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Friday, October 31st, 2025
the Week of Proper 25 / Ordinary 30
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Snail
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
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snāl ((1) חמט , ḥōmeṭ , the Revised Version (British and American) "sand-lizard," Septuagint σαῦρα , saúra , "lizard" ( Leviticus 11:30 ); (2) שׁבּלוּל , shabbelūl , Septuagint κηρός , kērós , "wax" (Psalm 58:8 )): (1) Ḥōmeṭ is 7th in the list of unclean "creeping things" in Leviticus 11:30 , and occurs nowhere else. "Snail" is not warranted by Septuagint or Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) the Revised Version (British and American) has "sand-lizard." It may be the skink or a species of Lacerta . See LIZARD . (2) Shabbelūl is translated "snail" in Psalm 58:8 : "Let them be as a snail which melteth and passeth away." Mandelkern gives limax , "slug." Gesenius derives shabbelūl from bālal , "to pour"; compare Arabic balla , "to wet," instancing λεῖμαξ , leı́max , "snail," or "slug," from λείβω , leı́bo , "to pour." While Septuagint has kēros , "wax," Talmud (Mō‛ēdh Ḳāṭān 6b) supports "snail." The ordinary explanation of the passage, which is not very satisfying, is that the snail leaves a trail of mucus (i.e. it melts) as it moves along. This does not in any way cause the snail to waste away, because its glands are continually manufacturing fresh mucous. Two large species of snail, Helix aspersa and Helix pomatia , are collected and eaten, boiled, by the Christians of Syria and Palestine, especially in Lent. The Jews and Moslems declare them to be unclean and do not eat them.
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Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Snail'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/isb/s/snail.html. 1915.
