Psalms 78:14 — Word Study
WLCוַיַּנְחֵ֣ם בֶּעָנָ֣ן יוֹמָ֑ם וְכָל־ הַ֝לַּ֗יְלָה בְּא֣וֹר אֵֽשׁ׃
BSAHe led themnâchâh▸ [guided, directed] with a cloudʻânân by dayyôwmâm [in the daytime, daily] and with a lightʼôwr [illumination, spiritual enlightenment] of fireʼêsh [burning, flame] allkôl [the entire, whole] nightlayil [a period of darkness, adversity]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיַּנְחֵ֣ם | and he guided them | Verb hiphil sequential imperfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
| בֶּעָנָ֣ן | by the cloud | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| יוֹמָ֑ם | by day | Adverb |
| וְכָל־ | and all | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| הַ֝לַּ֗יְלָה | the night | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| בְּא֣וֹר | by [the] light of | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct |
| אֵֽשׁ׃ | a fire | Noun common, both singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He led them with a cloud by day and with a light of fire all night. |
| KJV | In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire. |
| ASV | In the day-time also he led them with a cloud, And all the night with a light of fire. |
| YLT | And leadeth them with a cloud by day, And all the night with a light of fire. |
| WEB | In the daytime he also led them with a cloud, and all night with a light of fire. |
| BBE | In the daytime he was guiding them in the cloud, and all through the night with a light of fire. |
Where they part company is יוֹמָ֑ם — see How Translations Differ.
The structure features a main verb followed by two prepositional phrases that describe the means of guidance.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
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 — Psalms 78:14
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 — God's Guidance in the Wildernessgenerated
Psalm 78:14 describes how God led the Israelites during their journey through the wilderness after their escape from Egypt. This verse emphasizes the divine guidance provided by God, illustrating His care and protection over His people. The surrounding verses recount other miraculous acts, reinforcing the theme of God's faithfulness and power in delivering His people.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 105:39 | He spread a cloud as a covering and a fire to light up the night. |
| 2 | Exodus 13:21–22 | And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night. |
| 3 | Exodus 14:24 | At morning watch, however, the LORD looked down on the army of the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and cloud, and He threw their camp into confusion. |
| 4 | Exodus 40:35–38 | Moses was unable to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. |
| 5 | Nehemiah 9:12–19 | You led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they should travel. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — וַיַּנְחֵ֣ם, vai.yan.Chemgenerated
The verb נָחָה (nachah) means to lead or guide. It implies bringing someone to a destination, governing, or transporting. In this context, it emphasizes God's active role in guiding the Israelites through the wilderness.
The parsing as a hiphil sequential imperfect indicates a continuous action of guiding. This shows that God's leadership was not a one-time event but an ongoing process throughout their journey.
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. The BSB has by day, and so do the FBV, ILT, LSV, MSB, NETB, and YLT: all these versions maintain the straightforward rendering of יוֹמָ֑ם.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb וַיַּנְחֵ֣ם governs the whole verse, with two prepositional phrases detailing how God led His people: בֶּעָנָ֣ן (by a cloud) and בְּא֣וֹר (by the light of fire). This structure emphasizes the duality of God's guidance during both day and night.
The syntax highlights the contrast between day and night, illustrating God's constant presence and guidance regardless of the time.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates בֶּעָנָ֣ן as νεφέλῃ, meaning 'cloud', which aligns closely with the Hebrew term and emphasizes the divine presence in a visible form.
The translation of אֵֽשׁ as πυρός (fire) maintains the imagery of God's guidance, suggesting both illumination and protection through the night.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 78:14 tells us that God led the Israelites through the wilderness with a cloud during the day and with fire at night. This shows how God was always present with His people, guiding them safely through their journey.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The cloud represents God's presence and guidance during the daytime, providing protection and direction for the Israelites.
Fire symbolizes light and warmth in the darkness, indicating God's continued guidance and protection during the night.
This verse illustrates God's faithfulness and constant presence with His people, showing that He guides and protects them in all circumstances.
We can learn that God is always with us, guiding us through both the light and dark times in our lives.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced God's guidance in my life?
- How can I be more aware of God's presence in my daily activities?
- What does it mean for me to trust in God's guidance during difficult times?
- How can I share the message of God's constant guidance with others?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church fathers, like Augustine, referenced this verse to illustrate God's guidance and protection of His people.
He that "led them home in the cloud of the day, and in the whole of the night in the illumination of fire" [Psalms 78:14],Early Church Fathers on Psalms 78 →
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 78:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleIn the daytime also he led them with a cloud,.... Which was in the form of a pillar, and went before them, and the Lord in it, and directed their way, and protected them from heat; see Exodus 13:21
Read John Gill on Psalms 78 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryMarvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 78 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleA cloud; which was very comfortable, both for a shadow from the scorching heat of the climate and season, and for a companion and director in their journey.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 78 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 78:14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.Ver. 14. In the daytime also he led them with a cloud] This cloud not only conducted them, but also compassed them in on every side, both to keep them from the parching heat of the sun, and to save them from the sight and violence of their enemies, Exodus 13:21. A figure of God’ s guidance of his Church, and protection over the same, Isaiah 4:5 Nehemiah 9:9.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 78 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges14. And he led them with the cloud by day (cp. Exodus 13:21), as a shepherd leads his flock (Psalms 78:53; Psalms 77:20).
Read Cambridge on Psalms 78 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleIn the day-time also he led them with a cloud - That is, the cloud was the visible symbol of his presence, and its movements determined the way in which they were to go.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 78 →The verse in English, compared — 16 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
He led them with a cloud by day and with a light of fire all night.
In the daytime he also led them with a cloud, and all night with a light of fire.
He led them with a cloud by day and with a light of fire all night.
He led them with a cloud by day, and with the light of a fire all night long.
Tyndale line
In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
In the day-time also he led them with a cloud, And all the night with a light of fire.
In the day-time also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
In the day-time also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
In the day time also hee led them with a cloude, and all the night with a light of fire.
Strictly literal
And he led them with a cloud in the daytime, and all the night with the light of fire.
And leadeth them with a cloud by day, And all the night with a light of fire.
And leads them with a cloud by day, || And with a light of fire all the night.
And he led them with the cloud by day, and all the night with a light of fire.
In the daytime he led them with a cloud and all the night with the light of fire.
Simplified
He led them with a cloud by day, and by night with a light of fire.
In the daytime he was guiding them in the cloud, and all through the night with a light of fire.
Word by word, the decisions they made
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 states, "וַיַּנְחֵ֣ם בֶּעָנָ֣ן יוֹמָ֑ם וְכָל־ הַ֝לַּ֗יְלָה בְּא֣וֹר אֵֽשׁ׃" which translates to "He led them with a cloud by day and with a light of fire all night." The Septuagint aligns closely with this verse, as all seven words correspond to those in the Masoretic Text, though the word order and articles differ due to the nature of Greek syntax. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls also support the Masoretic Text's wording, indicating a strong consensus among these ancient witnesses regarding this verse.
וַיַּנְחֵ֣ם בֶּעָנָ֣ן יוֹמָ֑ם וְכָל־ הַ֝לַּ֗יְלָה בְּא֣וֹר אֵֽשׁ׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
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 Psalms 78:14
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.
נָחָה (nachah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lead or guide. It can imply bringing someone or something to a destination, governing, or even transporting into exile. The entries indicate its use in both the Qal and Hiphil forms, suggesting a range of meanings related to leadership and guidance.
[נָחָה] vb. lead, guide
Qal lead, bring
Hiph. lead, guide
base
H5148 נָחָה lead, guide
5148 nachah naw-khaw'
a primitive root; to guide; by implication, to transport
(into exile, or as colonists):--bestow, bring, govern, guide,
lead (forth), put, straiten.
נָחָה (na.chah) — to lead.
1) to lead, guide
1a) (Qal) to lead, bring
1b) (Hiphil) to lead, guide
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff — Verb hiphil sequential imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHc/Vhw3ms/Sp3mp
עָנָן (anan) means 'cloud' and can refer to a cloud-mass or a theophanic cloud, which is a divine manifestation. It is derived from the root word עָנָה (anah). The term is used in contexts related to weather and divine presence.
עָנָן 87 n.m. cloud-mass, cloud
cloud-mass
cloud of incense
base
H6051 עָנָן cloud-mass, cloud
6051 `anan aw-nawn'
from 6049; a cloud (as covering the sky), i.e. the nimbus or
thunder-cloud:--cloud(-y).
see HEBREW for 06049
עָנָן (a.nan) — cloud.
1) cloud, cloudy, cloud-mass
1a) cloud-mass (of theophanic cloud)
1b) cloud
Aramaic equivalent: a.nan (עֲנָן "cloud" H6050)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
kloud (`anan, `abh; nephele, nephos):
I. Clouds in Palestine.
In the Bible few references are found of particular clouds or of clouds in connection with the phenomena of the weather conditions. The weather in Palestine is more even and has less variety than that in other lands. It is a long, narrow country with sea on the West and desert on the East. The wind coming from the West is always moist and brings clouds with it. If the temperature over the land is low enough the clouds will be condensed and rain will fall, but if the temperature is high, as in the five months of summer, there can be no rain even though clouds are seen. As a whole the winter is cloudy and the summer clear.
Cloud
The Hebrew so rendered means “a covering,” because clouds cover the sky. The word is used as a symbol of the Divine presence, as indicating the splendour of that glory which it conceals (Ex. 16:10; 33:9; Num. 11:25; 12:5; Job 22:14; Ps. 18:11). A “cloud without rain” is a proverbial saying, denoting a man who does not keep his promise (Prov. 16:15; Isa. 18:4; 25:5; Jude 1:12). A cloud is the figure of that which is transitory (Job 30:15;
The shelter given, and refreshment of rain promised, by clouds give them their peculiar prominence in Oriental imagery. When a cloud appears rain is ordinarily apprehended, and thus the "cloud without rain" becomes a proverb for the man of promise without performance. (Proverbs 16:15; Isaiah 18:4; 25:5; Jude 1:12) comp. Prov 25:14 The cloud is a figure of transitoriness, (Job 30:15; Hosea 6:4) and of whatever intercepts divine favor or human supplication. (Lamentations 2:1; 3:44) A bright cloud at times visited and rested on the mercy-seat. (
PILLAR OF, the miraculous token of the divine presence and care, Ex 14:24 16:10 Nu 12:5, which guided the Israelites in the desert; it was a means of protection and perhaps of shade by day, and gave them light by night, Ex 13:21,22 14:19,20. By it God directed their movements, Nu 9:15-23 14:14 De 1:33. See the beautiful application of the image to the future church in Isa 4:5.
יוֹמָם (yowmam) refers to the concept of daytime or the period of light in a day. It functions both as a noun meaning 'daytime' and as an adverb meaning 'by day.' The word is derived from יוֹם (yom), which means 'day.'
יוֹמָם 51 subst. and adv. daytime, by day
base
H3119 יוֹמָם subst. and adv. daytime, by day
3119 yowmam yo-mawm'
from 3117; daily:--daily, (by, in the) day(-time).
see HEBREW for 03117
יוֹמָם (yo.mam) — by day.
adv
1) by day, in the daytime
subst
2) daytime
Adv — AdverbHD
da (yom; hemera): This common word has caused some trouble to plain readers, because they have not noticed that the word is used in several different senses in the English Bible. When the different uses of the word are understood the difficulty of interpretation vanishes. We note several different uses of the word:
(1) It sometimes means the time from daylight till dark. This popular meaning is easily discovered by the context, e. g. Ge 1:5; 8:22, etc. The marked periods of this daytime were morning, noon and night, as with us. See Ps 55:17. The early hours were sometimes called "the cool of the day" (Ge 3:8). After the exile the day. or daytime was divided into twelve hours and the night into twelve (see
Day
The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Lev. 23:32). It was originally divided into three parts (Ps. 55:17). “The heat of the day” (1 Sam. 11:11; Neh. 7:3) was at our nine o’clock, and “the cool of the day” just before sunset (Gen. 3:8). Before the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1) from sunset to midnight (Lam. 2:19); (2) from midnight till the cock-crowing (Judg. 7:19); and (3) from the cock-crowing till sunrise (Ex.…
The variable length of the natural day at different seasons led in the very earliest times to the adoption of the civil day (or one revolution of the sun) as a standard of time. The Hebrews reckoned the day from evening to evening, (Leviticus 23:32) deriving it from (Genesis 1:5) "the evening and the morning were the first day." The Jews are supposed, like the modern Arabs, to have adopted from an early period minute specifications of the parts of the natural day. Roughly, indeed, they were content to divide it into "morning, evening and noonday," (Psalms 55:17) but when they wished for greater accuracy they pointed to six unequal parts, each of which was again subdivided. These are held to have been -- "the dawn." "Sunrise."…
The day is distinguished into natural, civil, and artificial. The natural day is one revolution of the earth on its axis. The civil day is that, the beginning and the end of which are determined by the custom of any nation. The Hebrews began their day in the evening, Le 23:32; the Babylonians at sunrise; and we begin at midnight. The artificial day is the time of the sun’s continuance above the horizon, which is unequal according to different seasons, on account of the obliquity of the equator. The sacred writers generally divide the day into twelve hours. The sixth hour always ends at noon throughout the year; and the twelfth hour is the last hour before sunset. But in summer, all the hours of the day were longer than in winter, while those of night were shorter. See HOURS, and THREE.
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.
(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.
(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).
לַ֫יְלָה (layil) means 'night' and is derived from a root that suggests a twist away from light. It encompasses the literal sense of night as opposed to day, as well as figurative uses related to gloom or adversity. The term appears in contexts like Isaiah 21:11.
לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל 242 n.m. night
base
H3915 לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל night
3915 layil lah'-yil
or (Isa. 21:11) leyl {lale}; also laylah {lah'- yel-aw}; from
the same as 3883; properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e.
night; figuratively, adversity:--((mid-))night (season).
see HEBREW for 03883
לַ֫יְלָה (lay.lah) — night.
1) night
1a) night (as opposed to day)
1b) of gloom, protective shadow (fig.)
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
nit.
See DAY AND NIGHT for the natural usage and the various terms.
1. In the Old Testament:
Figurative uses: The word "night" (laylah or layil is sometimes used figuratively in the Old Testament. Thus, Moses compares the brevity of time, the lapse of a thousand years, to "a watch in the night" (Ps 90:4). Adversity is depicted by it in such places as Job 35:10; compare Isa 8:20; Jer 15:9. Disappointment and despair are apparently depicted by it in the "burden of Dumah" (Isa 21:11,12); and spiritual blindness, coming upon the false prophets (Mic 3:6); again sudden and…
[DAY]
The ancient Hebrews began their artificial day at evening, and ended it the next evening, so that the night proceeded the day. This usage may probably be traced to the terms employed in describing the creation, Ge 1:5,8,13, etc., "The evening and the morning were the first day." The Hebrews allowed twelve to the day; but these hours were not equal, except at the equinox. At other times, when the hours of the night were long, those of the day were short, as in winter; and when the hours of night were short, as at midsummer, the hours of the day were long in proportion. See HOURS.
The nights are sometimes extremely cold in Syria, when the days are very hot; and travelers in the deserts and among the mountains near Palestine refer to their own sufferings from these opposite extremes, in illustration of Jacob’s words in
אוֹר (or) means 'light' and encompasses various forms of illumination, including daylight, dawn, and the light of heavenly bodies like the sun and stars. It can also refer to metaphorical concepts such as the light of life, prosperity, and instruction, as well as Yahweh as a source of light.
אוֹר 121 n.m. light
light as diffused in nature, light of day
morning light, dawn
light of the heavenly luminaries
daylight
lightning
light of lamp
light of life
light of prosperity
light of instruction
light of face
Yahweh
base
H216 אוֹר light . light as diffused in nature, light of day
. morning light, dawn
. light of the heavenly luminaries
. daylight
. lightning
. light of lamp
. light of life
. light of prosperity
. light of instruction
. light of face
. Yahweh
216 'owr ore
from 215; illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every
sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.):--bright, clear,
+ day, light (-ning), morning, sun.
see HEBREW for 0215
אוֹר (or) — light.
1) light
1a) light of day
1b) light of heavenly luminaries (moon, sun, stars)
1c) day-break, dawn, morning light
1d) daylight
1e) lightning
1f) light of lamp
1g) light of life
1h) light of prosperity
1i) light of instruction
1j) light of face (fig.)
1k) Jehovah as Israel's light
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular constructHR/Ncfsc
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…
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…