Lexical Summary geb: Cistern, pit, reservoir Original Word: גֵּב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance locust Probably from guwb (compare gowb); a locust (from its cutting) -- locust. see HEBREW guwb see HEBREW gowb NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originsee gebeh. Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [גֵּב] locust, see below גבה. I. [גֵּב] noun [masculine] locust (name from swarm, collection, Ethiopic Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrence Isaiah 33:4: “Your spoil will be gathered as if by locusts; like a swarm of locusts men will pounce on it.” The word paints a picture of an overwhelming, voracious mass descending suddenly upon plunder—an image of swift, inescapable judgment. Historical and Cultural Background Ancient Near Eastern agrarian societies dreaded locust swarms that could strip every green thing (Exodus 10:15). Isaiah draws on that shared fear: as locusts darkened skies and leveled fields, so the spoil of the proud invader would disappear in moments. The metaphor stresses uncontrollable force, collective momentum, and total devastation. Prophetic Emphasis in Isaiah 33 1. Reversal: The oppressor who had “plundered” (Isaiah 33:1) becomes the plundered. Thematic Links Across Scripture • Exodus 10:12-19 – God unleashes locusts on Egypt, foreshadowing later judgments on tyrants. Spiritual and Ministry Application • False security is fragile; wealth or power amassed apart from God can vanish “as if by locusts” (compare Luke 12:20). Christological and Eschatological Outlook The verse precedes Isaiah’s vision of the righteous King whose reign brings stability (Isaiah 33:17-24). The swarm that devours earthly spoil anticipates the final reckoning when human pride is consumed and only what is grounded in the Messiah endures (1 Corinthians 3:13-15). Forms and Transliterations גֵּבִ֖ים גביםLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 33:4 HEB: הֶֽחָסִ֑יל כְּמַשַּׁ֥ק גֵּבִ֖ים שׁוֹקֵ֥ק בּֽוֹ׃ KJV: as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run INT: the caterpillar rushing of locusts rush |