Easton's Bible Dictionary Hebrews zebub, (Ecclesiastes 10:1; Isaiah 7:18). This fly was so grievous a pest that the Phoenicians invoked against it the aid of their god Baal-zebub (q.v.). The prophet Isaiah (7:18) alludes to some poisonous fly which was believed to be found on the confines of Egypt, and which would be called by the Lord. Poisonous flies exist in many parts of Africa, for instance, the different kinds of tsetse. Hebrews `arob, the name given to the insects sent as a plague on the land of Egypt (Exodus 8:21-31; Psalm 78:45; 105:31). The LXX. render this by a word which means the "dog-fly," the cynomuia. The Jewish commentators regarded the Hebrew word here as connected with the word 'arab, which means "mingled;" and they accordingly supposed the plague to consist of a mixed multitude of animals, beasts, reptiles, and insects. But there is no doubt that "the 'arab" denotes a single definite species. Some interpreters regard it as the Blatta orientalis, the cockroach, a species of beetle. These insects "inflict very painful bites with their jaws; gnaw and destroy clothes, household furniture, leather, and articles of every kind, and either consume or render unavailable all eatables." Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (v. i.) To move in or pass through the air with wings, as a bird. 2. (v. i.) To move through the air or before the wind; esp., to pass or be driven rapidly through the air by any impulse. 3. (v. i.) To float, wave, or rise in the air, as sparks or a flag. 4. (v. i.) To move or pass swiftly; to hasten away; to circulate rapidly; as, a ship flies on the deep; a top flies around; rumor flies. 5. (v. i.) To run from danger; to attempt to escape; to flee; as, an enemy or a coward flies. See Note under Flee. 6. (v. i.) To move suddenly, or with violence; to do an act suddenly or swiftly; -- usually with a qualifying word; as, a door flies open; a bomb flies apart. 7. (v. t.) To cause to fly or to float in the air, as a bird, a kite, a flag, etc. 8. (v. t.) To fly or flee from; to shun; to avoid. 9. (v. t.) To hunt with a hawk. 10. (v. i.) Any winged insect; esp., one with transparent wings; as, the Spanish fly; firefly; gall fly; dragon fly. 11. (v. i.) Any dipterous insect; as, the house fly; flesh fly; black fly. See Diptera. 12. (n.) A hook dressed in imitation of a fly, -- used for fishing. 13. (n.) A familiar spirit; a witch's attendant. 14. (n.) A parasite. 15. (n.) A kind of light carriage for rapid transit, plying for hire and usually drawn by one horse. 16. (n.) The length of an extended flag from its staff; sometimes, the length from the union to the extreme end. 17. (n.) The part of a vane pointing the direction from which the wind blows. 18. (v. i.) That part of a compass on which the points are marked; the compass card. 19. (v. i.) Two or more vanes set on a revolving axis, to act as a fanner, or to equalize or impede the motion of machinery by the resistance of the air, as in the striking part of a clock. 20. (n.) A heavy wheel, or cross arms with weights at the ends on a revolving axis, to regulate or equalize the motion of machinery by means of its inertia, where the power communicated, or the resistance to be overcome, is variable, as in the steam engine or the coining press. See Fly wheel (below). 21. (n.) The piece hinged to the needle, which holds the engaged loop in position while the needle is penetrating another loop; a latch. 22. (n.) The pair of arms revolving around the bobbin, in a spinning wheel or spinning frame, to twist the yarn. 23. (n.) A shuttle driven through the shed by a blow or jerk. 24. (v. i.) Formerly, the person who took the printed sheets from the press. 25. (n.) A vibrating frame with fingers, attached to a power to a power printing press for doing the same work. 26. (n.) The outer canvas of a tent with double top, usually drawn over the ridgepole, but so extended as to touch the roof of the tent at no other place. 27. (n.) One of the upper screens of a stage in a theater. 28. (n.) The fore flap of a bootee; also, a lap on trousers, overcoats, etc., to conceal a row of buttons. 29. (n.) A batted ball that flies to a considerable distance, usually high in the air; also, the flight of a ball so struck; as, it was caught on the fly. 30. (a.) Knowing; wide awake; fully understanding another's meaning. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia FLY (Verb; `uph petaomai, or, contracted, ptaomai): Used in preference to "flee" when great speed is to be indicated. "To fly" is used: (1) Literally, of birds, `uph (Genesis 1:20 Psalm 55:6); da'ah (Deuteronomy 28:49), of sparks (Job 5:7); of the arrow (Psalm 91:5); of the seraphim (Isaiah 6:2, 6); of an angel (Daniel 9:21, ya`aph, "to be caused to fly"); of swift action or movement (Psalm 18:10 Jeremiah 48:40); of people (Isaiah 11:14); of a fleet (Isaiah 60:8 1 Samuel 15:19, 14:32, `asah, "to do," etc.). (2) Figuratively, of a dream (Job 20:8); of man's transitory life (Psalm 90:10); of riches (Proverbs 23:5); of national glory (Hosea 9:11). For "fly" the Revised Version (British and American) has "soar" (Job 39:26) "fly down" (Isaiah 11:14); for "flying" (Isaiah 31:5) the American Standard Revised Version has "hovering." W. L. Walker FLY; FLIES fli fliz `arobh (Exodus 8:21 Psalm 78:45; Psalm 105:31; Septuagint kunomuia; "dog-fly"), zebhubh (Ecclesiastes 10:1 Isaiah 7:18; Septuagint muiai, "flies"); compare ba`al-zebhubh, "Baal-zebub" (2 Kings 1:2), and beelzeboul, "Beelzebul," or beelzeboub, "Beelzebub" (Matthew 10:25; Matthew 12:24, 27 Luke 11:15, 18, 19); compare Arabic dhubab, "fly" or "bee"; (Note: "dh" for Arabic dhal, pronounced like "d" or "z" or like th in "the"): The references in Psalms as well as in Exodus are to the plague of flies, and the word `arobh is rendered "swarm of flies" throughout, except in Psalm 78:45; Psalm 105:31 the King James Version, where we find "divers sorts of flies" (compare Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) omne genus muscarum). In Exodus 8:21 we read, "I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are"; in Exodus 8:24,. "the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies"; in Psalm 78:45, "He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them." There has been much speculation as to what the insects were, but all the texts cited, including even Psalm 78:45, may apply