Strong's Greek: 3205 -- (Not Used)zzz

Lexical Summary

(Not Used): (Not Used)

(Not Used)
Part of Speech:
Transliteration: (Not Used)
(Not Used)

Topical Lexicon

Overview

Strong’s Greek 3205 designates the honey-bee. While the term never appears in the extant Greek New Testament, it occurs in the Septuagint and belongs to the same word-family as μέλι (honey, 3192). The bee therefore stands at the junction of two rich biblical motifs: the threat of a stinging swarm and the sweetness of honey.

Canonical Background

• Deuteronomy 1:44 pictures Israel’s defeat: “The Amorites … chased you like a swarm of bees and drove you back from Seir all the way to Hormah.”
• Psalm 118:12 uses the same simile: “They swarmed around me like bees, but they were extinguished like burning thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off.”
• Isaiah 7:18 announces divine judgment: “On that day the LORD will whistle for flies from the farthest streams of Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria.”
• Judges 14:8 records Samson finding “a swarm of bees with honey” in the lion’s carcass, foreshadowing his riddle and God’s use of the unexpected to humble the Philistines.

Imagery and Symbolism

1. Swarming enemy – The sudden, coordinated assault of bees provides the perfect metaphor for invading armies or hostile crowds. The sting is sharp, persistent, and multiplied by sheer numbers.
2. Industrious life – Bees embody diligence and purposeful community, an apt reminder of the believer’s call to “abound in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
3. Source of sweetness – Honey, a direct product of the bee, pictures both covenant blessing (Exodus 3:8) and the desirability of divine wisdom: “They are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb” (Psalm 19:10).

Septuagint Usage

In the Greek Old Testament the term frequently translates the Hebrew דְּבוֹרָה (dᵊbôrâ). Each occurrence retains the double edge of blessing and danger—either the bee’s honey enriches the land or its sting chastens the disobedient. This reinforces the consistency of God’s character: steadfast kindness toward those who fear Him and sure discipline for rebels.

Historical and Cultural Insights

Ancient apiculture flourished around Palestine. Honey served as the main sweetener, a healing agent, and an offering (Leviticus 2:11 forbids leaven and honey on the altar, highlighting that even good gifts must be offered on God’s terms). Bees therefore represented both agricultural prosperity and the vigilance required to guard it.

New Testament Connection through Related Terms

Although 3205 itself never surfaces in the New Testament text, its cognate μέλι appears in Luke 24:42 and Revelation 10:9–10. The honey-bee thus remains thematically present:
• Luke 24:42 reminds the reader of Christ’s bodily resurrection, for victuals including honeycomb demonstrate His true humanity.
• Revelation 10:9–10 unites sweetness and bitterness—John tastes honey yet feels a sour stomach—echoing the bee’s double symbolism of delight and wound.

Theological and Ministry Significance

• God’s Providence – The bee testifies to divine wisdom in creation, revealing ordered labor, submission to a single head, and fruitful output—parables of church life under Christ.
• Spiritual Vigilance – Like a disturbed hive, sin can swarm suddenly; believers are urged to “be alert” (1 Peter 5:8) and to resist spiritual foes who attack in concert.
• Gospel Sweetness – Honey illustrates the attractiveness of the Word; evangelists present truth winsomely, confident that Scripture itself supplies the sweetness (Psalm 119:103).
• Balanced Teaching – Pastors must echo both sides of the bee metaphor: comfort for the weary and a stinging warning to the unrepentant.

Practical Application

1. Cultivate diligence: observe the hive and imitate its tireless cooperation (Proverbs 6:6-8).
2. Guard unity: a colony’s strength lies in harmony; so the church “strives together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).
3. Taste and share Scripture: feed on the Word until it is sweet, then minister that sweetness to others (Proverbs 16:24).
4. Respect God’s warnings: when sin is tolerated, the same Lord who provides honey can summon the bee (Isaiah 7:18).

Summary

Greek 3205, though absent from the New Testament text, enriches biblical theology by linking the sweetness of divine blessing with the sharpness of divine discipline. From Israel’s wilderness defeat to the believer’s daily devotion, the bee remains a living witness to the God who is both kind and holy.

Links

Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts