Number: 2340
Proto-Semitic: *ʕaḳrab-
Meaning: scorpion
Ugaritic: ʕḳrb 'Skorpion' [Tropper UG 284]. // In the recently published incantation RS 92.2014:5-7 (ʕlk l tʕl bt_n w tḥtk l tḳnn ʕḳrb 'may the serpent not rise over you, may the scorpion not make a nest beneath you').
Hebrew: ʕaḳrāb 'scorpion' [KB 875], pB. [Ja. 1109]. // As the animal name only in Dt 8.15. In Ez 2.6 an idiomatic expression yāšab ʔäl-ʕaḳrabbīm 'to sit on scorpions' is found while in 1R 12.11,4 // 2C 10.11,14 ʕ. is used to denote a kind of scourge.
Aramaic: Anc. ʕḳrb 'scorpion' [HJ 883]. // Only in KAI 222A 31 (pm ʕḳrb 'mouth of a scorpion'). // Off. ʕḳrbʔ 'scorpion' [HJ 883]. // In Ahiq 180, in a poorly preserved context (cf. [PY 3 48], [Kott. 229]).
Judaic Aramaic: ʕaḳrabbā 'scorpion' [Ja. 1109], [Levy WT II 239], [Levy WTM III 689], ʕḳrb (det. ʕaḳrabbā) id. [Sok. 417]. // Sam. ʕḳrb 'scorpion' [Tal 660].
Syrian Aramaic: ʕeḳḳarbā 'scorpio' [Brock. 544], [PS 2973].
Mandaic Aramaic: arḳba 'scorpion' [DM 39] (metathesis).
Arabic: ʕaḳrab- (fem.) 'scorpion', ʕaḳrab-at-, ʕaḳrabāʔ- 'scorpion femelle', ʕuḳrubān-, ʕuḳrubbān- 'scorpion mâle; sorte d'insecte qui s'introduit dans l'oreille, perce-oreille' [BK 2 317], [Fr. III 194], [Lane 2111], [LA I 624-5].
Geʕez (Ethiopian): ʕ/ʔaḳrab, ʕ/ʔaḳrāb 'scorpion' [LGz. 68].
Tigre: ʕarḳäb, ʔarḳäb 'scorpion' [LH 459] (metathesis; ʔ- instead of ʕ- in the second form).
Tigrai (Tigriñña): ʕǝnḳǝrbit 'scorpione' [Bass. 692].
Jibbali: ʕaḳréb 'Skorpion' [Bittner IV 16] (not in [JJ]).
Notes: Akk. aḳrabu 'scorpion' SB [CAD a2 207], [AHw. 62] is rightly thought to be a WS loan in both sources (equated to the standard Akk. term for 'scorpion' zuḳaḳīpu in Malku V 54). See further [von Soden 1957-8 393]. // Amh. aḳrab 'Scorpio' [K 1185] is borrowed from Gez. (in its turn, most probably an Arabism, at least as the constellation name). // In a number of languages ʕ. forms part of word combinations denoting various kinds of crustaceans (Arb. ʕaḳrab-al-māʔ- 'écrevisse' [BK 2 317], Tgr. ʕarḳäb bäḥar 'crab' [LH 459], Tna. ʕǝnḳǝrbit baḥri 'granchio' [Bass. 692]). // The Proto-MSA term for 'scorpion' (*ḳibīn-: Mhr. ḳǝbáyn [JM 220], Hrs. ḳebáyn [JH 72], Jib. iṣ̃īn [JJ 313]) exhibits a certain similarity to the present root but a direct relationship is difficult to assume (note, on the other hand, Gez. ḳobni 'bedbug' [LGz. 419]). Any connection with Soq. ḳaʕnínhin 'scorpion' [LS 380] seems unlikely. // Cf. Arb. ḳaranbā 'sorte d'insecte aux pieds longs et semblable au scarabée' [BK 2 705], [TA 4 30] as well as ʕanḳafīr- 'scorpion; chameau très-vieux et courbé vers la terre par l'âge' [BK 2 319], [TA old III 419]. // [KB 875]: Hbr., Arm., Akk., Arb., Gez., Tgr.; [Brock. 544]: Syr., Arm., Hbr., Arb., Gez., Akk.; [LGz. 68]: Gez., Eth., Arb., Jib., Akk., Arm.; [Firmage 1156]: Akk., Hbr., Arm., Gez., Arb.
