Lexical Summary
remes: Creeping thing, moving creature
Original Word: רֶמֶשׂ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: remes
Pronunciation: reh'-mes
Phonetic Spelling: (reh'-mes)
KJV: that creepeth, creeping (moving) thing
NASB: creeping things, creeping thing, creeps, moving thing, swarms
Word Origin: [from H7430 (רָמַשׂ - creeps)]
1. a reptile or any other rapidly moving animal
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
that creeps, creeping moving thing
From ramas; a reptile or any other rapidly moving animal -- that creepeth, creeping (moving) thing.
see HEBREW ramas
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
ramasDefinitioncreeping things, moving things
NASB Translationcreeping thing (5), creeping things (9), creeps (1), moving thing (1), swarms (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Ezekiel 38:20 ; — absolute 1 Kings 5:13 +, construct Hosea 2:20 +; —
creeping things (distinguished from , , , , ) Hosea 2:20; 1 Kings 5:13; Ezekiel 8:10; Ezekiel 38:20; Genesis 1:24,25,26; Genesis 6:7,20; Genesis 7:14,23; Genesis 8:17,19 (all P), Habakkuk 1:14 (in sim) Psalm 148:10.
, gliding things, Psalm 104:25.
moving things, of all animals Genesis 9:3 (P). — compare DrHast. DB CREEPING THINGS.
, , see .
I, II. see . below
Topical Lexicon
Concept and Scope The term designates the broad class of small land animals that move close to the ground—reptiles, amphibians, insects, and other invertebrates—together with certain aquatic counterparts when context requires. Scripture treats them as a distinct but integral division within the animal world, consistently pairing them with domesticated livestock and wild beasts.
Occurrences in the Creation Account
Genesis 1:24–26 frames these creatures as part of the original “very good” order. Their repeated mention (“livestock, creeping things, and beasts of the earth”) underscores the completeness of God’s creative work and establishes a three-fold taxonomy that informs subsequent passages. Humanity’s dominion mandate explicitly includes them: “let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creature that moves along the ground” (Genesis 1:26). Thus they serve as an early witness to mankind’s stewardship responsibility—a theme that remains intact after the Fall.
Role in the Antediluvian World
By Genesis 6:7 the judgment announced upon humankind also reaches “beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air,” revealing the cosmic reach of human sin. Yet in 6:20 God graciously preserves representatives of every kind, including these small ground-dwellers, within the ark. Their inclusion affirms both their intrinsic value and their function in sustaining post-Flood ecosystems.
The Deluge and Re-Creation Motif
Genesis 7:14, 7:23, 8:17, and 8:19 reprise the same triad used in Genesis 1, portraying the Flood as a de-creation followed by a new beginning. The command, “Bring out all the living creatures that are with you…birds, livestock, and every creature that crawls upon the earth, that they may breed abundantly on the earth” (Genesis 8:17), echoes the original blessing, highlighting continuity in God’s purposes despite judgment.
Post-Flood Dietary and Covenant Implications
In Genesis 9:3 God tells Noah, “Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things”. The scope explicitly reaches these creatures, legitimizing their use for sustenance while still requiring reverence for life (9:4-6). The universality of the covenant with “every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth” (9:10) places these small creatures under divine protection alongside larger animals and humanity.
Wisdom and Poetic Literature
Solomon’s encyclopedic study embraced them: “He spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish” (1 Kings 4:33). Psalm 104:25 depicts the teeming sea—“living things both great and small”—as a display of God’s creative abundance, while Psalm 148:10 summons “wild animals and all cattle, crawling creatures and flying birds” to join the cosmic chorus of praise. Their presence in doxology urges believers to recognize the Creator’s glory in even the smallest forms of life.
Prophetic Usage
Ezekiel 8:10 shocks with idolatrous images of “creeping things, beasts, and detestable idols,” showing how corruption perverts created order. Conversely, Ezekiel 38:20 lists them among creatures that will tremble at the Lord’s final intervention, testifying to His universal lordship. Hosea 2:18 envisions a covenant of peace that includes “the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the creatures that crawl,” anticipating eschatological harmony. Habakkuk 1:14 laments that Judah has been made “like the fish of the sea, like creeping things that have no ruler,” a poetic indictment of societal chaos when divine authority is ignored.
Theological Themes
1. Value of the seemingly insignificant: Their repeated explicit mention affirms that God delights in all levels of creation.
2. Comprehensive scope of judgment and redemption: From Flood to final restoration, these creatures participate in God’s sweeping redemptive plan.
3. Human stewardship: Dominion is never license for exploitation but a call to wise oversight, echoing Genesis and reinforced by later covenant language.
4. Universal praise: Even silent, lowly creatures contribute to the chorus that magnifies the Creator, reminding worshipers of God’s all-inclusive glory.
Practical Ministry Considerations
• Creation Care: Christian stewardship must extend to habitats that sustain these creatures, reflecting respect for the Creator’s handiwork.
• Teaching Children: Their visibility in everyday life provides accessible illustrations of God’s creativity and providence.
• Evangelism and Apologetics: The intricacy of small organisms offers compelling evidence of intelligent design, supporting faith-affirming arguments.
• Worship and Wonder: Incorporating the language of Psalms 104 and 148 into corporate prayer enriches doxology by acknowledging the breadth of God’s kingdom.
Forms and Transliterations
הָרֶ֖מֶשׂ הָרֶ֙מֶשׂ֙ הָרֶ֛מֶשׂ הרמש וְרֶ֖מֶשׂ וָרֶ֛מֶשׂ ורמש כְּרֶ֖מֶשׂ כרמש רֶ֖מֶשׂ רֶ֙מֶשׂ֙ רֶ֝֗מֶשׂ רֶ֤מֶשׂ רֶ֥מֶשׂ רֶ֭מֶשׂ רמש hā·re·meś haRemes hāremeś kə·re·meś keRemes kəremeś re·meś Remes remeś vaRemes veRemes wā·re·meś wāremeś wə·re·meś wəremeś
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