hornet

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

Concise Bible Dictionary:

Vespa Orientalis
The insect tsirah is of the wasp kind. God promised to send these insects before the Israelites to drive out the inhabitants of the land of Canaan (Ex. 23:2828And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee. (Exodus 23:28); Deut. 7:2020Moreover the Lord thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed. (Deuteronomy 7:20); Josh. 24:1212And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow. (Joshua 24:12)). Travelers relate that when a nest of such insects has been disturbed, the animals and people have fled in terror, the stings being very painful, and occasionally causing death. Some hang their nests to the boughs of trees, and these may be disturbed by an animal passing underneath.
Hornet’s Nest

Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew Words:

Number:
6880 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)
Transliteration:
tsir`ah
Phonic:
tsir-aw’
Meaning:
from 6879; a wasp (as stinging)
KJV Usage:
hornet