Topical Bible: The Locust: The Jews used As Food

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Topical Encyclopedia

The locust, a type of grasshopper, is mentioned in the Bible as a creature that was not only a symbol of divine judgment but also a permissible source of food for the Israelites. The consumption of locusts is rooted in the dietary laws given to the Israelites, which are detailed in the Old Testament.

Biblical References and Dietary Laws

In the book of Leviticus, God provides Moses with a list of clean and unclean animals, specifying which creatures the Israelites are allowed to eat. Among the insects, locusts are explicitly mentioned as permissible:

"All winged insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you. However, you may eat the following kinds of winged insects that walk on all fours: those that have jointed legs for hopping on the ground. Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket, or grasshopper." (Leviticus 11:20-22)

This passage indicates that locusts, along with similar insects, were considered clean and suitable for consumption. The criteria for their consumption were based on their ability to hop on the ground with jointed legs, distinguishing them from other winged insects deemed unclean.

Historical and Cultural Context

The consumption of locusts by the Israelites can be understood within the broader context of their environment and available resources. Locusts were abundant in the region, especially during swarming events, making them a readily available food source. Their nutritional value, being high in protein, would have been a practical addition to the diet of the Israelites, particularly in times of scarcity.

John the Baptist

The New Testament also provides an example of locust consumption in the life of John the Baptist. Known for his ascetic lifestyle, John is described as subsisting on a diet that included locusts:

"John wore a garment of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey." (Matthew 3:4)

John's diet reflects his prophetic role and his separation from the comforts of society, emphasizing a return to simplicity and reliance on God's provision. The mention of locusts in his diet underscores their continued acceptance as a food source among the Jewish people during the time of the New Testament.

Symbolism and Divine Judgment

While locusts were a permissible food, they also held symbolic significance as instruments of divine judgment. The book of Joel vividly describes a locust plague as a manifestation of God's wrath and a call to repentance:

"What the devouring locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten; what the swarming locust has left, the young locust has eaten; and what the young locust has left, the destroying locust has eaten." (Joel 1:4)

This dual role of locusts—as both sustenance and a symbol of judgment—highlights the complexity of their representation in the biblical narrative. They serve as a reminder of God's sovereignty over creation and His ability to use even the smallest creatures to fulfill His purposes.

Conclusion

The locust, as depicted in the Bible, is a multifaceted creature. It is both a practical source of nourishment for the Israelites and a powerful symbol of divine intervention. The biblical allowance for their consumption reflects the adaptability and resourcefulness of the Jewish people in adhering to God's laws while navigating the challenges of their environment.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Matthew 3:4
And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Of the Three Woe Trumpets.
... Wonderful A locust scorpion. ... are bound upon the great river Euphrates." The angels
are used for the ... of another, the last after the return of the Jews; and, if ...
/.../mede/a key to the apocalypse/of the three woe trumpets.htm

The Feeding of the Four Thousand - to Dalmanutha - the Sign from ...
... appealed to certain signs.' First, a locust-tree moved ... as that which morally corrupts,
was familiar to the Jews. Thus the word {hebrew} (Seor) is used in the ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xxxvi the feeding of.htm

Aron, Brother of Moses, 486, 487.
... Heaven, used for books of both Testaments, [499]29; foundation of ... Jews, caused the
Lord's crucifixion, [605]264; judicially blinded, [606]308 ... Locust, [696]375. ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/aron brother of moses 486.htm

The Clean and the Unclean
... as ever meats and drinks could make the Jews a separate ... the sin; his conversation
is not used to levity ... thing, and every insect, except the locust, was unclean ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 9 1863/the clean and the unclean.htm

Death.
... Some used to say, in old times; and they may say ... When we Jews were a poor, small,
despised tribe of slaves ... the Red sea; and He took also the locust-swarms, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/westminster sermons/sermon xviii death.htm

Book ii. Jerome Answers the Second, Third, and Fourth Propositions ...
... or a native of Pontus to eat a locust, and he ... sort of the people who imitated the
Jews in devouring ... They used no oil except with vegetables, and then only in ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/book ii jerome answers the.htm

The Prophet Joel.
... by the Chaldee Paraphrast, and by the Jews mentioned by ... Hebrew: eM] would certainly
have been used, as is ... He designates the locust as the heathen host; but he ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet joel.htm

On the Clause, and Shall Come in Glory to Judge the Quick and the ...
... or "among idolaters," the abstract being used for the ... Jews (De Antichristo, 25),
to collect the Jews out of ... as active as a grasshopper, or locust, shall grow ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture xv on the clause.htm

On Proverbs. From the Commentary of St. Hippolytus on Proverbs.
... [1220] These things he understands of the people of the Jews, and their guilt in ...
"The locust has no king, and ... So used by Aristophanes.]. [1233] Proverbs 7:26. ...
/.../on proverbs from the commentary.htm

Introduction to Proverbs viii. 22 Continued. Contrast Between the ...
... they go on to compare to the caterpillar and locust? ... We have no king but C??sar [2483] .'
The Jews then have ... not only a contradiction in the terms used, but in ...
/.../chapter xviii introduction to proverbs viii.htm