perfectly well to the common house fly (Musca domestica). Some species of blue-bottle fly (Calliphora) might also suit. The other word, zebhubh, occurs in Ecclesiastes 10:1, "Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor"; and Isaiah 7:18, "And it shall come to pass in that day, that Yahweh will hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria:" The house fly would fit perfectly the reference in each, but that in Isaiah would seem to suggest rather one of the horse flies (Tabanidae) or gad flies (Oestridae). Whatever fly may be meant, it is used as a symbol for the military power of Egypt, as the bee for that of Assyria. Owing to deficiencies in public and private hygiene, and also for other reasons, house flies and others are unusually abundant in Palestine and Egypt and are agents in the transmission of cholera, typhoid fever, ophthalmia and anthrax. Glossina morsitans, the tsetse fly, which is fatal to many domestic animals, and Glossina palpalis which transmits the sleeping sickness, are abundant in tropical Africa, but do not reach Egypt proper. See PLAGUE. Alfred Ely Day

Multi-Version Concordance Fly (33 Occurrences) Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds which fly in the air: they do not sow or reap or store up in barns, but your Heavenly Father feeds them: are not you of much greater value than they? (WEY) Matthew 23:24 You blind guides, who take out a fly from your drink, but make no trouble over a camel. (BBE) Revelation 9:6 In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them. (See RSV) Revelation 12:14 Two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, so that she might be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Revelation 14:6 I saw an angel flying in mid heaven, having an eternal Good News to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation, tribe, language, and people. (Root in WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Revelation 19:17 I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the sky, "Come! Be gathered together to the great supper of God, (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Genesis 1:20 God said, "Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of sky." (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Exodus 8:31 Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. There remained not one. (See NIV) Deuteronomy 19:5 as when a man goes into the forest with his neighbor to chop wood, and his hand fetches a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle, and lights on his neighbor, so that he dies; he shall flee to one of these cities and live: (See NIV) 1 Samuel 15:19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD? (KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT) 2 Samuel 22:11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind. (KJV JPS ASV DBY YLT) Job 5:7 but man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Job 9:25 "Now my days are swifter than a runner. They flee away, they see no good, (See NIV) Job 20:8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found. Yes, he shall be chased away like a vision of the night. (WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS RSV) Job 39:26 Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south? (KJV DBY WBS) Psalms 18:10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. (KJV JPS ASV DBY YLT) Psalms 55:6 I said, "Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away, and be at rest. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Psalms 90:10 The days of our years are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty years; yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for it passes quickly, and we fly away. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Proverbs 23:4 Labour not to make wealth, From thine own understanding cease, Dost thou cause thine eyes to fly upon it? Then it is not. (YLT) Proverbs 23:5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. (KJV WBS RSV NIV) Isaiah 6:2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. (KJV JPS ASV NIV) Isaiah 7:18 It will happen in that day that Yahweh will whistle for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) Isaiah 11:14 They will fly down on the shoulders of the Philistines on the west. Together they will plunder the children of the east. They will extend their power over Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon will obey them. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS) Isaiah 60:8 "Who are these who fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Jeremiah 48:9 Give wings to Moab, that she may fly and get her away: and her cities shall become a desolation, without any to dwell therein. (WEB JPS ASV RSV) Jeremiah 48:40 For thus says Yahweh: Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread out his wings against Moab. (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV) Jeremiah 49:22 Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread out his wings against Bozrah: and the heart of the mighty men of Edom at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs. (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV) Ezekiel 13:20 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against your pillows, with which you there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let the souls go, even the souls whom you hunt to make them fly. (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS) Daniel 9:21 yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening offering. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT) Hosea 9:11 As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird. There will be no birth, none with child, and no conception. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Nahum 3:16 You have increased your merchants more than the stars of the skies. The grasshopper strips, and flees away. (See NIV) Nahum 3:17 Your guards are like the locusts, and your officials like the swarms of locusts, which settle on the walls on a cold day, but when the sun appears, they flee away, and their place is not known where they are. (See RSV NIV) Habakkuk 1:8 Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves. Their horsemen press proudly on. Yes, their horsemen come from afar. They fly as an eagle that hurries to devour. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)