Isaiah 9:18 — Word Study
WLCכִּֽי־ בָעֲרָ֤ה כָאֵשׁ֙ רִשְׁעָ֔ה שָׁמִ֥יר וָשַׁ֖יִת תֹּאכֵ֑ל וַתִּצַּת֙ בְּסִֽבְכֵ֣י הַיַּ֔עַר וַיִּֽתְאַבְּכ֖וּ גֵּא֥וּת עָשָֽׁן׃
BSAlike a fireʼêsh [a powerful symbol of God's anger and refining presence]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| כִּֽי־ | for | Particle |
| בָעֲרָ֤ה | it has burned | Verb, Qal, perfect third person feminine singular |
| כָאֵשׁ֙ | like fire | Preposition, noun common both singular absolute |
| רִשְׁעָ֔ה | wickedness | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| שָׁמִ֥יר | thorn[s] | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וָשַׁ֖יִת | and bush[es] | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| תֹּאכֵ֑ל | it consumes | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person feminine singular |
| וַתִּצַּת֙ | and it has kindled | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person feminine singular |
| בְּסִֽבְכֵ֣י | [the] thickets of | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct |
| הַיַּ֔עַר | the forest | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וַיִּֽתְאַבְּכ֖וּ | and they have swirled | Verb, Hithpael, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
| גֵּא֥וּת | a rising up of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| עָשָֽׁן׃ | smoke | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | For wickedness burns like a fire that consumes the thorns and briers and kindles the forest thickets which roll upward in billows of smoke. |
| KJV | ¶ For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. |
| ASV | For wickedness burneth as the fire; it devoureth the briers and thorns; yea, it kindleth in the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in a column of smoke. |
| YLT | For burned as a fire hath wickedness, Brier and thorn it devoureth, And it kindleth in thickets of the forest, And they lift themselves up, an exaltation of smoke! |
| WEB | For wickedness burns like a fire. It devours the briers and thorns; yes, it kindles in the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in a column of smoke. |
| BBE | For evil was burning like a fire; the blackberries and thorns were burned up; the thick woods took fire, rolling up in dark clouds of smoke. |
Where they part company is רִשְׁעָה — see How Translations Differ.
One main clause with several subordinate phrases that describe the nature and effects of wickedness.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectעָתַם
verbעֶבְרָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 13 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
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 9:18
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 — The Consequences of Wickednessgenerated
Isaiah 9:18 illustrates the destructive nature of wickedness by comparing it to a fire that consumes thorns and briers. This imagery highlights the severity of moral failure and the resulting divine judgment. The surrounding verses emphasize God's displeasure with the people's actions, showing that wickedness not only harms individuals but also leads to broader consequences for the community.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 1:31 | The strong man will become tinder and his work will be a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the flames. |
| 2 | Isaiah 30:30–33 | And the LORD will cause His majestic voice to be heard and His mighty arm to be revealed, striking in angry wrath with a flame of consuming fire, and with cloudburst, storm, and hailstones. |
| 3 | Isaiah 33:12 | The peoples will be burned to ashes, like thorns cut down and set ablaze. |
| 4 | Isaiah 34:8–10 | For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion. |
| 5 | Isaiah 66:16–17 | For by fire and by His sword, the LORD will execute judgment on all flesh, and many will be slain by the LORD. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 23 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — רִשְׁעָ֔ה, rish.'Ahgenerated
The Hebrew word רִשְׁעָה (rish'ah) refers to wickedness, particularly in moral contexts. It encompasses various forms of wrongdoing, including civil, ethical, and religious aspects. This term is often associated with guilt or wrong actions in relationships, indicating a deeper level of moral failure.
In this verse, רִשְׁעָה serves as the subject of the sentence, emphasizing that it is wickedness itself that burns like a fire. The imagery of fire conveys the intensity and destructive power of wickedness, illustrating how it consumes and devastates.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb בָעֲרָ֤ה (it has burned) governs the entire clause, indicating the action of burning. The structure presents a series of comparisons and descriptions that elaborate on the nature of wickedness.
The sentence is built around the burning of wickedness, with several phrases detailing what it consumes: שָׁמִ֥יר (thorns), וָשַׁ֖יִת (bushes), and הַיַּ֔עַר (the forest). This organization emphasizes the widespread destruction caused by wickedness.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew רִשְׁעָה is rendered as συγκέκαυται (it has been consumed), which emphasizes the totality of destruction associated with wickedness. This choice highlights the severity of the consequences of moral failure.
