OREB E ZEB

OREB and ZEB. — Totemic names ("örëbh 'raven'; zë'ëbh 'wolf'") of two Midianite chiefs, captured by the Israelites of Gideon’s time (cf. v.) west of the Jordan (Judg. 7:25; 8:3; cf. Ps. 82:12), who were killed along with many of their men at a site near the river (probably in the territory of Ephraim). These locations were later named in memory of the event, respectively, the "Rock of O." (Judg. 7:25; Is. 10:26) and the "Winepress of Z." (Judg. 7:25). The latter name may refer to a flat rock whose shape resembled a winepress: two hollows, one large and one smaller (the "vat"), connected to each other.