### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **chârᵉgôl**, represented by `{{H2728}}`, identifies a specific type of leaping insect. It is defined as "the leaping insect, i.e. a locust; beetle." Appearing only once in the entire Bible, its significance is derived entirely from its singular context within the dietary laws given to Israel.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H2728}}` is in [[Leviticus 11:22]], where it is translated as **beetle**. This verse is part of a list specifying which flying, creeping things the Israelites were permitted to **eat** `{{H398}}`. The **beetle** `{{H2728}}` is named as a clean insect, listed specifically alongside "the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind... and the grasshopper after his kind" [[Leviticus 11:22]]. This context firmly establishes **chârᵉgôl** as an exception to the general prohibition against consuming most insects.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words appear in the same verse, providing a clear context for its meaning:
* `{{H697}}` **ʼarbeh** (grasshopper, locust): Defined as "a locust (from its rapid increase)," this word appears alongside **chârᵉgôl** as an edible insect [[Leviticus 11:22]]. It is often used to describe overwhelming numbers or destructive plagues [[Joel 1:4]].
* `{{H5556}}` **çolʻâm** (bald locust): Defined as "a kind of locust (from its destructiveness)," this term is also part of the list of clean insects in [[Leviticus 11:22]], where its consumption is permitted.
* `{{H2284}}` **châgâb** (locust): This word for **locust** is also listed as clean in [[Leviticus 11:22]]. It is used metaphorically in other parts of scripture to convey a sense of smallness, as when the Israelite spies felt they were "as grasshoppers" in the sight of giants [[Numbers 13:33]].
* `{{H398}}` **ʼâkal** (to eat): This primitive root means **to eat** or consume. It is the key verb in [[Leviticus 11:22]] that permits eating the **beetle** `{{H2728}}`. The word is used for both the literal consumption of food [[Genesis 2:17]] and the figurative act of internalizing God's word [[Jeremiah 15:16]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H2728}}` is found not in the word itself, but in the legal framework where it appears.
* **Divine Law and Distinction:** The inclusion of `{{H2728}}` in a specific list of edible creatures is a function of the Mosaic Law. It underscores the theme of separation, where God defines for His people what is clean and unclean, setting them apart.
* **Specificity of God's Word:** The detailed nature of the list in [[Leviticus 11:22]], which distinguishes between the **beetle** `{{H2728}}`, locust, bald locust, and grasshopper, demonstrates the precise and comprehensive nature of God's commands to His people.
* **God as Provider:** By explicitly permitting certain insects to be eaten `{{H398}}`, the law acknowledges God's provision for His people through all parts of creation, including those that might otherwise be considered unfit for food.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2728}}` is a highly specific term for an edible insect, translated as **beetle**. Its meaning and importance are entirely derived from its single appearance in [[Leviticus 11:22]]. Understood in relation to the other types of locusts with which it is listed, **chârᵉgôl** serves as a small but clear example of the detailed nature of God's dietary laws for Israel, highlighting themes of divine distinction, specificity, and provision.
TRV