By the Hebrew word we are certainly to understand some species of clothes-moth (tinea). Reference to the destructive habits of the clothes-moth is made in (Job 4:19; 13:28; Psalms 39:11) etc. (The moth is a well-known insect which in its caterpillar state is very destructive to woollen clothing, furs, etc. The egg of the moth, being deposited on the fur or cloth, produces a very small shining insect, which immediately forms a house for itself by cuttings from the cloth. It east away the nap, and finally ruins the fabric. There are more than 1500 species of moths. --McClintock and Strong's Cyclopedia.)

The common moth is an insect destructive to woolen cloths. The egg is laid by a small shining worm; which by another transformation becomes a miller. Allusions to the moth, as devouring clothes, and as a frail and feeble insect, are frequent in Scripture, Job 4:19 13:28 27:18 Isaiah 50:9 Hosea 5:12 Matthew 6:19,20. See GARMENTS.

The insects called in general moths, of which the above is only one species, are exceedingly numerous. The main genus is called by naturalists Phaloena, and contains more than fifteen hundred species. Moths fly abroad only in the evening and night; differing in this respect from the tribe of butterflies that fly only by day. Their larva, or the worms from which they spring, are active, and quick in motion, mostly smooth, and prey voraciously on the food adapted to them; the common moth on cloths, others on furs, the leaves of plants, etc.

moth (`ash; compare Arabic `uththat, "moth"; colloquial, `itt; cac, "worm" (Isaiah 51:8); compare Arabic sus, "worm," especially an insect larva in flesh, wood or grain; ses, "moth" (Matthew 6:19, 20 Luke 12:33); setobrotos, "moth-eaten" (James 5:2)):

The moths constitute the larger division of the order Lepidoptera. Two of the points by which they are distinguished from butterflies are that they are generally nocturnal and that their antennae are not club-shaped. Further, the larva in many cases spins a cocoon for the protection of the pupa or chrysalis, which is never the case with butterflies. The Biblical references are to the clothes-moth, i.e. various species of the genus Tinea, tiny insects which lay their eggs in woolen clothes, upon which the larvae later feed. As the larva feeds it makes a cocoon of its silk together with fibers of the cloth on which it is feeding, so that the color of the cocoon depends upon the color of the fabric. The adult is only indirectly harmful, as it is only in the larval stage that the insect injures clothing. Therefore in Isaiah 51:8, "For the moth (`ash) shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm (cac) shall eat them like wool," both words must refer to the larva, the distich demanding such a word as cac to balance `ash in the first half. The word "moth" occurs 7 times in the Old Testament, in Job, Psalms, Isaiah and Hosea, always in figurative expressions, typifying either that which is destructive (Job 13:28 Psalm 39:11 Isaiah 50:9; Isaiah 51:8 Hosea 5:12) or that which is frail (Job 4:19; Job 27:18).

See INSECTS.

Alfred Ely Day

Gr. ses, thus rendered in Matthew 6:19, 20; Luke 12:33. Allusion is thus made to the destruction of clothing by the larvae of the clothes-moth. This is the only lepidopterous insect referred to in Scripture.

2. (n.) Any nocturnal lepidopterous insect, or any not included among the butterflies; as, the luna moth; Io moth; hawk moth.

3. (n.) Any lepidopterous insect that feeds upon garments, grain, etc.; as, the clothes moth; grain moth; bee moth.

4. (n.) Any one of various other insects that destroy woolen and fur goods, etc., esp. the larvae of several species of beetles of the genera Dermestes and Anthrenus. Carpet moths are often the larvae of Anthrenus. See Carpet beetle, under Carpet, Dermestes, Anthrenus.

5. (n.) Anything which gradually and silently eats, consumes, or wastes any other thing.

5580. sas -- a moth
... a moth. Transliteration: sas Phonetic Spelling: (sawce) Short Definition: grub.
Word Origin of uncertain derivation Definition a moth NASB Word Usage grub (1). ...
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4193. moth -- death.
... << 4192, 4193. moth. 4194 >>. death. Transliteration: moth Phonetic Spelling:
(mohth) Short Definition: death. Word Origin (Aramaic ...
/hebrew/4193.htm - 5k

1120. Bamoth -- "high place," a place in Moab
... << 1119, 1120. Bamoth. 1121 >>. "high place," a place in Moab. Transliteration:
Bamoth Phonetic Spelling: (baw-moth') Short Definition: Bamoth. ...
/hebrew/1120.htm - 6k

2454. chokmoth -- wisdom, every wise woman
... << 2453, 2454. chokmoth. 2455 >>. wisdom, every wise woman. Transliteration: chokmoth
Phonetic Spelling: (khok-moth') Short Definition: wisdom. ...
/hebrew/2454.htm - 5k

7433. Ramoth Gilad -- a city East of the Jordan
... a city East of the Jordan. Transliteration: Ramoth Gilad or Ramoth Gilad Phonetic
Spelling: (raw-moth') Short Definition: Ramoth-gilead. ...
/hebrew/7433.htm - 6k

7216. Ramoth -- "heights," the name of several cities in Isr.
... "heights," the name of several cities in Isr. Transliteration: Ramoth or Ramoth
Phonetic Spelling: (raw-moth') Short Definition: Ramoth. ...
/hebrew/7216.htm - 6k

8070. Shemiramoth -- probably "name of heights," two Levites
... Shemiramoth. 8071 >>. probably "name of heights," two Levites. Transliteration:
Shemiramoth Phonetic Spelling: (shem-ee-raw-moth') Short Definition: Shemiramoth ...
/hebrew/8070.htm - 6k

1181. baale bamoth -- lords of (the) high places
... << 1180, 1181. baale bamoth. 1182 >>. lords of (the) high places. Transliteration:
baale bamoth Phonetic Spelling: (bah-al-ay' baw-moth') Short Definition: heights ...
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1020. Beth Hayshimoth -- "place of the desert," a place East of ...
... "place of the desert," a place East of the Jordan in Moab. Transliteration: Beth
Hayshimoth Phonetic Spelling: (bayth hah-yesh-ee-moth') Short Definition: Beth ...
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