Bible Dictionary
VAMPIRE
“Vampire” appears only as a marginal rendering for the horseleach in Proverbs 30:15. It refers to a bloodsucking creature and is not a reference to the later folkloric vampire.
Definition
Vampire is a marginal rendering for the horseleach. In this biblical usage, it refers to a bloodsucking creature rather than to the later folkloric figure associated with the word.
Biblical Usage
The term appears only in the margin of Proverbs 30:15, where the main text refers to a horseleach.
Historical Background
The rendering is found in the Revised Version margin and represents the Hebrew term alaqah.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>vam'-pir (alaqah): the Revised Version margin for "horseleach" (Pr 30:15) has "vampire."</p><p>See HORSELEACH.</p>