The Scorpion in Hebrew

A Look at Aqrab in the Hebrew Language

As I've mentioned before in this blog, each month I will feature a different constellation family. January's featured constellation was Bethulah (the virgin) and its decans, February's constellation of the month was Mozanaim (the scales) and its decans, and March's constellation family is Aqrab (the scorpion) and its decans.

During this month, we've looked at many aspects of the Aqrab star-family. But today, I want to look at word itself - Aqrab - in Hebrew. 

עקרב

As Dr. Frank Seekins explains in his book Hebrew Word Pictures (p 204), Aqrab, or Aqrav, is the Hebrew word for "scorpion", and it means "to wound the heel".

Gesenius says that the word for scorpion comes from combining the words for Aqar "wound" (Strong's #6131)  and Aqab "heel" (Strong's #7128). 

So, if you're an atheistic Israeli, who would naturally speak Hebrew, you can't even say the word "scorpion" without referencing the message of this star family and the first Biblical reference to the Plan of Redemption! I love it!

Ancient Jewish teachers viewed the scorpion as part of the poisonous creatures represented by the snake of Eden. 

Genesis 3:15 - "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. It shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His Heel." 

The scorpion symbolizes the "bite" of the snake at the heel of Messiah. Scorpions in Scripture were also the name for a cruel whip of oppression and for evil people (1 Kings 12:11 & Ezekiel 2:6).

The other option that scholars give is that the word for "scorpion" - Aqrab - comes from the word Qerav, which means "to come near to battle"

Naturally, we can see that both meanings apply to the star-family Aqrab, which is both the Scorpion stinging the strong Man's Heel and the constellation which bears the message of Spiritual Warfare! 

This all matters because Scripture (and the Mazzaroth) uses the scorpion in a spiritual sense representing the evil spiritual forces that stand against us.  

Knowing that the image of the scorpion is included in the serpent, the scorpion and the enemies of God, Luke 10:19 takes on a whole new perspective:

Luke 10:19 - "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

This is a battle where the scorpion loses and the Seed of Eve (the Messiah) wins, giving us the right to trample on serpents, scorpions and the power of the enemy.

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