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XX. — On the Okruh of the Ancient Hebrews, and 
Scorpion of the English Bible. 
By the Rev. David Scot, M. D., M. W. S., F. H. E. 
{Read 5th December 1829.) 
Among linguists and critics there has never been any doubt 
about the propriety of translating Okrub a scorpion. No 
one has ever experienced any difficulty in identifying this 
animal with that denoted by the Hebrew term. 
Okrub is thought to be compounded of ok, to press, and 
rub much, or keruh near, because the scorpion brings toge- 
ther, holds fast, or squeezes, with its nippers, whatever it 
kills or devours. 
The Arabic name is the same as the Hebrew,, and is pro- 
nounced kerb, or with the article prefixed, al kerb. 
It must strike every one, that in respect to shape, the 
scorpion and lobster resemble each other. This resemblance 
the Arabs had in their eye, when they termed the latter al 
kerb ul bachur, the scorpion of the sea. 
In ancient geography, Akrabbim, high mountains on the 
north borders of Moab, stretching eastwards from the lake 
Asphaltites or the Dead Sea*, and afterwards called 
Akrabatane ; Akraba, a city of Mesopotamia, not far from 
Harran* ; and Akrabene, a region lying on the Tigris ; 
were all so named, because they were infested with scorpions. 
* Mentioned, Numb, xxxiv. 4.; Josh. xv. 3.; Judg.i. 36. 
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