Isaiah 33:11 — Word Study
WLCתַּהֲר֥וּ חֲשַׁ֖שׁ תֵּ֣לְדוּ קַ֑שׁ רוּחֲכֶ֕ם אֵ֖שׁ תֹּאכַלְכֶֽם׃
BSAYou conceivehârâh▸ [bring forth, become pregnant with] chaffchâshash [dry grass, worthless material] you give birth toyâlad▸ [beget, bring into existence] stubbleqash [dry straw, worthless residue] Your breathrûwach [spirit, the breath of life] is a fireʼêsh [a consuming flame, divine judgment] that will consume youʼâkal▸ [devour, eat away]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| תַּהֲר֥וּ | you will conceive | Verb, Qal, imperfect second person masculine plural |
| חֲשַׁ֖שׁ | dry grass | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| תֵּ֣לְדוּ | you will give birth to | Verb, Qal, imperfect second person masculine plural |
| קַ֑שׁ | stubble | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| רוּחֲכֶ֕ם | breath your | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| אֵ֖שׁ | [is] a fire | Noun common, both singular absolute |
| תֹּאכַלְכֶֽם׃ | [which] it will consume you | Verb qal imperfect third person feminine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | You conceive chaff; you give birth to stubble. Your breath is a fire that will consume you. |
| KJV | Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire, shall devour you. |
| ASV | Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath is a fire that shall devour you. |
| YLT | Ye conceive chaff, ye bear stubble, Your spirit! — fire devoureth you. |
| WEB | You will conceive chaff. You will give birth to stubble. Your breath is a fire that will devour you. |
| BBE | Your designs will be without profit, and their effect will be nothing: you will be burned up by the fire of my breath. |
Where they part company is חֲשַׁ֖שׁ — see How Translations Differ.
The structure shows two main clauses connected by the theme of futility, with each clause detailing the actions and their consequences.







8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָרָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 — Isaiah 33:11
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 — A Prophetic Warninggenerated
Isaiah 33:11 presents a stark warning about the consequences of human actions that are disconnected from divine purpose. The LORD emphasizes that what they produce will be worthless, symbolized by chaff and stubble, leading to their own destruction through divine judgment, as illustrated in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 8:9–10 | Huddle together, O peoples, and be shattered; pay attention, all you distant lands; prepare for battle, and be shattered; prepare for battle, and be shattered! |
| 2 | Isaiah 10:7–14 | But this is not his intention; this is not his plan. For it is in his heart to destroy and cut off many nations. |
| 3 | Isaiah 17:13 | The nations rage like the rush of many waters. He rebukes them, and they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweeds before a gale. |
| 4 | Isaiah 29:5–8 | But your many foes will be like fine dust, the multitude of the ruthless like blowing chaff. Then suddenly, in an instant, |
| 5 | Isaiah 59:4 | No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case honestly. They rely on empty pleas; they tell lies; they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 16 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — תַּהֲר֥וּ, ta.ha.Rugenerated
The verb הָרָה (*harah*) means 'to conceive' or 'to become pregnant.' It is used here to illustrate how the people are bringing forth something that is ultimately useless and destructive, akin to the way a mother brings forth life. However, in this context, the outcome is not life but worthless material.
This verb is in the imperfect tense, indicating an ongoing action. The people are actively engaged in this process of conceiving chaff, highlighting the futility of their efforts.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses conceive and give birth to consistently with the KJV and ASV, emphasizing the idea of producing worthless outcomes.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verbs תַּהֲר֥וּ and תֵּ֣לְדוּ govern the clauses, with two noun phrases acting as objects: חֲשַׁ֖שׁ and קַ֑שׁ. This structure emphasizes the actions of conceiving and giving birth to worthless things.
The order of the Hebrew words also highlights the relationship between the actions and their consequences, culminating in the declaration about the consuming fire.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew תַּהֲר֥וּ is rendered as ὄψεσθε, meaning 'you will see.' This choice shifts the focus from the act of conceiving to the result of witnessing the consequences of their actions.
This translation reflects a broader interpretative approach, emphasizing the eventual realization of their futility rather than the act of producing worthless material.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 33:11 warns that the efforts of the people will yield worthless results, like chaff and stubble. Their breath, representing their spirit, will lead to their destruction through divine judgment.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that the actions of the people are producing worthless outcomes, similar to how chaff is the useless outer husk of grain.
Breath symbolizes the spirit and life force, and here it represents divine judgment that will consume the people.
Stubble signifies something that is easily destroyed and worthless, highlighting the futility of the people's efforts.
It illustrates that actions disconnected from God lead to destruction, as divine judgment consumes what is worthless.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life am I producing results that are worthless or unfruitful?
- How can I align my actions more closely with God's purpose to avoid destruction?
- What does it mean for my spirit to be a consuming fire, and how can I ensure it is directed positively?
- How can I discern between actions that lead to life versus those that lead to worthlessness?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 33:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleYe shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble,.... Signifying that all the counsels, designs, and schemes, of the antichristian party, to continue themselves in their present state, and save
Read John Gill on Isaiah 33 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryYe shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire, shall devour you. Ye - the enemy. Shall conceive chaff - (Isaiah 26:18; Isaiah 59:4).
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 33 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleYe shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble, instead of solid corn. Your great hopes and designs, O ye Assyrians! shall be utterly disappointed. Your breath, as fire, shall devour you; your rage against my people shall bring ruin upon yourselves.
Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 33 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 33:11 Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, [as] fire, shall devour you.Ver. 11. Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble.] Gravidi estis stramiue, parietis stipulum. So did Pharaoh, Antiochus, Julian, &c. So doth Antichrist and his champions, notwithstanding his bloody alarms to them, such as was that sounded out in the year 1582. “ Utere iure tao, Caesar, sectamque Lutheri Ease, rota, ponto, funibus, igne neca. ” And that other of the King of France not many years since, exhorting him to kill up all the Protestants per Galliam stabulantes, the very words of the Pope’ s bull, that had any stable room in France. Your breath as fire shall…
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 33 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(11) Ye shall conceive chaff . . .—Primarily the words are addressed to the Assyrian invaders, but not without a side glance at all who had been weaving their own webs of policy instead of trusting in Jehovah. Scheme and result, conception and parturition, would be alike worthless. Your breath, as fire . . .—“Breath,” the hot panting of rage; this, instead of working the destruction of Judah, should prove suicidal.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 33 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 11. Your breath - "And my spirit"] "For רוחכם ruchechem, your spirit, read רוחי כמו ruchi kemo." Secker. Which reading is confirmed by the Chaldee, where מימרי meywri, "my word," answers to רוחי ruchi, "my spirit."
Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 33 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges11. Still the words of Jehovah, addressed to the enemy. The present tense would be better than the future. For the first figure see ch. Isaiah 59:4; Job 15:35; Psalms 7:14. your breath …] Better as R.V. your breath (i.e. “anger”) is a fire that devours you.
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 33 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleYe shall conceive chaff - An address of God to the Assyrians. The figure is one that denotes that their counsels would be in vain.
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 33 →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
You conceive chaff; you give birth to stubble. Your breath is a fire that will consume you.
You will conceive chaff. You will give birth to stubble. Your breath is a fire that will devour you.
You conceive chaff; you give birth to stubble. Your breath is a fire that will consume you.
You conceive straw, you give birth to chaff; your breath is a fire that destroys you.
Tyndale line
Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire, shall devour you.
Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath is a fire that shall devour you.
Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath is a fire that shall devour you.
Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire, shall devour you.
Ye shall conceiue chaffe, and bring forth stubble: the fire of your breath shall deuoure you.
Strictly literal
Ye shall conceive dry grass, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath shall devour you [as] fire.
Ye conceive chaff, ye bear stubble, Your spirit! — fire devoureth you.
You conceive chaff, you bear stubble; Your spirit—a fire [that] devours you.
Ye shall be pregnant with hay, [and] ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath is a fire, which shall devour you.
You conceive chaff, and you give birth to stubble; your breath is a fire that will consume you.
From the Latin
You shall conceive heat, you shall bring forth stubble: your breath as fire shall devour you.
Simplified
All you give birth to is only dry grass, all you deliver is just stubble. Your breath is a fire that will burn you up.
Your designs will be without profit, and their effect will be nothing: you will be burned up by the fire of my breath.
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.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text aligns closely with the Dead Sea Scrolls, with only minor variations in spelling. Both texts convey the same essential message about the consequences of human actions.
תַּהֲר֥וּ חֲשַׁ֖שׁ תֵּ֣לְדוּ קַ֑שׁ רוּחֲכֶ֕ם אֵ֖שׁ תֹּאכַלְכֶֽם׃
5 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.
תהרו חששה תלדו קש רוח׳כם אש תאכל׳כם
7 words on the leather.
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.
Lexicons — every word in Isaiah 33:11
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.
The Hebrew word הָרָה (*harah*) primarily means to conceive or become pregnant, as noted in various lexicons. It can refer to both literal and figurative conception, and includes nuances such as bearing a child or devising something. The entries also indicate different grammatical forms, including Qal, Pual, and Poel, which reflect various aspects of the root meaning.
הָרָה vb. conceive, become pregnant
Qal
lit. conceive, become pregnant
metaph.
Pu. a man hath been conceived
Po. conceive, contrive, devise
base
H2029 הָרָה conceive, become pregnant
2029 harah haw-raw'
a primitive root; to be (or become) pregnant, conceive
(literally or figuratively):--been, be with child, conceive,
progenitor.
הָרָה (ha.rah) — to conceive.
1) to conceive, become pregnant, bear, be with child, be conceived, progenitor
1a)(Qal) to conceive, become pregnant
1b) (Pual) to be conceived
1c) (Poel) to conceive, contrive, devise
V-Qal-Imperf-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine pluralHVqi2mp
The Hebrew word חֲשַׁשׁ (chashash) means 'chaff' or 'dry grass.' It is consistently defined across entries, with no significant variation in meaning. The term is related to the concept of waste material from grain processing.
חֲשַׁשׁ n.m. chaff
base
H2842 חֲשַׁשׁ chaff
2842 chashash khaw-shash'
by variation for 7179; dry grass:--chaff.
see HEBREW for 07179
חֲשַׁשׁ (cha.shash) — chaff.
chaff, dry grass
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
gras:
(1) chatsir, from a root meaning "greenness"; compare Arabic Khudra, which includes grasses and green vegetables (1Ki 18:5; 2Ki 19:26; Job 40:15; Ps 104:14, etc.). Isa 15:6 is translated in the King James Version "have," the Revised Version (British and American) "grass"; Pr 27:25, English Versions of the Bible "hay," margin "Hebrew grass"; Nu 11:5 English Versions of the Bible translates "leeks." It is a term for herbage in general.
Grass
(1.) Heb. hatsir, ripe grass fit for mowing (1 Kings 18:5; Job 40:15; Ps. 104:14). As the herbage rapidly fades under the scorching sun, it is used as an image of the brevity of human life (Isa. 40:6, 7; Ps. 90:5). In Num. 11:5 this word is rendered “leeks.”
(2.) Heb. deshe’, green grass (Gen. 1:11, 12; Isa. 66:14; Deut. 32:2). “The sickly and forced blades of grass which spring up on the flat…
Sometimes means any green herbage, Isa 15:6, and sometimes the usual food of cattle, Ps 104:14. The quick growth of grass, its tenderness, and its rapid combustion when dry, have furnished the sacred writers with some of their most appropriate illustrations, Ps 90:5,6 92:7 103:15,16 Isa 40:6-8 51:12 Jas 1:10 1Pe 1:24. All sorts of grass and small shrubs are still used in Syria for fuel, on account of the scarcity of wood, Mt 6:28-30. Travelers in that country often see grass growing on the housetops, the roofs…
The Hebrew word יָלַד (*yalad*) means to bear, bring forth, or beget, and it encompasses various forms of childbirth and lineage declaration. It can refer to both the act of giving birth and the role of a midwife. The entries also note its use in contexts of distress and wicked behavior, as well as in reference to birthdays.
יָלַד 497 vb. bear, bring forth, beget
Qal
bear, bring forth
less often beget
of both parents
Niph. be born
Pi. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife
Pu. be born
Hiph.
beget (a father a child)
bear
Hoph. day of one's being born = birthday
Hithp. declared their pedigree
base
H3205 יָלַד bear, bring forth, beget .. bear, bring forth
. less often beget
. of both parents
. be born
. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife
. be born
. . beget (a father a child)
. bear
. day of one's being born = birthday
. declared their pedigree
3205 yalad yaw-lad'
a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget;
medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show
lineage:--bear, beget, birth((-day)), born, (make to) bring
forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be
delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch,
labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be
the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).
יָלַד (ya.lad) — to beget.
1) to bear, bringforth, beget, gender, travail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to bear, bring forth
1a1a) of child birth
1a1b) of distress (simile)
1a1c) of wicked (behaviour)
1a2) to beget
1b) (Niphal) to be born
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to cause or help to bring forth
1c2) to assist or tend as a midwife
1c3) midwife (participle)
1d) (Pual) to be born
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to beget (a child)
1e2) to bear (fig. -of wicked bringing forth iniquity)
1f) (Hophal) day of birth, birthday (infinitive)
1g) (Hithpael) to declare one's birth (pedigree)
V-Qal-Imperf-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine pluralHVqi2mp
burth (genesis):
(1) It was said by the angel beforehand of John the Baptist, "Many shall rejoice at his birth"; and when he was born Elisabeth said, "Thus hath the Lord done unto me .... to take away my reproach among men" (Lu 1:14,25). Among the ancient Hebrews barrenness was a "reproach" and the birth of a child, of a son especially, an occasion for rejoicing.
(2) This, no doubt, was due in part to the Messianic hope inspired and sustained by prophecy (see Ge 3:15, where it was foretold that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head; and subsequent prophecies too numerous to mention). Cases in point worth studying are found in Ge 4:1, where Eve rejoices over the birth of her firstborn and cries, "I have gotten a…
Birth
As soon as a child was born it was washed, and rubbed with salt (Ezek. 16:4), and then swathed with bandages (Job 38:9; Luke 2:7, 12). A Hebrew mother remained forty days in seclusion after the birth of a son, and after the birth of a daughter double that number of days. At the close of that period she entered into the tabernacle or temple and offered up a sacrifice of purification (Lev. 12:1-8; Luke 2:22). A son was circumcised on the eighth day after his birth, being thereby consecrated to God (Gen. 17:10-12; comp.
קַשׁ (qash) refers to stubble or chaff, typically associated with dry straw. The entries indicate that it is derived from another Hebrew word, but they do not provide further details on its usage in specific verses.
קַשׁ n.m. stubble, chaff
base
H7179 קַשׁ stubble, chaff
7179 qash kash
from 7197; straw (as dry):--stubble.
see HEBREW for 07197
קַשׁ (qash) — stubble.
stubble, chaff
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
stub'-'-l (qash (Ex 5:12, etc.); kalame (The Wisdom of Solomon 3:7; 1Co 3:12)): These Hebrew and Greek forms are used of the stalks of wheat, etc., left knee-high in the field by the reapers. tebhen (Job 21:18), is a mixture of chopped straw and chaff produced in threshing, which is winnowed out by the fan (compare Jer 23:28; Isa 5:24; Mt 3:12). When tebhen was withheld from them the Israelites had to utilize qash for the manufacture of their bricks (Ex 5:12).
רוּחַ (ruach) means breath, wind, or spirit. It encompasses various meanings, including the breath of life, emotional disposition, and the spirit of God. The term can refer to both physical phenomena, like wind, and abstract concepts, such as moral character or mental acts. Notably, it is used frequently in the context of divine inspiration and the Holy Spirit.
רוּחַ 378 n.f. (less oft. m.) breath, wind, spirit
breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)
wind (117 t.)
spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)
spirit of the living, breathing being
spirit as seat of emotion
occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts
rarely of the will
רוּחַ esp. of moral character
spirit of God (94 t.)
base
H7307 רוּחַ breath, wind, spirit . breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)
. wind (117 t.)
. spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)
. spirit of the living, breathing being
. spirit as seat of emotion
. occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts
. rarely of the will
. רוּחַ esp. of moral character
. spirit of God (94 t.)
7307 ruwach roo'-akh
from 7306; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or
even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger,
unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by
resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including
its expression and functions):--air, anger, blast, breath, X
cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit((-ual)),
tempest, X vain, ((whirl-))wind(-y).
see HEBREW for 07306
רוּחַ (ru.ach) — spirit.
: spirit
1) wind, breath, mind, spirit
1a) breath
1b) wind
1b1) of heaven
1b2) quarter (of wind), side
1b3) breath of air
1b4) air, gas
1b5) vain, empty thing
1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation)
1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour
1c2) courage
1c3) temper, anger
1c4) impatience, patience
1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented)
1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse
1c7) prophetic spirit
1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals)
1d1) as gift, preserved by God, God's spirit, departing at death, disembodied being
1e) spirit (as seat of emotion)
1e1) desire
1e2) sorrow, trouble
1f) spirit
1f1) as seat or organ of mental acts
1f2) rarely of the will
1f3) as seat especially of moral character
N-cs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp2mp
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.
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
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
784 'esh aysh
a primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively):--
burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.
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)
N-cs — Noun common · both singular absoluteHNcbsa
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…
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…
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…
אָכַל (akal) means 'to eat' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including literal consumption by humans and animals, as well as figurative uses like devouring by fire or destruction. It can describe actions such as feeding or causing to eat, and it also appears in contexts of oppression and destruction. The verb has various forms, indicating different subjects and nuances.
אָכַל 806 vb. eat
Qal
eat, human subject
of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour
fig. of fire, devour, consume
of sword, devour, slay
in genl., devour, consume, destroy
fig. of oppression, devour the poor
Niph.
be eaten by man
be devoured by fire, consumed
be wasted, destroyed, of flesh
Pu. be consumed
Hiph.
cause to eat, feed with
cause to devoure, obj. sword
base
H398 אָכַל eat .. eat, human subject
. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour
. fig. of fire, devour, consume
. of sword, devour, slay
. in genl., devour, consume, destroy
. fig. of oppression, devour the poor
. . be eaten by man
. be devoured by fire, consumed
. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh
. be consumed
. . cause to eat, feed with
. cause to devoure, obj. sword
398 'akal aw-kal'
a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):--X at
all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up),
feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay)
meat, X quite.
אָכַל (a.khal) — to eat.
1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to eat (human subject)
1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds)
1a3) to devour, consume (of fire)
1a4) to devour, slay (of sword)
1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought)
1a6) to devour (of oppression)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be eaten (by men)
1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire)
1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh)
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to cause to eat, feed with
1c2) to cause to devour
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to feed
1d2) to cause to eat
1e) (Piel)
1e1) consume
Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)
V-Qal-Imperf-3fs | Suff — Verb qal imperfect third person feminine singular · suffixHVqi3fs/Sp2mp