The Greek term connects the concept of wickedness with the idea of being completely burned up, suggesting a total eradication of wrongness, aligning with the imagery of fire in the Hebrew text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 9:18 compares wickedness to a fire that burns thorns and bushes, showing how destructive it is. The verse illustrates the consequences of moral failure and the judgment of God, emphasizing that wickedness leads to devastation.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The fire symbolizes the intense and consuming nature of wickedness, illustrating how it destroys everything in its path.
This verse is part of a larger passage that discusses the consequences of moral failure and God's judgment on the people for their wickedness.
Thorns and briers represent the obstacles and troubles caused by wickedness, indicating that it brings harm and suffering.
The smoke represents the aftermath of destruction, serving as a reminder of the consequences of wickedness and the judgment that follows.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see wickedness affecting my community today?
- How can I guard against the destructive nature of wickedness in my own life?
- What steps can I take to promote goodness and righteousness in my surroundings?
- How does understanding the consequences of wickedness influence my actions and decisions?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Ephrem the Syrian comments on the significance of this verse in relation to divine judgment and the consequences of moral failure.
Mary said to him, “How can this be, since no man has known me?” He said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” Why did he not mention the Father’s name but instead the name of his Power and…Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 9 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 9:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleFor wickedness burneth as the fire,.... That is, the punishment of their sins, as the Targum interprets it; the wrath of God for sin, which is poured out like fire, and consumes as that does; unless
Read John Gill on Isaiah 9 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryFor wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 9 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWickedness burneth, i.e. shall burn you, as it follows, shall devour. Your iniquity shall be your ruin, as God threatens, . The briers and thorns; either, 1. The wicked, who are oft compared to briers and thorns, as ; or rather, 2. The low and mean persons; for these are opposed to the thickets of the forest, in the next clause. In the thickets of the forest; in the wood, where the trees are tall, and stand thick, having their boughs entangled together, which makes them more ready both to catch and to spread the fire. Like the lifting up of smoke; sending up smoke like a vast furnace. Heb. with height or pride of smoke, i.e. with aspiring smoke, which in that case riseth high, and spreadeth…
Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 9 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 9:18 For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up [like] the lifting up of smoke.Ver. 18. For wickedness burneth as a fire.] God will burn up these wicked Israelites, as once he did those sinful Sodomites; for unregenerate Israel is to him as Ethiopia, when once scelera abierunt in mores, and there is a general defection of all sorts and states, God will make an utter riddance of them; he will fire the whole forest.
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 9 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(18) It shall devour the briers and thorns . . .—The words are obviously figurative for men who were base and vile, as in 2 Samuel 23:6; but the figure may have been suggested by Isaiah 7:23-24. The outward desolation, with its rank growth of underwood, was to the prophet’s eye a type of the moral condition of his people. And for such a people sin becomes the punishment of sin, and burns like a fire in a forest thicket, leaving the land clear for fresh culture and a better growth. (Comp. Isaiah 33:11-12; James 3:5; Hebrews 6:8.)
Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 9 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 18. For wickedness] Wickedness rageth like a fire, destroying and laying waste the nation: but it shall be its own destruction, by bringing down the fire of God's wrath, which shall burn up the briers and the thorns; that is, the wicked themselves. Briers and thorns are an image frequently applied in Scripture, when set on fire, to the rage of the wicked; violent, yet impotent, and of no long continuance. "They are extinct as the fire of thorns," Psalms 118:12. To the wicked themselves, as useless and unprofitable, proper objects of God's wrath, to be burned up, or driven away by the wind. "As thorns cut up they shall be consumed in the fire," Isaiah 33:12. Both these ideas seem to be…
Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 9 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges18–21. Third strophe. As in ch. Isaiah 3:1-7, the removal of the pillars of the state is followed by wild confusion and civil war. The state of things alluded to can be partly realised from passages in the book of Hosea, e.g. Isaiah 4:2, Isaiah 5:11 f., Isaiah 6:8 f., Isaiah 7:7, Isaiah 10:3; Isaiah 10:13; and cf. 2 Kings 15:23-25.
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 9 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleFor wickedness - This commences the third part of the prophecy, which continues to the end of the chapter. It is a description of prevailing impiety.
