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Exodus 35:3 — Word Study

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WLCלֹא־ תְבַעֲר֣וּ אֵ֔שׁ בְּכֹ֖ל מֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם בְּי֖וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃ פ

BSADo notlôʼ [refrain from, cease] lightbâʻar a fireʼêsh [kindle, burn] in anykôl of your dwellingsmôwshâb [homes, habitations, seats] on the Sabbathshabbâth dayyôwm [day of rest, day of worship, the sabbath]

Word
Listen & take awayExodus 35
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 3 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ha.sha.Bat) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Exodus 35:3quick helps
In a sentenceGod commands the Israelites not to kindle a fire in their homes on the Sabbath.
Who is speakingMoses, conveying God's command to the Israelites.
Where we areIn the instructions regarding the observance of the Sabbath.
The hard wordתְבַעֲר֣וּ
Take awayThe Sabbath is a day of rest, and work, including kindling fire, is prohibited.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbבָּעַר The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Exodus 35:3

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Instructions for the Sabbathgenerated

2For six days work may be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on that day must be put to death.
3Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”
4Moses also told the whole congregation of Israel, “This is what the LORD has commanded:
5Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Let everyone whose heart is willing bring an offering to the LORD: gold, silver, and bronze;

Exodus 35:3 is part of a broader set of instructions given to the Israelites regarding the observance of the Sabbath, a day set apart for rest and worship. In this context, Moses emphasizes the importance of refraining from work, including the act of kindling fire, to honor the holiness of the Sabbath. This command reflects the seriousness with which God regards the observance of this day, as seen in the surrounding verses that outline what is permissible and what is not.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Exodus 12:16On the first day you are to hold a sacred assembly, and another on the seventh day. You must not do any work on those days, except to prepare the meals—that is all you may do.
2Exodus 16:23He told them, “This is what the LORD has said: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake, and boil what you want to boil. Then set aside whatever remains and keep it until morning.’”
3Numbers 15:32–36While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day.
4Isaiah 58:13If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the LORD’s holy day honorable, if you honor it by not going your own way or seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words,

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.Exodus 12:16 Exodus 16:23 Numbers 15:32–36 Isaiah 58:13

The Key Word תְבַעֲר֣וּ, te.va.'a.Rugenerated

The verb בָּעַר (ba'ar) means 'to kindle' or 'to burn.' It is in the Piel stem, indicating an active form of the verb, and is parsed as an imperfect second person masculine plural, suggesting a direct command to the people. This word encompasses the act of igniting fire, which is specifically prohibited on the Sabbath.

The choice of this verb is significant; it not only conveys the physical act of burning but also implies a broader context of work and labor that is to be avoided on the Sabbath. The command highlights the sanctity of the day and the need for rest.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses light to convey the act of kindling fire.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is תְבַעֲר֣וּ, you must kindle, which governs the rest of the sentence. It is followed by the object אֵ֔שׁ, fire, and the prepositional phrases that specify where this action is not to take place.

The structure emphasizes the command's directness, with the prohibition placed at the forefront, highlighting the importance of the Sabbath observance.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew תְבַעֲר֣וּ is translated as καύσετε (kausete), which also means 'you shall kindle.' This choice aligns closely with the original Hebrew meaning, indicating a direct translation of the act of kindling fire.

The consistency between the Hebrew and Greek terms reflects the importance of this command in both texts, emphasizing the prohibition against work on the Sabbath.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Exodus 35:3 tells the Israelites not to kindle a fire in their homes on the Sabbath. This command highlights the importance of resting on this holy day, as God intended for it to be a time of worship and reflection.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why is kindling fire prohibited on the Sabbath?

The prohibition against kindling fire on the Sabbath emphasizes the importance of rest and refraining from work, allowing individuals to focus on spiritual renewal.

What does the Sabbath represent in the Bible?

The Sabbath represents a day of rest and worship, a time set apart for reflection on God and His creation.

Are there any exceptions to this rule?

While the command is clear, rabbinic interpretations have discussed exceptions for life-saving actions or emergencies.

How is the Sabbath observed today?

Observance of the Sabbath varies among different Jewish and Christian communities, with practices including rest, worship, and family gatherings.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What practices do I observe on the Sabbath that help me focus on rest and worship?
  2. How can I ensure that my activities on the Sabbath align with its purpose as a day of rest?
  3. In what ways can I encourage others to observe the Sabbath meaningfully?
  4. What does it mean to me to set aside a day for spiritual reflection and renewal?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Exodus 35:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

Read John Gill on Exodus 35 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day. Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day. The Sabbath was not a fast day.

Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 35 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

This command seems to be only temporary and extraordinary during the present season and condition, and not extending to succeeding generations. For, 1. There are instances of temporary precepts both in the Old and New Testament, which yet are not in their places said to be so. Such were some of the precepts concerning the passover, , as is confessed. And such was that law of abstaining from things strangled, and blood, Acts 15. 2. This precept is nakedly proposed, and not called a perpetual statute, nor enjoined to be observed in their generations, as other precepts are, to whom those, or some like clauses, are frequently added. 3. The sabbath is rather a feast day than a fast day. And the…

Read Matthew Poole on Exodus 35 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Exodus 35:3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.Ver. 3. Ye shall kindle no fire,] sc., For the furtherance of the work of the tabernacle: or, at least, that is not of absolute necessity. It might also signify that in the kingdom of heaven we shall be set free from all the fire and scorching heat of affliction.

Read John Trapp on Exodus 35 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

XXXV. OF THE LAW THE SABBATH.(1-3) Moses, being about to require the people to engage in the work, first, of constructing the materials for the Tabernacle, and then of uprearing the Tabernacle itself, prefaced his requirements by a renewed promulgation of the law of the Sabbath, with additional particularity, and with a new sanction. The necessity of such a re-promulgation had been indicated to him in the last injunctions received before his first descent from Sinai (Exodus 31:12-17), and in acting as he now did, he must be viewed as carrying out those injunctions. The words here put on record are probably not the whole that he said to the people on the subject, but only some main points of…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 35 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 3. Ye shall kindle no fire] The Jews understand this precept as forbidding the kindling of fire only for the purpose of doing work or dressing victuals; but to give them light and heat, they judge it lawful to light a fire on the Sabbath day, though themselves rarely kindle it - they get Christians to do this work for them.

Read AdamClarke on Exodus 35 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. An addition to the law of Exo 31:12-17. The explicit prohibition is not found elsewhere in the OT.; but it is implied in Exodus 16:23. in all your habitations] see on Exodus 12:20.

Read Cambridge on Exodus 35 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This prohibition is here first distinctly expressed, but it is implied Exodus 16:23.

Read Albert Barnes on Exodus 35 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations on the Sabbath day.’”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

You must not kindle a fire in any of your homes on the Sabbath day.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath-day.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Ye shall kindle no fire throughout all your habitations vpon the Sabbath day.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your dwellings upon the sabbath day.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

ye do not burn a fire in any of your dwellings on the sabbath-day.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

you do not burn a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Ye shall not kindle any fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

You must not light a fire in any of your homes on the Sabbath day.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

You shall kindle no fire in any of your habitations on the sabbath day.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Don't even light a fire in any of your homes on the Sabbath day.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

No fire is to be lighted in any of your houses on the Sabbath day.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseadverbialלֹאnotverbתְבַעֲר֣וּyou.must.kindleobjectאֵ֔שׁfireprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּinnoun phraseכֹ֖לallnoun phraseמֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיplacesכֶ֑םyour.dwellingprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּonnoun phraseי֖וֹםthe.daynoun phraseהַofשַּׁבָּֽתthe.sabbath

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with all seven words matched. However, the Samaritan Pentateuch presents two differences: it uses תבעירו (burn) instead of תְבַעֲר֣וּ (kindle) and מושׁבתיכם (seat) instead of מֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם (dwelling places). These variations indicate a different emphasis in the Samaritan tradition.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

לֹא־ תְבַעֲר֣וּ אֵ֔שׁ בְּכֹ֖ל מֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם בְּי֖וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃ פ

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לֹא־οὐתְבַעֲר֣וּκαύσετεאֵ֔שׁπῦρבְּכֹ֖לπάσῃמֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑םὑμῶνבְּי֖וֹםἡμέρᾳהַשַּׁבָּֽת׃ פσαββάτων

7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

לא תבעירו אשׁ בכל מושׁבתיכם ביום השׁבת

2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: תבעירו (burn), מושׁבתיכם (seat)

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Exodus 35:3לֹאnotnotלֹאבָּעַרyou must kiyou must kindleבָּעַראֵשׁfirefireאֵשׁכֹּלin allin allכֹּלמוֹשָׁבdwelling pldwelling placesמוֹשָׁביוֹםon [the] daon [the] day ofיוֹםשַׁבָּתthe sabbaththe sabbathשַׁבָּתבַּ֫עַרstupidstupidבַּ֫עַרכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַליָשַׁבto dwellto dwellיָשַׁבשָׁבַתto ceaseto ceaseשָׁבַתלֶהָבָהflameflameלֶהָבָהיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדכָּבָהto quenchto quenchכָּבָהיָצַתto kindleto kindleיָצַתעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהמַאֲכָלfoodfoodמַאֲכָלפַּ֫עַםbeatbeatפַּ֫עַםשְׁבִיעִיseventhseventhשְׁבִיעִישַׁבָּתSabbathSabbathשַׁבָּתחָלַלto boreto boreחָלַל
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Exodus 35:3

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

not you must kindle fire in all dwelling places your on [the] day of the sabbath
לֹא־lo'- not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
refrain from, cease
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
not you must kindle fire in all dwelling places your on [the] day of the sabbath
תְבַעֲר֣וּte.va.'a.Ru you must kindle H1197 Verb · Piel · imperfect second person masculine plural
94× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be brutish means to be stupid or barbarous, and can also refer to consuming something by fire or eating. It is used to describe someone who is dull-hearted or unreceptive.
Tyndale gloss
to burn: burn
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בָּעַר (ba'ar) has two primary meanings: to burn or consume, and to be brutish or stupid. It encompasses actions related to fire, such as kindling and burning, as well as figurative uses like consuming guilt. Additionally, it can denote a state of dullness or lack of receptiveness. The lexicons provide various nuances, particularly in how the burning aspect can relate to wrath or destruction.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[בָּעַר] vb. burn, consume

Qal burn

Pi.

kindle

burn

fig. consume, utterly remove

Pu. burn (i.e. be supplied with fire), of fire-jar

Hiph.

kindle

burn up

base

[בָּעַר] vb. denom. be brutish

Qal be stupid, dull-hearted, unreceptive

Niph. brutish, stupid

Pi. feed, graze

Hiph. cause to be grazed over

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1197a [בָּעַר] burn, consume .burn

. . kindle

. burn

. fig. consume, utterly remove

. burn (i.e. be supplied with fire), of fire-jar

. . kindle

. burn up

H1197b [בָּעַר] vb. denom. be brutish .be stupid, dull-hearted, unreceptive

. brutish, stupid

. feed, graze

. cause to be grazed over

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1197 ba`ar baw-ar'

a primitive root; to kindle, i.e. consume (by fire or by

eating); also (as denominative from 1198) to be(-come)

brutish:--be brutish, bring (put, take) away, burn, (cause to)

eat (up), feed, heat, kindle, set ((on fire)), waste.

see HEBREW for 01198

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּעַר (ba.ar) — to burn: burn.

: burn/ignite

1) to burn, consume, kindle, be kindled

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to begin to burn, be kindled, start burning

1a2) to burn, be burning

1a3) to burn, consume

1a4) Jehovah's wrath, human wrath (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to kindle, burn

1b2) to consume, remove (of guilt) (fig.)

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to kindle

1c2) to burn up

1c3) to consume (destroy)

1d) (Pual) to burn

בָּעַר (ba.ar) — be brutish.

v denom

1) to be stupid, brutish, barbarous

1a) (Qal) to be stupid, dull-hearted, unreceptive

1b) (Niphal) to be stupid, dull-hearted

1c) (Piel) to feed, graze

1d) (Hiphil) to cause to be grazed over

בָּעַר (ba.ar) — to burn: destroy.

: destroy

1) to burn, consume, kindle, be kindled

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to begin to burn, be kindled, start burning

1a2) to burn, be burning

1a3) to burn, consume

1a4) Jehovah's wrath, human wrath (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to kindle, burn

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Imperf-2mp — Verb · Piel · imperfect second person masculine plural
HVpi2mp
not you must kindle fire in all dwelling places your on [the] day of the sabbath
אֵ֔שׁ'Esh fire H784 Noun common · both singular absolute
378× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Fire is a powerful symbol in the Bible, representing both God's anger and his refining presence, as seen in Deuteronomy 4:24 and Malachi 3:2-3. It is also used for cooking and warmth. This concept is central to many biblical stories.
Amplified meaning
kindle, burn
Tyndale gloss
fire
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵשׁ (esh) means 'fire' and encompasses various types, including natural fire, supernatural fire associated with divine appearances, and fire used for cooking or on altars. It can also figuratively represent God's anger. The entries consistently highlight its literal and metaphorical uses, with no significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵשׁ 377 n.f. fire

fire, of conflagration

of supernatural fire

fire for cooking, roasting, parching

esp. of altar fire

fig. of Yahweh's anger

in various combinations

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H784 אֵשׁ fire . fire, of conflagration

. of supernatural fire

. fire for cooking, roasting, parching

. esp. of altar fire

. fig. of Yahweh's anger

. in various combinations

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

784 'esh aysh

a primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively):--

burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵשׁ (esh) — fire.

1) fire

1a) fire, flames

1b) supernatural fire (accompanying theophany)

1c) fire (for cooking, roasting, parching)

1d) altar-fire

1e) God's anger (fig.)

Aramaic equivalent: esh (אֶשָּׁא "fire" H0785)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fir ('esh; pur):

These are the common words for fire, occurring very frequently. 'Ur, "light" (Isa 24:15 the King James Version; compare the Revised Version (British and American); Isa 31:9, and see FIRES), nur (Aramaic) (Da 3:22 ff) are found a few times, also 'eshshah (Jer 6:29), and be`erah (Ex 22:6), once each. Ac 28:2,3 has pura, "pyre," and Mr 14:54; Lu 22:56, phos, "light," the Revised Version (British and American) "in the light (of the fire)." "To set…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Fire

(1.) For sacred purposes. The sacrifices were consumed by fire (Gen. 8:20). The ever-burning fire on the altar was first kindled from heaven (Lev. 6:9, 13; 9:24), and afterwards rekindled at the dedication of Solomon’s temple (2 Chr. 7:1, 3). The expressions “fire from heaven” and “fire of the Lord” generally denote lightning, but sometimes also the fire of the altar was so called (Ex. 29:18; Lev. 1:9; 2:3; 3:5, 9).

Fire for a sacred purpose obtained otherwise than from the altar was called “strange fire” (Lev. 10:1, 2;

is represented as the symbol of Jehovah’s presence and the instrument of his power, in the way either of approval or of destruction. (Exodus 3:2; 14:19) etc. There could not be a better symbol for Jehovah than this of fire, it being immaterial, mysterious, but visible, warming, cheering, comforting, but also terrible and consuming. Parallel with this application of fire and with its symbolical meaning are to be noted the similar use for sacrificial purposes and the respect paid to it, or to the heavenly bodies as symbols of deity, which prevailed among so many nations of antiquity, and of which the traces are not even now extinct; e.g. the Sabean and Magian systems of worship. (Isaiah 27:9) Fire for sacred purposes obtained elsewhere than from the altar was called "strange fire," and for the use of such Nadab and Abihu were punished…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In Scripture, is often connected with the presence of Jehovah; as in the burning bush, and on Mount Sinai, Ex 3:2 19:18 Ps 18:1-50 Hab 1:1-3:19. The second coming of Christ will be "in flaming fire," 2Th 1:8. In the New Testament it illustrates the enlightening, cheering, and purifying agency of the Holy Spirit, Mt 3:11 Ac 2:3. By sending fire from heaven to consume sacrifices, God often signified his acceptance of them: as in the case of Abel, Ge 4:4; Abraham, Ge…

not you must kindle fire in all dwelling places your on [the] day of the sabbath
בְּכֹ֖לbe.Khol in all H3605 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
not you must kindle fire in all dwelling places your on [the] day of the sabbath
מֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑םmo.she.vo.tei.Khem dwelling places your H4186 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
44× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A seat can refer to a physical place of sitting or a gathering of people, like an assembly. It can also mean a dwelling place or location, and is sometimes used to describe a group of people living together.
Amplified meaning
homes, habitations, seats
Tyndale gloss
seat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מוֹשָׁב (mowshab) refers to a seat or dwelling-place, encompassing meanings such as assembly, location, and the act of dwelling. It can denote both a physical site and an abstract concept of a session or time of dwelling. The word suggests a community of dwellers or those who sit together.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מוֹשָׁב n.m. seat, assembly, dwelling-place, dwelling, dwellers

seat

sitting = those sitting, sitting company or assembly

dwelling-place of people, tribe, etc.

alm. = abstr. dwelling

= house

situation of city; location of image

time of dwelling

coll. = those dwelling

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4186 מוֹשָׁב seat, assembly, dwelling-place, dwelling, dwellers . . seat

. sitting = those sitting, sitting company or assembly

. . dwelling-place of people, tribe, etc.

. alm. = abstr. dwelling

. = house

. situation of city; location of image

. time of dwelling

. coll. = those dwelling

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4186 mowshab mo-shawb'

or moshab {mo-shawb'}; from 3427; a seat; figuratively, a

site; abstractly, a session; by extension an abode (the place

or the time); by implication, population:--assembly, dwell

in, dwelling(-place), wherein (that) dwelt (in), inhabited

place, seat, sitting, situation, sojourning.

see HEBREW for 03427

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מוֹשָׁב (mo.shav) — seat.

1) seat, assembly, dwelling-place, dwelling, dwellers

1a) seat, sitting, those sitting, sitting company or assembly

1b) dwelling place, dwelling

1c) situation, location

1d) time of dwelling

1e) those dwelling, dweller

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp2mp
not you must kindle fire in all dwelling places your on [the] day of the sabbath
בְּי֖וֹםbe.Yom on [the] day of H3117 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
2,306× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
day of rest, day of worship, the sabbath
Tyndale gloss
day
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יוֹם (yowm) means 'day' and refers to a division of time, contrasting with night. It can denote a literal 24-hour period, a general time span, or even a year. The term is used in various contexts, including the 'day of Yahweh,' which signifies a time of divine judgment. It also appears in phrases indicating temporal references like today, yesterday, and tomorrow.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יוֹם 2285 n.m. day

day, opp. night

Day as division of time

יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

Pl. days of anyone

Days

יוֹם = time

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night

. Day as division of time

. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

. Pl. days of anyone

. Days

. יוֹם = time

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3117 yowm yome

from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm

hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one

sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by

an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, +

chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to)

day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, +

(for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as

(... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually,

presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,

then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble,

weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole

(+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יוֹם (yom) — day.

: day/when/time/period

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: old.

: old/(full/many)[days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: year.

: year[of_days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

not you must kindle fire in all dwelling places your on [the] day of the sabbath
הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃ פha.sha.Bat the sabbath H7676 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
111× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for the Sabbath, a day of rest and worship, as commanded by God in Exodus 20:8-11 and observed by the Israelites. It is a special day set apart for spiritual renewal and reflection, as Jesus taught in Matthew 12:1-14.
Tyndale gloss
Sabbath
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׁבָּת (shabbath) refers to the Sabbath, a day of rest observed weekly, as well as the Day of Atonement and the sabbath year. It may also denote a week or the produce that grows during the sabbath year. The word is derived from a root meaning 'intermission.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׁבָּת 111 n.f. and m. Sabbath

sabbath

day of atonement

sabbath year

= week (?)

= produce in sabbath year (growing of itself)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7676 שַׁבָּת Sabbath . sabbath

. day of atonement

. sabbath year

. = week (?)

. = produce in sabbath year (growing of itself)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7676 shabbath shab-bawth'

intensive from 7673; intermission, i.e (specifically) the

Sabbath:--(+ every) sabbath.

see HEBREW for 07673

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׁבָּת (shab.bat) — Sabbath.

Sabbath

1a) sabbath

1b) day of atonement

1c) sabbath year

1d) week

1e) produce (in sabbath year)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-cs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sab'-ath (shabbath, shabbathon; sabbaton, ta sabbata; the root shabhath in Hebrew means "to desist," "cease," "rest"):

I. ORIGIN OF THE SABBATH

1. The Biblical Account

2. Critical Theories

II. HISTORY OF THE SABBATH AFTER MOSES

1. In the Old Testament

2. In the Inter-Testamental Period

3. Jesus and the Sabbath

4. Paul and the Sabbath

LITERATURE

The Sabbath was the day on which man was to leave off his secular labors and keep a day holy to Yahweh.

I. Origin of the Sabbath.

1. The Biblical Account:

The sketch of creation in Ge 1:1-2:3 closes with an impressive account of the hallowing of the 7th day, because on it God rested from all the work which He had made creatively. The word "Sabbath" does not occur in the story; but it is recognized by critics of every school that the author (P) means to describe the Sabbath as primeval. In

Sabbath

(Heb. verb shabbath, meaning “to rest from labour”), the day of rest. It is first mentioned as having been instituted in Paradise, when man was in innocence (Gen. 2:2). “The sabbath was made for man,” as a day of rest and refreshment for the body and of blessing to the soul.

It is next referred to in connection with the gift of manna to the children of Israel in the wilderness (Ex. 16:23); and afterwards, when the law was given from Sinai (20:11), the people were solemnly charged to “remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Thus it is spoken of as an institution already existing.

In the Mosaic law strict regulations were laid down regarding its observance (Ex. 35:2, 3;

Rest. God having created the world in six days, "rested" on the seventh, Ge 2:2,3; that is, he ceased from producing new beings in this creation; and because he had rested on it, he "blessed" or sanctified it, and appointed it in a peculiar manner for his worship.

We here have an account of the ORIGINAL INSTITUTION of the day of rest. Like the institution of marriage, it was given to man for the whole race. Those who worshipped God seem to have kept the Sabbath from the first, and there are tokens of this in the brief sketch the Bible contains of the ages before the giving of the law at Mount Sinai. Noah sent forth the raven from the ark, and the dove thrice, at intervals of seven days, Ge 8:1-22. The account of the sending of manna in the desert proves that the Sabbath was already…

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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