Commentary for Deuteronomy 28:38
זֶ֥רַע רַ֖ב תּוֹצִ֣יא הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וּמְעַ֣ט תֶּאֱסֹ֔ף כִּ֥י יַחְסְלֶ֖נּוּ הָאַרְבֶּֽה׃
Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather little in; for the locust shall consume it.
Rashi on Deuteronomy
יחסלנו [THE LOCUST] WILL CROP IT OFF — The word means: it will make an end of it. It is for this reason that it (the locust) is also called חסיל (cf. e.g. Joel 1:4) because it consumes all the vegetation, etc. (חסל in Aramaic means “to end”; cf. Talmud Yerushalmi Taanit 3:6).
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Siftei Chakhamim
For this reason it is called, [lit.] the demolisher etc. Elsewhere is the locust called חסיל. Why? Because it destroys everything.
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