Isaiah 33:12 — Word Study
WLCוְהָי֥וּ עַמִּ֖ים מִשְׂרְפ֣וֹת שִׂ֑יד קוֹצִ֥ים כְּסוּחִ֖ים בָּאֵ֥שׁ יִצַּֽתּוּ׃ ס
BSAThe peoplesʻam [nations, groups of people] will behâyâh burnedmisrâphâh [consumed, destroyed] to ashessîyd [like dust, completely destroyed] like thornsqôwts [prickly plants, troublesome things] cut downkâçach [removed, eliminated] and setyâtsath▸ ablazeʼêsh [burned with fire, intensely heated]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְהָי֥וּ | and they will be | Verb, Qal, sequential perfect third person common plural |
| עַמִּ֖ים | peoples | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| מִשְׂרְפ֣וֹת | burnings of | Noun common, feminine plural construct |
| שִׂ֑יד | lime | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| קוֹצִ֥ים | thornbushes | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| כְּסוּחִ֖ים | cut down | Verb, Qal, participle (passive) masculine plural |
| בָּאֵ֥שׁ | with fire | Preposition, noun common both singular absolute |
| יִצַּֽתּוּ׃ ס | they will be kindled | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The peoples will be burned to ashes, like thorns cut down and set ablaze. |
| KJV | And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire. |
| ASV | And the peoples shall be as the burnings of lime, as thorns cut down, that are burned in the fire. |
| YLT | And peoples have been [as] burnings of lime, Thorns, as sweepings, with fire they burn. |
| WEB | The peoples will be like the burning of lime, like thorns that are cut down and burned in the fire. |
| BBE | And the peoples will be like the burning of chalk: as thorns cut down, which are burned in the fire. |
Translations agree on the rendering of עַמִּ֖ים as 'peoples.'
The structure includes a main clause followed by comparative and participial phrases that enhance the imagery.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectעַם
verbהָיָה
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 33:12
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 — Judgment Against the Wickedgenerated
Isaiah 33:12 illustrates the fate of the nations that oppose God. They will be completely destroyed, likened to thorns that are cut down and set ablaze. This imagery emphasizes the severity of divine judgment against those who rebel against God's authority. The surrounding verses highlight the contrast between the fate of the wicked and the strength of God, as seen in Isaiah 33:11 and Isaiah 33:13.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amos 2:1 | This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Moab, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because he burned to lime the bones of Edom’s king. |
| 2 | Isaiah 9:18 | For wickedness burns like a fire that consumes the thorns and briers and kindles the forest thickets which roll upward in billows of smoke. |
| 3 | Isaiah 27:4 | I am not angry. If only thorns and briers confronted Me, I would march and trample them, I would burn them to the ground. |
| 4 | Isaiah 37:36 | Then the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies! |
| 5 | 2 Samuel 23:6–7 | But the worthless are all like thorns raked aside, for they can never be gathered by hand. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עַמִּ֖ים, 'a.Mimgenerated
The word עַם (am) refers to a collective group, specifically 'peoples' or 'nations.' It denotes a sense of community and identity among people, often in the context of Israel or other nations. The parsing indicates it is a masculine plural noun, showing that it refers to multiple groups.
In this verse, עַם emphasizes the collective nature of those who will face destruction, highlighting that entire nations are subject to divine judgment.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In the Berean Standard Bible, the word עַמִּ֖ים is rendered as peoples, which is consistent across the KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb הָי֥וּ, they will be, governs the sentence, indicating the state of the subject עַמִּ֖ים, peoples. The structure emphasizes the collective nature of the subjects facing destruction.
The sentence is built around the idea of destruction, with the comparisons to thorns and fire serving to illustrate the intensity of the judgment.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עַמִּ֖ים as ἔθνη (ethnē), which means 'nations.' This choice reflects a broader understanding of the term, encompassing various groups and peoples.
The use of κατακεκαυμένα for the concept of burning indicates a focus on the complete destruction implied in the Hebrew text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 33:12 describes how nations will be completely destroyed, like thorns that are cut down and burned. This verse illustrates the severity of God's judgment against those who oppose Him.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies total destruction and judgment against those who rebel against God.
Thorns represent something troublesome and worthless, emphasizing the fate of those who oppose God.
Fire symbolizes judgment and purification, indicating the intensity of God's wrath.
It reflects the theme of divine judgment found throughout the Bible, particularly in prophetic literature.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does this verse teach about the consequences of opposing God?
- How can I apply the imagery of destruction in my own life to avoid harmful behaviors?
- In what ways does understanding God's judgment influence how I view justice in the world?
- How can I share the message of God's holiness and justice with others?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 33:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd the people shall be [as] the burnings of lime,.... Like chalk stones that are burnt to make lime of; which may denote not only their hardness and impenitency, which brought upon them and issued
Read John Gill on Isaiah 33 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 33 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleShall be as the burnings of lime; shall be burnt as easily and effectually as chalk is burned to make lime.
Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 33 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 33:12 And the people shall be [as] the burnings of lime: [as] thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.Ver. 12. And the people shall be as the burning of lime.] As hard chalk stones, which, when burnt to make lime crumble to crattle. As thorns cut up.] Sear thorns, that crackle under a pot, and are soon extinct. The Hebrews tell us that the Assyrian soldiers were burned by the angel with a secret fire - that is, with the pestilence, as Berosus, cited by Josephus, witnesseth; and our prophet hinteth as much in many passages. Lib. x. cap. 2.
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 33 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(12) And the people shall be . . .—The two images of destruction are singularly vivid. The limekiln and the oven which was fed with thorns were alike in this. The outcome of their work was seen in a residuum of ashes.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 33 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges12. as the burnings of lime] i.e. “as if burned to lime.” An image probably suggested by Amos 2:1. The word rendered cut up (R.V. cut down) only occurs again in Psalms 80:16.
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 33 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleAnd the people - In the army of Sennacherib. As the burnings of lime - As if placed in a burning lime-kiln, where they must certainly be destroyed (see Isaiah 30:33; compare Amos 2:1).
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 33 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible10-12. This iniquity is now full. The day of judgment to Assyria has come.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon 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
The peoples will be burned to ashes, like thorns cut down and set ablaze.
The peoples will be like the burning of lime, like thorns that are cut down and burned in the fire.
The peoples will be burned to ashes, like thorns cut down and set ablaze.
The nations will be burned to ashes; like thorn bushes that have been cut down, they will be set on fire.
Tyndale line
And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.
And the peoples shall be as the burnings of lime, as thorns cut down, that are burned in the fire.
And the peoples shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut down, that are burned in the fire.
And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.
And the people shall be as the burning of lime: and as the thornes cut vp, shall they be burnt in the fire.
Strictly literal
And the peoples shall be [as] burnings of lime, [as] thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.
And peoples have been [as] burnings of lime, Thorns, as sweepings, with fire they burn.
And peoples have been [as] burnings of lime, || Thorns, as sweepings, they burn with fire.
And the people shall be burnt as lime: as cut-off thorns shall they blaze up in fire.
The peoples will be burned to lime, as thornbushes are cut down and are burned.
From the Latin
And the people shall be as ashes after a fire, as a bundle of thorns they shall be burnt with fire.
Simplified
You people will be burned to ashes like thorns that are cut down and thrown into the fire.
And the peoples will be like the burning of chalk: as thorns cut down, which are burned in the fire.
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 and the Dead Sea Scrolls — 1Qisaa agree closely, with only minor variations in wording. Both texts convey the same message of judgment against the peoples, emphasizing their destruction.
וְהָי֥וּ עַמִּ֖ים מִשְׂרְפ֣וֹת שִׂ֑יד קוֹצִ֥ים כְּסוּחִ֖ים בָּאֵ֥שׁ יִצַּֽתּוּ׃ ס
5 of the 8 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.
ויהיו עמימ משרפות שיד קוצים כסוחים באש יצתו
8 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 33:12
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 הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Conj | V-Qal-3cp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common pluralHc/Vqq3cp
עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.
עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people
a people, nation
= smaller units
= common people
people in gen., persons
phrases
base
[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)
base
H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)
5971 `am am
from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a
tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or
attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,
people.
see HEBREW for 06004
עַם (am) — people.
: people/nation
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — kinsman.
kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Ammi.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — People's (Gate).
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.
Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Amaw.
This name means nation, people
עַם (am) — people: soldiers.
: soldiers/army
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — people: creatures.
: creatures
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
מַשְׂרֵפָה (misraphah) refers to a burning, specifically associated with combustion or cremation. It is derived from a root meaning combustion and is noted in various lexicons as related to the act of burning. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to fire and burning.
[מַשְׂרֵפָה, מִשְׂרָפָה ?] n.[f.] a burning
base
H4955 [מַשְׂרֵפָה, מִשְׂרָפָה ?] a burning
4955 misraphah mis-raw-faw'
from 8313; combustion, i.e. cremation (of a corpse), or
calcination (of lime):--burning.
see HEBREW for 08313
מִשְׂרָפָה (mis.ra.phah) — burning.
a burning
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural constructHNcfpc
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.
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…
שִׂיד (siyd) refers to lime or whitewash, specifically a product made by burning bones. The word is derived from a root that relates to the process of slaking lime. It appears in contexts related to construction or coating surfaces.
שִׂיד n.[m.] lime, whitewash
base
H7875 שִׂיד lime, whitewash
7875 siyd seed
from 7874; lime (as boiling when slacked):--lime, plaister.
see HEBREW for 07874
שִׂיד (sid) — lime.
1) lime, whitewash
1a) made by burning bones
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
lim
(1) sidh; compare Arabic shad, "to plaster";
(2) gir; compare Arabic jir, "gypsum" or "quick-lime";
(3) 'abene-ghir):
Sidh is translated "lime" in Isa 33:12, "And the peoples shall be as the burnings of lime, as thorns cut down, that are burned in the fire," and in Am 2:1, "He burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime." It is translated "plaster" in De 27:2, "Thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaster them with plaster," also in De 27:4. Gir is translated "plaster" in Da 5:5, "wrote .... upon the plaster of the wall." In Isa 27:9 we have, "He maketh all the…
Lime
The Hebrew word so rendered means “boiling” or “effervescing.” From Isa. 33:12 it appears that lime was made in a kiln lighted by thorn-bushes. In Amos 2:1 it is recorded that the king of Moab “burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime.” The same Hebrew word is used in Deut. 27:2-4, and is there rendered “plaster.” Limestone is the chief constituent of the mountains of Syria.
the substance obtained form limestone, shells, etc., by heat. It is noticed only three times in the Bible, viz., in (27:2) (Authorized Version "plaster"), (Isaiah 33:12) and Amos 2:1
קוֹץ (qots) refers to a thorn or thornbush, derived from a root meaning to prick. The entries consistently describe it as a plant with sharp points, with no significant disagreement among lexicons.
קוֹץ n.m. thornbush, thorn
base
H6975 קוֹץ thornbush, thorn
6975 qowts kotse
or qots {kotse}; from 6972 (in the sense of pricking); a
thorn:--thorn.
see HEBREW for 06972
קוֹץ (qots) — thorn.
1) thorn, thornbush
1a) thornbush
1b) thorn
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
כָּסַח (kacach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cut off or away, particularly in reference to plants. It is described as a primitive root that conveys the action of cutting down or cutting away. The entries suggest its usage can extend metaphorically to concepts of judgment.
[כָּסַח] vb. cut off or away, a plant
base
H3683 [כָּסַח] cut off or away, a plant
3683 kacach kaw-sakh'
a primitive root; to cut off:--cut down (up).
כָּסַח (ka.sach) — to cut.
1) to cut down, cut away, cut off (of plants)
1a) (Qal) cut away (pass participle)
1a1) of judgment (fig.)
V-Qal-Inf-c — Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine pluralHVqsmpa
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)
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common both singular absoluteHRd/Ncbsa
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…
יָצַת (yatsath) is a Hebrew verb meaning to kindle or burn. It can refer to the act of setting something on fire, as well as figuratively to desolation. The word has different forms: Qal (to kindle), Niphal (to be kindled or desolate), and Hiphil (to set on fire).
[יָצַת] vb. kindle, burn (intr.)
Qal kindle, intr., fig. of wickedness; sq. be kindled with fire (= set on fire)
Niph. be kindled; be burned; = desolated
Hiph. kindle, set on fire
base
H3341 [יָצַת] kindle, burn (intr.)
3341 yatsath yaw-tsath'
a primitive root; to burn or set on fire; figuratively, to
desolate:--burn (up), be desolate, set (on) fire ((fire)),
kindle.
יָצַת (ya.tsat) — to kindle.
1) to kindle, burn, set on fire
1a) (Qal) to kindle
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be kindled
1b2) to be left desolate
1c) (Hiphil) to set on fire, kindle
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp