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Bible Dictionaries
Flea
Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary
or פרעש , 1 Samuel 24:14; 1 Samuel 26:20 . The LXX, and another Greek version in the Hexapla, render it ψυλλον , and the Vulgate pulex. It seems, says Mr. Parkhurst, an evident derivative from פרע free, and רעש to leap, bound, or skip, on account of its agility in leaping or skipping. The flea is a little wingless insect, equally contemptible and troublesome. It is thus described by an Arabian author: "A black, nimble, extenuated, hunch- backed animal, which being sensible when any one looks on it, jumps incessantly, now on one side, now on the other, till it gets out of sight." David likens himself to this insect; importing that while it would cost Saul much pains to catch him, he would obtain but very little advantage from it.
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Watson, Richard. Entry for 'Flea'. Richard Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/wtd/f/flea.html. 1831-2.
