Original Word: חָגָב
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: chagab
Pronunciation: khaw-GAWB
Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-gawb')
KJV: locust
NASB: grasshopper, grasshoppers, locust
Word Origin: [of uncertain derivation]

1. a locust

locust

Of uncertain derivation; a locust -- locust.

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
locust, grasshopper
NASB Translation
grasshopper (2), grasshoppers (2), locust (1).

I. חָגָב noun masculine^{Ecclesiastes 12:5} locust, grasshopper (Late Hebrew id.; compare ᵑ7), probably a non-flying species, see Kn in Di^{Leviticus 11:22}; הֶחָגָב allowed as food Leviticus 11:22 (P; "" אַרְבֶּה, סָלְעָם, חַרְגֹּל), כַּחֲגָבִיס Numbers 13:33 (J E; simile of insignificance), so Isaiah 40:22; as agent of Yahweh's wrath חָגָב לֶאֱכוֺל חארץ2Chronicles 7:13; וְיִסְתַּבֵּל הֶחָגָב Ecclesiastes 12:5 and the grasshopper shall be a burden; better shall drag itself along, De Hi Now RVm; De thinks ׳ח here figurative of the back part of the pelvic cavity (Arabic is point of hip-bone, Bo, compare Lane), and refers to stiffness of aged joints, so Now; but the meaning is dubious; see other views of Comm.

Overview

Strong’s Hebrew 2284 (ḥāgāb) denotes a locust or large grasshopper. Scripture employs the term both literally and figuratively, allowing the creature to serve as food, scourge, metaphor, and moral illustration. Its five canonical occurrences trace a trajectory from Israel’s dietary code to eschatological and devotional reflection, highlighting the Lord’s providence, judgment, and mercy.

Permissible Food and Provision

Leviticus 11:22 presents ḥāgāb among four winged insects Israel may lawfully eat: “Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket, or grasshopper”. In an arid land where animal protein could be scarce, this permission affirms God’s practical care for His people. The passage also demonstrates that the holiness laws did not arbitrarily restrict nourishment but fostered dependence on the Creator, who designates what is clean. The precedent explains why John the Baptist’s wilderness diet (Matthew 3:4) was acceptable; it echoed the ancient allowance and underscored a life of consecration.

Instrument of Divine Judgment

2 Chronicles 7:13 places ḥāgāb in a covenantal context: “If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land…”. Following Solomon’s temple dedication, the Lord warns that unfaithfulness may result in drought, pestilence, or locust invasion. Here the insect embodies God’s sovereign right to discipline His people by natural means. Historical records from the ancient Near East confirm that locust swarms could strip crops within hours, threatening national survival. The text thus magnifies both the severity of sin and the hope of repentance, for verse 14 immediately promises healing when the nation humbles itself.

Symbol of Human Smallness before Divine Majesty

Numbers 13:33 applies ḥāgāb figuratively: “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own sight”. The spies’ self–description reveals a faithless perspective; they measure themselves against giants rather than against the Almighty who had already conquered Egypt. Isaiah 40:22 universalizes the image: “He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth; its dwellers are like grasshoppers”. The prophet contrasts the transcendent Creator with earth’s inhabitants, calling every generation to humble awe. Read together, the passages expose two responses to smallness: fear rooted in unbelief (Numbers) or worship rooted in trust (Isaiah).

Metaphor for Aging and Mortality

Ecclesiastes 12:5 depicts the frailty of old age: “the grasshopper loses its spring”. The once–vibrant insect, famed for leaping, can now scarcely move, mirroring the human frame nearing death. The Preacher urges readers to “remember your Creator in the days of your youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1), for vigor is transient. The ḥāgāb becomes a preacher of its own, calling disciples to steward their days wisely.

Theological and Ministry Implications

1. Dependence and Gratitude

Clean though humble, the ḥāgāb teaches contentment with God’s provision. Ministry that cultivates gratitude for simple gifts guards against the covetousness that Israel exhibited in the wilderness (Numbers 11).

2. Repentance and Restoration

The threat of locust devastation (2 Chronicles 7:13) frames the famous promise of healing (verse 14). Pastors may therefore employ the imagery to invite modern hearers to turn from sin, confident that the same Lord still “rebukes the devourer” when His people seek His face (Malachi 3:11).

3. Humility and Hope

Humanity’s grasshopper–like smallness (Isaiah 40:22) is not grounds for despair but for worship. God “brings out the starry host by number” (Isaiah 40:26); He is more than sufficient for congregational challenges that appear giant–sized. Teaching this truth counters both pride and paralyzing fear.

4. Stewardship of Time

Ecclesiastes 12 directs believers to invest their strength in eternal priorities before the “grasshopper” stage arrives. Discipleship curricula that emphasize early obedience resonate with this motif.

Intertextual Connections

While ḥāgāb itself does not appear in Joel, the prophet’s devastating locust imagery (Joel 1–2) amplifies 2 Chronicles 7:13 and anticipates Revelation 9. In each case, locusts serve eschatological purposes, reinforcing Scripture’s unified message of judgment and redemption. Likewise, the Greek ἀκρίς (akris) describing John the Baptist’s diet aligns with Leviticus 11:22, linking wilderness repentance with Israel’s earliest food laws.

Concluding Reflection

From the dinner table to the throne room of heaven, the ḥāgāb invites reverent submission to God’s Word. Whether furnishing sustenance, stripping fields, or illustrating life’s brevity, this modest creature repeatedly testifies that “man shall not live by bread alone” but by every decree of the Lord. The faithful reader, like Israel of old, is called to listen, repent, and trust the God who rules even the smallest hopper in the grass.

הֶֽחָגָ֔ב הֶחָגָ֖ב החגב חָגָ֖ב חגב כַּֽחֲגָבִ֔ים כַּחֲגָבִ֑ים כחגבים chaGav ḥā·ḡāḇ ḥāḡāḇ he·ḥā·ḡāḇ hechaGav heḥāḡāḇ ka·ḥă·ḡā·ḇîm kachagaVim kaḥăḡāḇîmInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts