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Bible Dictionaries
Emerods
Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary
or The disease of the Philistines, which is mentioned in 1 Samuel 5:6; 1 Samuel 5:12; 1 Samuel 6:17 , is denominated, in the Hebrew, עפלים . This word occurs, likewise, in Deuteronomy 28:27; and it is worthy of remark, that it is every where explained in the keri, or marginal readings, by the Aramaean word, טחרים ; an expression which, in the Syriac dialect, where it occurs under the forms, טוראח and טחירא , means the fundament, and likewise the effort which is made in an evacuation of the system. The authors, therefore, of the reading in the keri appear to have assented to the opinion of Josephus, and to have understood by this word the dysentery. The corresponding Arabic words mean a swelling, answering somewhat in its nature to the hernia in men: a disease, consequently, very different from the hemorrhoids, which some persons understand to be meant by the word עפלים . Among other objections, it may also be observed, that the mice, which are mentioned, not only in the Hebrew text, 1 Samuel 6:5; 1 Samuel 6:12; 1 Samuel 16:18 , but also in the Alexandrine and Vulgate versions, 1 Samuel 5:6; 1 Samuel 6:5; 1 Samuel 6:11; 1 Samuel 6:18 , are an objection to understanding the hemorrhoids by the word under consideration, since if that were in fact the disease, we see no reason why mice should have been presented as an offering to avert the anger of the God of Israel. Lichtenstein has given this solution: The word, עכפרים , which is rendered mice, he supposes to mean venomous solpugas, which belong to the spider class, and yet are so large, and so similar in their form to mice, as to admit of their being denominated by the same word. These venomous animals destroy and live upon scorpions. They also bite men, whenever they can have an opportunity, particularly in the fundament and the verenda. Their bite causes swellings, which are fatal in their consequences, called, in Hebrew, עפלים . The probable supposition, then, is, that solpugas were at this time multiplied among the Philistines by the special providence of God; and that, being very venomous, they were the means of destroying many individuals.
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Watson, Richard. Entry for 'Emerods'. Richard Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/wtd/e/emerods.html. 1831-2.
