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The Bible And Science: Insects

Earthling

David Henson
The Bible critic will sometimes make the uninformed claim that the Bible isn't scientific because it says that insects have four legs.

Leviticus 11:20-23 - Every winged swarming creature that goes on all fours is a loathsome thing to you. Only this is what you may eat of all the winged swarming creatures that go upon all fours, those that have leaper legs above their feet with which to leap upon the earth. These are the ones of them you may eat of: the migratory locust according to its kind, and the edible locust after its kind, and the cricket according to its kind, and the grasshopper according to its kind. And every other winged swarming creature that does have four legs is a loathsome thing to you.

In Leviticus 11:22 a the Hebrew word arbeh is translated "locust" and is the migratory locust, fully developed and winged. The Hebrew word yeleq refers to the creeping, wingless locust, the immature undeveloped locust. (Joel 1:4) and the Hebrew term solam refers to the edible locust as in Leviticus 11:22 b. That is a leper locust rather than a flier. The Greek akris is rendered "insect locust" and "locust." (Matthew 3:4 / Revelation 9:7)

The leaper insect has two pairs of wings, four walking legs and two much longer leaper legs.

The question put forth by the Bible critic is, does the Bible say that insects have four legs when it says that they are 'going on all fours?' The answer of course is no. The writers of the Bible - in this case, Moses - were not scientist of entomology and botany, but we are talking about Moses' dietary restrictions. They ate the insects. They would have noticed how many legs they had and would have been capable of making the distinction between a leaper insect that actually had six legs but walked on four, or in fact would not have been far removed from using the expression even when considering six legged insects who walk as if on all fours like a four legged creature. We would use the term walking on all four legs in application to a two legged human doing the same.

To me it is an example of how far the Bible critic has to stretch the obvious truth in order to substantiate or promote propaganda rather than learning the application of rational thinking. In the name of science?
 

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
Did you actually read the post? Where is the Bible scientifically inaccurate here? It's the uninformed skeptic that is inaccurate.
Yo may be mistaken here. Again.

It appears that you are claiming that these are different species of locusts. Do you have a source for that?
 

Skwim

Veteran Member
The Bible critic will sometimes make the uninformed claim that the Bible isn't scientific because it says that insects have four legs.


The leaper insect has two pairs of wings, four walking legs and two much longer leaper legs.
But doesn't 4 walking legs + 2 "leaper legs" = a total of 6 legs? Of course it does. And just because it happens to use one pair to jump with doesn't mean the two specialized legs aren't also walking legs.

Video of a grasshopper walking

To claim that just because two legs preform a function the other four legs don't, doesn't invalidate the fact that these two specialized legs aren't also walking legs. It would be like suggesting that one of the five fingers of our hand (the thumb) isn't really a finger because it's directly opposable to all the others; something the other four are not.

.


 

whirlingmerc

Well-Known Member
The Bible critic will sometimes make the uninformed claim that the Bible isn't scientific because it says that insects have four legs.

Leviticus 11:20-23 - Every winged swarming creature that goes on all fours is a loathsome thing to you. Only this is what you may eat of all the winged swarming creatures that go upon all fours, those that have leaper legs above their feet with which to leap upon the earth. These are the ones of them you may eat of: the migratory locust according to its kind, and the edible locust after its kind, and the cricket according to its kind, and the grasshopper according to its kind. And every other winged swarming creature that does have four legs is a loathsome thing to you.

In Leviticus 11:22 a the Hebrew word arbeh is translated "locust" and is the migratory locust, fully developed and winged. The Hebrew word yeleq refers to the creeping, wingless locust, the immature undeveloped locust. (Joel 1:4) and the Hebrew term solam refers to the edible locust as in Leviticus 11:22 b. That is a leper locust rather than a flier. The Greek akris is rendered "insect locust" and "locust." (Matthew 3:4 / Revelation 9:7)

The leaper insect has two pairs of wings, four walking legs and two much longer leaper legs.

The question put forth by the Bible critic is, does the Bible say that insects have four legs when it says that they are 'going on all fours?' The answer of course is no. The writers of the Bible - in this case, Moses - were not scientist of entomology and botany, but we are talking about Moses' dietary restrictions. They ate the insects. They would have noticed how many legs they had and would have been capable of making the distinction between a leaper insect that actually had six legs but walked on four, or in fact would not have been far removed from using the expression even when considering six legged insects who walk as if on all fours like a four legged creature. We would use the term walking on all four legs in application to a two legged human doing the same.

To me it is an example of how far the Bible critic has to stretch the obvious truth in order to substantiate or promote propaganda rather than learning the application of rational thinking. In the name of science?

I think people in Bible times were perfectly capable of counting. We see how many legs bugs have and they being more agricultural probably more so.
 

Earthling

David Henson
But doesn't 4 walking legs + 2 "leaper legs" = a total of 6 legs? Of course it does. And just because it happens to use one pair to jump with doesn't mean the two specialized legs aren't also walking legs.

Video of a grasshopper walking

To claim that just because two legs preform a function the other four legs don't, doesn't invalidate the fact that these two specialized legs aren't also walking legs. It would be like suggesting that one of the five fingers of our hand (the thumb) isn't really a finger because it's directly opposable to all the others; something the other four are not.

It doesn't matter, you appear to be trying to make the Bible look wrong when it isn't. They ate the bugs. They didn't need a scientist to remind them of how many legs they had, I'm sure they were aware. The point is they walk on four legs. It doesn't say that they can't walk on six legs, it says they walk on four as they typically do.
 

danieldemol

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
It doesn't matter, you appear to be trying to make the Bible look wrong when it isn't. They ate the bugs. They didn't need a scientist to remind them of how many legs they had, I'm sure they were aware. The point is they walk on four legs. It doesn't say that they can't walk on six legs, it says they walk on four as they typically do.
Have you got a video of a healthy typical grasshopper walking on four legs? We might need the opinion of a subject matter expert and not someone who is just a plain old bible believer to clarify the matter.
 

Dan From Smithville

What's up Doc?
Staff member
Premium Member
The Bible critic will sometimes make the uninformed claim that the Bible isn't scientific because it says that insects have four legs.

Leviticus 11:20-23 - Every winged swarming creature that goes on all fours is a loathsome thing to you. Only this is what you may eat of all the winged swarming creatures that go upon all fours, those that have leaper legs above their feet with which to leap upon the earth. These are the ones of them you may eat of: the migratory locust according to its kind, and the edible locust after its kind, and the cricket according to its kind, and the grasshopper according to its kind. And every other winged swarming creature that does have four legs is a loathsome thing to you.

In Leviticus 11:22 a the Hebrew word arbeh is translated "locust" and is the migratory locust, fully developed and winged. The Hebrew word yeleq refers to the creeping, wingless locust, the immature undeveloped locust. (Joel 1:4) and the Hebrew term solam refers to the edible locust as in Leviticus 11:22 b. That is a leper locust rather than a flier. The Greek akris is rendered "insect locust" and "locust." (Matthew 3:4 / Revelation 9:7)

The leaper insect has two pairs of wings, four walking legs and two much longer leaper legs.

The question put forth by the Bible critic is, does the Bible say that insects have four legs when it says that they are 'going on all fours?' The answer of course is no. The writers of the Bible - in this case, Moses - were not scientist of entomology and botany, but we are talking about Moses' dietary restrictions. They ate the insects. They would have noticed how many legs they had and would have been capable of making the distinction between a leaper insect that actually had six legs but walked on four, or in fact would not have been far removed from using the expression even when considering six legged insects who walk as if on all fours like a four legged creature. We would use the term walking on all four legs in application to a two legged human doing the same.

To me it is an example of how far the Bible critic has to stretch the obvious truth in order to substantiate or promote propaganda rather than learning the application of rational thinking. In the name of science?
Insects have three pairs of legs. Locusts are insects. They have three pairs of legs. If they are described as four-legged, then the description is wrong. It says every winged creature that walks on four legs and that is more than just locusts. Sorry. Better luck next time.
 

Earthling

David Henson
Have you got a video of a healthy typical grasshopper walking on four legs? We might need the opinion of a subject matter expert and not someone who is just a plain old bible believer to clarify the matter.

Grasshopper walking on four legs


People walking on all four

 

whirlingmerc

Well-Known Member
Have you got a video of a healthy typical grasshopper walking on four legs? We might need the opinion of a subject matter expert and not someone who is just a plain old bible believer to clarify the matter.

one view is here.
front 4 legs for walking, back two for leaping
the very front 2 for walking or eating
Why does Leviticus talk about four legged insects when insects have six legs?

quote
A grasshopper walks on its front four legs and the back legs are specialized for leaping -- they aren't generally used for walking. The Israelites were allowed to eat leaping, flying insects which were identified by their rear legs being much larger than the four walking legs.

We make no distinction as to what legs are used for. The passage in Leviticus does.
unquote
 

Dan From Smithville

What's up Doc?
Staff member
Premium Member
Yes, and they typically walk on 4.
Grasshoppers, locusts and crickets all walk using all six legs. That video is accurate. Even if they did not, the Bible verse claims that all insects that fly only have and use four legs. This is inaccurate and reflects a poor attention to detail and understanding of insect locomotion by the authors.
 

Dan From Smithville

What's up Doc?
Staff member
Premium Member
one view is here.
front 4 legs for walking, back two for leaping
the very front 2 for walking or eating
Why does Leviticus talk about four legged insects when insects have six legs?

quote
A grasshopper walks on its front four legs and the back legs are specialized for leaping -- they aren't generally used for walking. The Israelites were allowed to eat leaping, flying insects which were identified by their rear legs being much larger than the four walking legs.

We make no distinction as to what legs are used for. The passage in Leviticus does.
unquote
I have seen a lot of grasshoppers that obviously are unaware of the fact that you claim they do not use their hind limbs for walking.
 
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