Those passages which mention the venom of the Scorpion are numerous, though most, if not all, of them occur in the New Testament. See Rev. ix. 5: "And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months, and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man." Also ver. 10 of the same chapter: "And they had tails like unto scorpions: and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months."
There is, also, the well-known saying of our Lord, "If a son shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?" (Luke xi. 12.) And in the preceding chapter of the same Evangelist Scorpions are classed with serpents in their power of injury: "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you."
There is another reference to the Scorpion in the Old Testament, which requires an explanation. It forms part of the rash counsel given to Rehoboam by his friends: "My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke; my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions."
The general tenor of this passage is evident enough, namely, that he intended to be far more severe than his father had been. But his words assume a new force when we remember that there was a kind of whip called a Scorpion. This terrible instrument was made for the express purpose of punishing slaves, so that the mere mention of it was an insult. It consisted of several thongs, each of which was loaded with knobs of metal, and tipped with a metal hook, so that it resembled the jointed and hooked tail of the Scorpion. This dreadful instrument of torture could kill a man by a few blows, and it was even used in combats in the amphitheatre, a gladiator armed with a Scorpion being matched against one armed with a spear.
THE SPIDER.
Spiders of Palestine.
There are very many species of Spider in Palestine; some which spin webs, like the common Garden Spider, some which dig subterranean cells and make doors in them, like the well-known Trap-door Spider of Southern Europe, and some which have no webs, but chase their prey upon the ground, like the Wolf and Hunting Spiders.