{
  "entry_id": "TSP-ENT-000097",
  "slug": "bees",
  "url_path": "/types-symbols/bees/",
  "canonical_name": "Bees",
  "entry_classifications": [
    "SIMILE",
    "SYMBOL"
  ],
  "modules": [
    "ANIMALS"
  ],
  "aliases": [],
  "legacy_present": true,
  "legacy_raw_wording_public": false,
  "senses": [
    {
      "sense_id": "TSP-SNS-000253",
      "label": "Bee imagery for swarming/aggressive enemy forces",
      "classification": "SIMILE",
      "definition": "Bees provide vivid comparison for numerous, surrounding, and stinging enemies or armies.",
      "not_always": "These uses are contextual similes/metaphors; bees do not carry one fixed moral or political referent.",
      "scope_note": "These uses are contextual similes/metaphors; bees do not carry one fixed moral or political referent.",
      "claims": [
        {
          "claim_id": "TSP-CLM-000253",
          "statement": "Deuteronomy, Psalms, and Isaiah recurrently use bees as imagery for aggressive pursuing or invading forces, strongly supporting the great-host/stinging association in those contexts.",
          "asserted_classifications": [
            "SIMILE"
          ],
          "type_kinds": [],
          "evidence_grade": 4,
          "grade_basis": "G4_RECURRENT_CANONICAL_MOTIF_OR_STRONG_THEMATIC_PATTERN",
          "status": "STRONGLY_SUPPORTED",
          "public_wording_class": "STRONGLY_SUPPORTED_PATTERN",
          "scope_limitation": "These uses are contextual similes/metaphors; bees do not carry one fixed moral or political referent.",
          "strongest_alternative_explanation": null,
          "residual_uncertainty": "No material residual uncertainty beyond the stated scope limitation.",
          "theological_intersections": [
            "OTHER"
          ],
          "scripture_references": [
            {
              "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-000435",
              "osis_start": "Deut.1.44",
              "osis_end": null,
              "display_label": "Deuteronomy 1:44",
              "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD"
            },
            {
              "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-000436",
              "osis_start": "Ps.118.12",
              "osis_end": null,
              "display_label": "Psalm 118:12",
              "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD"
            },
            {
              "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-000437",
              "osis_start": "Isa.7.18",
              "osis_end": null,
              "display_label": "Isaiah 7:18-19",
              "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD"
            }
          ],
          "source_citations": [
            {
              "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000102",
              "author_editor": null,
              "title": "Canonical Scripture: TSP-S3 Batch 5 loci, MT/LXX/NA28 with NET/ESV comparison",
              "publication_data": "Passage loci verified for TSP-S3 Batch 5, 2026-09-20",
              "locator": "https://classic.net.bible.org/",
              "verification_level": "V4_QUOTATION_VERIFIED",
              "source_function": [
                "CANONICAL_AUTHORITY",
                "TEXT_ESTABLISHMENT"
              ],
              "locator_targets": [
                {
                  "kind": "EXTERNAL_URL",
                  "target": "https://classic.net.bible.org/"
                }
              ]
            },
            {
              "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000103",
              "author_editor": "NET Bible / Bible.org / Cambridge commentary contributors",
              "title": "Contextual and cultural controls for TSP-S3 Batch 5",
              "publication_data": "Online exegetical, lexical, and historical notes accessed 2026-09-20",
              "locator": "https://bible.org/; https://classic.net.bible.org/; https://biblehub.com/",
              "verification_level": "V3_CLAIM_VERIFIED",
              "source_function": [
                "TEXT_ESTABLISHMENT",
                "HISTORICAL_BACKGROUND",
                "SCHOLARLY_ARGUMENT"
              ],
              "locator_targets": [
                {
                  "kind": "EXTERNAL_URL",
                  "target": "https://bible.org/"
                },
                {
                  "kind": "EXTERNAL_URL",
                  "target": "https://classic.net.bible.org/"
                },
                {
                  "kind": "EXTERNAL_URL",
                  "target": "https://biblehub.com/"
                }
              ]
            }
          ],
          "s8_wording_provenance": null
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "sense_id": "TSP-SNS-000254",
      "label": "Fixed bees = great hosts that sting yet produce honey symbolism",
      "classification": "SYMBOL",
      "definition": "The legacy wording combines enemy-host/stinging imagery with the natural fact that bees produce honey.",
      "not_always": "Honey imagery must be studied under its own passages rather than imported into enemy-bee metaphors.",
      "scope_note": "Honey imagery must be studied under its own passages rather than imported into enemy-bee metaphors.",
      "claims": [
        {
          "claim_id": "TSP-CLM-000254",
          "statement": "The host/sting imagery is supported in specified passages, but honey production is not part of those inspired interpretations and does not establish a composite symbolic meaning for bees.",
          "asserted_classifications": [
            "SYMBOL"
          ],
          "type_kinds": [],
          "evidence_grade": 7,
          "grade_basis": "G7_INSUFFICIENT_BIBLICAL_EVIDENCE",
          "status": "INSUFFICIENT_BIBLICAL_EVIDENCE",
          "public_wording_class": "INSUFFICIENT_BIBLICAL_EVIDENCE",
          "scope_limitation": "Honey imagery must be studied under its own passages rather than imported into enemy-bee metaphors.",
          "strongest_alternative_explanation": "Swarming/stinging behavior explains the enemy similes; honey is an unrelated literal product in other contexts.",
          "residual_uncertainty": "No material residual uncertainty beyond the stated scope limitation.",
          "theological_intersections": [
            "OTHER"
          ],
          "scripture_references": [
            {
              "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-000438",
              "osis_start": "Judg.14.8",
              "osis_end": null,
              "display_label": "Judges 14:8-9",
              "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD"
            }
          ],
          "source_citations": [
            {
              "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000102",
              "author_editor": null,
              "title": "Canonical Scripture: TSP-S3 Batch 5 loci, MT/LXX/NA28 with NET/ESV comparison",
              "publication_data": "Passage loci verified for TSP-S3 Batch 5, 2026-09-20",
              "locator": "https://classic.net.bible.org/",
              "verification_level": "V4_QUOTATION_VERIFIED",
              "source_function": [
                "CANONICAL_AUTHORITY",
                "TEXT_ESTABLISHMENT"
              ],
              "locator_targets": [
                {
                  "kind": "EXTERNAL_URL",
                  "target": "https://classic.net.bible.org/"
                }
              ]
            }
          ],
          "s8_wording_provenance": null
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "lexeme_mappings": [],
  "canonical_relationships": [],
  "negative_guardrails": []
}