Lexical Summary ash: Moth Original Word: עָשׁ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance moth From ashesh; a moth -- moth. See also Ayish. see HEBREW ashesh see HEBREW Ayish NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ashesh Definition a moth NASB Translation moth (5), moth-eaten* (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. עָשׁ noun masculineIsaiah 50:9 moth (as waster, consumer); — ׳ע absolute, Hosea 5:12 ("" רָקָכ), Isaiah 50:9; Isaiah 51:8; in simile Psalm 39:12; כְּבֶגֶד אֲכָלוֺ עָשׁ Job 13:28; symbol of fragility Job 4:19. — Job 27:10 read probably עַכָּבִישׁ q. v. Topical Lexicon Definition and Natural History The Hebrew noun עָשׁ (ʾāsh) denotes the common clothes-moth and, by extension, any textile-destroying larva. In the Ancient Near East, wool was the primary fabric for garments, tapestries, and tents, so an infestation could silently reduce precious cloth to dust in a matter of weeks. Because the insect works in darkness and secrecy, its damage is often discovered only after ruin is complete. Occurrences in Scripture Job 4:19; Job 13:28; Job 27:18; Psalm 39:11; Isaiah 50:9; Isaiah 51:8; Hosea 5:12; Daniel 4:15, 4:25, 4:32, 4:33; Daniel 5:21 (twelve occurrences in the Masoretic text). In Job, Psalms, Isaiah, and Hosea the moth is always the primary referent. The Aramaic sections of Daniel use the cognate form for “grass” or “foliage,” a semantic widening that still keeps the idea of frailty in view: both moth-eaten cloth and withered grass are easily swept away. Biblical Themes 1. Frailty of Humanity 2. Inevitability of Judgment 3. Transience of Earthly Glory Historical and Cultural Background In the patriarchal and monarchic periods, garments often represented social status and inheritance. Storage chests were sealed, but moth larvae could infiltrate through minute cracks. Destroyed clothing not only entailed financial loss but also ritual embarrassment, since torn or tattered robes disqualified a person from formal worship (compare Leviticus 13:45). The prophets therefore exploited a familiar household dread to illustrate invisible, divine retribution. Theological Significance of the Metaphor • Divine Sovereignty: The moth operates unseen; similarly, God can bring decline without dramatic external events. New Testament Resonance Matthew 6:19–20 and Luke 12:33 pick up the same imagery—“where moth and rust destroy”—to ground Jesus’ call for heavenly investment. While the Greek term σής expresses the idea, the conceptual backdrop is plainly rooted in עָשׁ. The continuity illustrates the Bible’s unified warning: material security is never ultimate. Lessons for Ministry • Pastoral counseling can draw on the moth motif to address the slow erosion of marriages, churches, or moral convictions. What goes unchecked in the hidden places soon becomes public ruin. Practical Application 1. Regular spiritual self-examination is like shaking stored garments in sunlight; it exposes hidden larvae. Summary Throughout the Old Testament the tiny moth becomes a powerful theological emblem: quiet, relentless, and unavoidable. Whether describing the weakness of mortal flesh, the certainty of divine judgment, or the vanity of worldly splendor, עָשׁ confronts God’s people with a choice—cling to what perishes or embrace the righteousness and salvation that endure forever. Forms and Transliterations בַּעֲשַׂ֥ב בעשב וְעִשְׂבָּ֤א וְעִשְׂבָּ֥א ועשבא כָּעָ֣שׁ כָעָ֖שׁ כָעָ֣שׁ כעש עִשְׂבָּ֤א עָ֔שׁ עָ֖שׁ עָֽשׁ׃ עש עש׃ עשבא ‘āš ‘iś·bā ‘iśbā Ash ba‘ăśaḇ ba·‘ă·śaḇ baaSav chaAsh isBa kā‘āš ḵā‘āš kā·‘āš ḵā·‘āš kaAsh veisBa wə‘iśbā wə·‘iś·bāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 4:19 HEB: יְ֝דַכְּא֗וּם לִפְנֵי־ עָֽשׁ׃ NAS: Who are crushed before the moth! KJV: [which] are crushed before the moth? INT: are crushed before the moth Job 13:28 Job 27:18 Psalm 39:11 Isaiah 50:9 Isaiah 51:8 Daniel 4:15 Daniel 4:25 Daniel 4:32 Daniel 4:33 Daniel 5:21 Hosea 5:12 12 Occurrences |
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