as instruments of His will to drive out the enemies of Israel. For example, in Exodus 23:28 , God promises, "I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hittites out of your way." Similarly, in Deuteronomy 7:20 , it is stated, "Moreover, the LORD your God will send the hornet among them until even the survivors hiding from you have perished."

2. Symbol of Fear and Displacement: The use of hornets in these passages symbolizes the fear and chaos that God can instill in the enemies of His people. The hornet, as a stinging insect, represents a natural force that can cause significant distress and displacement, serving as a metaphor for divine intervention and the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel.

3. Joshua's Conquest: In Joshua 24:12 , Joshua recounts God's actions, saying, "I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you—two Amorite kings. It was not by your sword or bow." This reinforces the idea that the success of Israel's conquest was due to divine assistance rather than human military might.

Theological Implications:

· Divine Sovereignty: The use of hornets as a tool of divine judgment underscores the sovereignty of God over creation. It illustrates how God can employ even the smallest creatures to achieve His purposes, demonstrating His control over both the natural and spiritual realms.

· Protection and Provision: For the Israelites, the sending of hornets was a sign of God's protection and provision. It reassured them of His presence and support in their journey to the Promised Land, emphasizing that their victories were not solely by their own strength but through divine intervention.

· Judgment and Fear: The imagery of hornets also serves as a warning of judgment and the fear that accompanies opposition to God's will. It highlights the consequences faced by those who stand against God's chosen people and His divine plan.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In the ancient Near East, hornets and other stinging insects were well-known and feared for their painful stings and aggressive behavior. The biblical references to hornets would have resonated with the original audience, who understood the threat posed by such creatures. This cultural understanding amplifies the impact of the biblical narrative, as the Israelites would have recognized the hornet as a formidable force used by God to fulfill His promises.

While the Bible does not specifically mention wasps, the references to hornets provide insight into the broader biblical themes of divine intervention, judgment, and the fulfillment of God's promises through the natural world.(n.) Any one of numerous species of stinging hymenopterous insects, esp. any of the numerous species of the genus Vespa, which includes the true, or social, wasps, some of which are called yellow jackets.WASP

wosp.

See HORNET.

6880. tsirah -- hornets
... hornets (1). hornet. From tsara'; a wasp (as stinging) -- hornet. see HEBREW
tsara'. 6879, 6880. tsirah. 6881 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/6880.htm - 6k

A Letter from a West Indian Cottage Ornee
... That long black wasp, commonly called a Jack Spaniard, builds pensile paper
nests under every roof and shed. Watch, now, this more ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter v a letter from.htm

A Good Man's Faults
... cynical spirit in historians, of which this age has seen eminent examples, which
fastens upon the weak places in the noblest natures, like a wasp on bruises in ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/a good mans faults.htm

See, Then, Whether we Ought to Yield to one Who...
... be formed out of a dead man, growing, as the multitude affirm, out of the marrow
of the back, [3944] and that a bee should spring from an ox, and a wasp from a ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter lvii see then whether.htm

The Question of the Tall Gentleman as to Whether Diamond could ...
... And lost all his thread from end to beginning. The gay wasp forgot his rings
and his waist,. He never had made such undignified haste. ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 20 the question of.htm

Prayer Taught and Encouraged.
... lobster. It is two or three inches long, and has a sting at the end of
its tail which is about as severe as that of a wasp. The ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/lxxxvi prayer taught and encouraged.htm

What God Will do for Us
... it be great or small; whether it be, according to the metaphor of an earlier portion
of this psalm, 'a lion or an adder'; or whether it be a buzzing wasp or a ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/what god will do for.htm

The Comer's Conflict with Satan
... There is a newspaper in Glasgow called the Christian News, alias, the Un-Christian
News, or Christian Wasp, and the editor says of me, that I am not fit to ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/the comers conflict with satan.htm

The Sin against the Holy Ghost.
... reading of the Word, in prayer, or in holy meditation, suggestions sometimes flash
through the mind which startle us as the poisoned sting of a wasp, which we ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxxvii the sin against the.htm

Striking Similes
... Bright as the tear of an angel, glittered a lonely star. Brilliant and gay as a
Greek. Brisk as a wasp in the sunshine. Brittle and bent like a bow. ...
/.../kleiser/fifteen thousand useful phrases/section viii striking similes.htm

Humbly Inscribed to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, one of his ...
... And know, of all our supercilious race, 710. Thou most inflammable! thou
wasp of men! Man's angry heart, inspected, would be found. ...
/.../young/youngs night thoughts/humbly inscribed to his grace.htm

Wasp
... includes the true, or social, wasps, some of which are called yellow jackets.
Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. WASP. wosp. See HORNET. ...
/w/wasp.htm - 6k

Bee (1 Occurrence)
... be (debhorah; compare Arabic dabr, "a swarm of bees," also Arabic debbur, "a wasp,"
said to be a corruption of zunbur, "a wasp"; all are apparently from the ...
/b/bee.htm - 10k

Hornet (3 Occurrences)
... animals.". Noah Webster's Dictionary. (n.) A large, strong wasp. The European
species (Vespa crabro) is of a dark brown and yellow color. ...
/h/hornet.htm - 11k

Wasn't (35 Occurrences)
Wasn't. Wash-pot, Wasn't. Wasp . Multi-Version Concordance Wasn't (35 Occurrences).
Matthew ... WEB). Wash-pot, Wasn't. Wasp . Reference Bible.
/w/wasn't.htm - 16k

Sting (5 Occurrences)
... scorpion. The sting of a bee or wasp is a modified ovipositor. The caudal sting,
or spine, of a sting ray is a modified dorsal fin ray. ...
/s/sting.htm - 10k

Wast (84 Occurrences)

/w/wast.htm - 33k

What does the Bible say about the hornet? | GotQuestions.org

Wasp: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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