Bible Dictionaries
Bee

Bee (דְּבוֹרָה dəḇōrāh - Strongs: H1682) — Israel, according to Scripture, is a land flowing with honey (Exodus 3:8). Its dry climate, its rich abundance, and variety of aromatic flowers, and its limestone rocks render it particularly adapted for bees. No wonder then that honey bees, both wild and hived, abound there. All the different species known by the names of Bombus, Nomia, Andrena, Osmia, Megachile, Anthophora, are widely spread throughout the country. The hived honey bee of Israel, Apis fasciata, belongs to a variety slightly different from ours, characterized by yellow stripes on the abdomen. Wild bees are said to live not only in rocks [Ps. 81:16], but in hollow trees (1 Samuel 14:25), even in dried carcasses Judges 14:8). Syrian and Egyptian hives are made of a mash of clay and straw for coolness. In Old Testament times, honey was an article of export (Genesis 43:11; Ezekiel 27:17). Bees are spoken of in Bible as a term of comparison for a numerous army relentlessly harassing their enemies. Debôrah, the Hebrew name for bee, was a favourite name for women.

Verses:

• Deuteronomy 1:44
• Judges 14:8
• Psalms 118:12
• Isaiah 7:18