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 9 →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
For wickedness burns like a fire that consumes the thorns and briers and kindles the forest thickets which roll upward in billows of smoke.
For wickedness burns like a fire. It devours the briers and thorns; yes, it kindles in the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in a column of smoke.
For wickedness burns like a fire that consumes the thorns and briers and kindles the forest thickets, which roll upward in billows of smoke.
For evil burned like a fire, it consumed thorns and briers; it burned up the thickets of the forest, and they went up in smoke.
Tyndale line
¶ For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
For wickedness burneth as the fire; it devoureth the briers and thorns; yea, it kindleth in the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in a column of smoke.
For wickedness burneth as the fire; it devoureth the briers and thorns: yea, it kindleth in the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in thick clouds of smoke.
For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the rising of smoke.
For wickednesse burneth as a fire: it deuoureth the briers and the thornes and will kindle in the thicke places of the forest: and they shall mount vp like the lifting vp of smoke.
Strictly literal
For wickedness burneth as a fire: it devoureth briars and thorns, and kindleth in the thickets of the forest, and they go rolling up like a pillar of smoke.
For burned as a fire hath wickedness, Brier and thorn it devoureth, And it kindleth in thickets of the forest, And they lift themselves up, an exaltation of smoke!
For wickedness has burned as a fire, || It devours brier and thorn, || And it kindles in thickets of the forest, || And they lift themselves up, an exaltation of smoke!
(9:17) For wickedness burneth like the fire; it shall devour the briers and thorns: and it shall kindle [a flame] in the thickets of the forest, and they shall be shrouded by the wreaths of smoke.
Wickedness burns like a fire; it devours the briers and thorns; it even burns the thickets of the forest, which rise in a column of smoke.
From the Latin
For wickedness is kindled as a fire, it shall devour the brier and the thorn: and shall kindle in the thicket of the forest, and it shall be wrapped up in smoke ascending on high.
Simplified
For wickedness blazes like a fire, burning up brambles and thorns, setting the forest on fire, sending a column of smoke swirling upwards.
For evil was burning like a fire; the blackberries and thorns were burned up; the thick woods took fire, rolling up in dark clouds of smoke.
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 presents Isaiah 9:18 as a vivid depiction of wickedness burning like fire, consuming thorns and briers, and igniting forest thickets, resulting in billows of smoke. The Septuagint largely agrees with this imagery, matching 12 of the 13 words from the Masoretic Text, although it presents the text in its own word order and structure. The Dead Sea Scrolls, particularly 1Qisaa, diverge significantly, offering a different context that emphasizes the actions of the people and their lack of compassion, which is not found in the Masoretic Text. Meanwhile, 4Q59 provides a fragmented version with several words restored by an editor, making it difficult to ascertain its alignment with the Masoretic Text's original meaning. Overall, while the Septuagint aligns closely with the Masoretic Text, the Dead Sea Scrolls present alternative readings that shift the focus away from the original imagery of fire and destruction.
כִּֽי־ בָעֲרָ֤ה כָאֵשׁ֙ רִשְׁעָ֔ה שָׁמִ֥יר וָשַׁ֖יִת תֹּאכֵ֑ל וַתִּצַּת֙ בְּסִֽבְכֵ֣י הַיַּ֔עַר וַיִּֽתְאַבְּכ֖וּ גֵּא֥וּת עָשָֽׁן׃
12 of the 13 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.
מעברת יהוה צבאות נתעם הארץ ויהיו העמ כמאכלת אש איש אל אחי׳ו לוא יחמולו
14 words on the leather.
[בעברת] [יהוה] [צבאות] [נעתם] ארץ [ויהי] [העם] כמאכלת אש איש אל אחי׳ו לא יחמלו
5 words on the leather — 3 partly restored, 6 supplied entire by an editor.
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 9:18
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.
כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'
כִּי conj. that, for, when
that
Of time, when, of the past
elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם
when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though
Because, since
base
כִּי אם־
each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
that if
for if
(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
limiting the prec. clause, except
the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
after an oath, surely
base
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that
. . Of time, when, of the past
. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם
. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though
. Because, since
H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if
. for if
. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except
. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
. after an oath, surely
H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
3588 kiy kee
a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional
prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent
or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative
conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by
other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,
where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,
even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +
nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,
therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,
whether, while, whom, yea, yet.
כִּי (ki) — for.
1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since
1a) that
1a1) yea, indeed
1b) when (of time)
1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)
1c) because, since (causal connection)
1d) but (after negative)
1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if
1f) but rather, but
1g) except that
1h) only, nevertheless
1i) surely
1j) that is
1k) but if
1l) for though
1m) forasmuch as, for therefore
כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.
1) except if
1a) but if
1b) even though
כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.
1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since
1a) that
1a1) yea, indeed
1b) when (of time)
1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)
1c) because, since (causal connection)
1d) but (after negative)
HTc — ParticleHTc
for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.
In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…
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.
[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
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
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
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
HVqp3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singularHVqp3fs
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 — 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…
רִשְׁעָה (rish'ah) refers to wickedness, particularly in moral contexts. It encompasses various forms of wrongdoing, including civil, ethical, and religious aspects. The term is a feminine form derived from another Hebrew word related to wrongness, but no specific verse is cited in the entries.
רִשְׁעָה n.f. wickedness
base
H7564 רִשְׁעָה wickedness
7564 rish`ah rish-aw'
feminine of 7562; wrong (especially moral):--fault,
wickedly(-ness).
see HEBREW for 07562
רִשְׁעָה (rish.ah) — wickedness.
1) wickedness, guilt
1a) wickedness (in civil relations)
1b) wickedness (of enemies)
1c) wickedness (ethical and religious)
HNcfsa — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
wik'-ed-nes:
1. In the Old Testament:
The state of being wicked; a mental disregard for justice, righteousness, truth, honor, virtue; evil in thought and life; depravity; sinfulness; criminality. See SIN. Many words are rendered "wickedness." There are many synonyms for wickedness in English and also in the Hebrew. Pride and vanity lead to it: "All the proud, and all that work wickedness (rish`ah) shall be stubble" (Mal 4:1). Akin to this is the word `awen, "iniquity," "vanity": "She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness" (Pr 30:20). Then we have the word hawwah, meaning "mischief," "calamity," coming from inward intent upon evil: "Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in…
שָׁמִיר (shamir) refers to thorns, adamant, and flint. It is built from the root meaning of pricking, and can also denote a sharp stone or possibly a diamond. The entries collectively highlight its sharpness and toughness, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
שָׁמִיר n.m. thorn(s), adamant, flint
base
H8068 שָׁמִיר thorn(s), adamant, flint
8068 shamiyr shaw-meer'
from 8104 in the original sense of pricking; a thorn; also
(from its keenness for scratching) a gem, probably the
diamond:--adamant (stone), brier, diamond.
see HEBREW for 08104
שָׁמִיר (sha.mir) — thorn.
1) thorn(s), adamant, flint
1a) thorns, thorn-bushes
1b) adamant (as sharp)
1c) a sharp stone, flint
1c1) perhaps a diamond
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
שַׁ֫יִת (shayith) refers to thorn-bushes or wild growth of weeds and briers, derived from a root meaning scrub or trash. The entries consistently describe it as a collective noun for thornbushes, indicating its use in contexts related to thorny vegetation.
שַׁ֫יִת n.[m.]coll. thorn-bushes
base
H7898 שַׁ֫יִת thorn-bushes
7898 shayith shah'-yith
from 7896; scrub or trash, i.e. wild growth of weeds or
briers (as if put on the field):--thorns.
see HEBREW for 07896
שַׁ֫יִת (sha.yit) — thornbush.
thorn bushes
HC/Ncmsa — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
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)
HVqi3fs — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singularHVqi3fs
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
Hc/Vqw3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singularHc/Vqw3fs
סְבַךְ (se.vakh) means 'thicket' and is derived from the root meaning related to a copse. The entries consistently define it as a thick or dense area of vegetation.
סְבַךְ n.[m.] thicket
base
H5442 סְבַךְ thicket
5442 cbak seb-awk'
from 5440, a copse:--thick(-et).
see HEBREW for 05440
סְבַךְ (se.vakh) — thicket.
thicket
HR/Ncmpc — Preposition · noun common masculine plural constructHR/Ncmpc
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…
יַ֫עַר (ya'ar) refers to both a wood or forest and a honeycomb. The word is derived from a root suggesting thick vegetation. It encompasses meanings related to wooded areas and also has a specific reference to honeycomb, possibly due to its association with trees. Some entries connect it to specific locations or phrases in the Old Testament.
יַ֫עַר n.m. wood, forest, thicket
base
יַ֫עַר n.[m.] honeycomb
base
H3293a יַ֫עַר wood, forest, thicket H3293b יַ֫עַר honeycomb
3293 ya`ar yah'-ar
from an unused root probably meaning to thicken with verdure;
a copse of bushes; hence, a forest; hence, honey in the comb
(as hived in trees):--(honey-)comb, forest, wood.
יַ֫עַר (ya.ar) — wood.
forest, wood, thicket, wooded height
Also means: ya.or (יָעוֹר "wood" H3264)
יַ֫עַר (ya.ar) — honeycomb.
honeycomb
יַ֫עַר (ya.ar) — Jaar.
honeycomb
Another name of qir.yat ye.a.rim (קִרְיַת יְעָרִים "Kiriath-jearim" H7157)
יַ֫עַר (ya.ar) — (Ephraim) Forest.
Combined with eph.ra.yim (אֶפְרַ֫יִם " of Ephraim" H0669K)
§ honeycomb
יַ֫עַר (ya.ar) — (House of) the Forest.
Combined with ba.yit (בַּ֫יִת "House" H1004J)
§ honeycomb
HTd/Ncmsa — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
for'-est:
(1) choresh (compare proper name Harosheth), 2Ch 27:4. In 1Sa 23:15 ff translated "wood"; in Isa 17:9, "wood"; in Eze 31:3, "forest-like shade." Applied to any thick growth of vegetation but not necessarily so extensive as (3).
(2) pardec: Ne 2:8, margin "park"; Ec 2:5, the King James Version "orchards," the Revised Version (British and American) "parks"; So 4:13, English Versions of the Bible "orchard," the Revised Version, margin "paradise." A word of Persian origin signifying probably an enclosure.
Forest
Heb. ya’ar, meaning a dense wood, from its luxuriance. Thus all the great primeval forests of Syria (Eccl. 2:6; Isa. 44:14; Jer. 5:6; Micah 5:8). The most extensive was the trans-Jordanic forest of Ephraim (2 Sam. 18:6, 8; Josh. 17:15, 18), which is probably the same as the wood of Ephratah (Ps. 132:6), some part of the great forest of Gilead. It was in this forest that Absalom was slain by Joab. David withdrew to the forest of Hareth in the mountains of Judah to avoid the fury of Saul (
Although Palestine has never been in historical times a woodland country, yet there can be no doubt that there was much more wood formerly than there is a t present, and that the destruction of the forests was one of the chief causes of the present desolation.
[אָבַךְ] vb. turn (?)
Hithp. roll, roll up, as volume of smoke
base
H55 [אָבַךְ] coil (?)
55 'abak aw-bak'
a primitive root; probably to coil upward:--mount up.
אָבַךְ (a.vakh) — to roll up.
1) to roll, turn
1a) (Hithpael) to roll, roll up, billow
Hc/Vtw3mp — Verb · Hithpael · sequential imperfect third person masculine pluralHc/Vtw3mp
גֵּאוּת (ge'uwth) refers to concepts of majesty and pride, derived from the root words for lifting up and excellent things. It encompasses a range of meanings including the majesty of God, a rising up, and even pride. The entries highlight its use in describing both divine attributes and human qualities.
גֵּאוּת n.f. majesty
lifting up
majesty of God
pride
base
H1348 גֵּאוּת majesty
1348 ge'uwth gay-ooth'
from 1342; the same as 1346:--excellent things, lifting up,
majesty, pride, proudly, raging.
see HEBREW for 01342
see HEBREW for 01346
גֵּאוּת (ge.ut) — majesty.
1) majesty
1a) a rising up (of column of smoke)
1b) a swelling (of sea)
1c) majesty (of God)
1d) pride
HNcfsc — Noun common · feminine singular constructHNcfsc
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…
עָשָׁן (ashan) means smoke, and can refer to both literal smoke and metaphorical uses, such as vapor or anger. It is derived from the root word for 'to smoke' and is used in various contexts in the Old Testament.
H6227 עָשָׁן smoke
6227 `ashan aw-shawn'
from 6225; smoke, literally or figuratively (vapor, dust,
anger):--smoke(-ing).
see HEBREW for 06225
עָשָׁן (a.shan) — smoke.
1) smoke
1a) smoke
1b) in metaphor, simile
1c) smoke (fig.)
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa