The meaning of Flame in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)
flam (lahabh, and other forms from same root; phlox): In Judges 13:20 bis; Job 41:21; Isaiah 29:6; Joel 2:5, the word is lahabh. Various other words are translated "flame"; mas'eth, "a lifting or rising up" (Judges 20:38, Judges 20:40 the King James Version), the Revised Version (British and American) "cloud" (of smoke); kalil, "completeness" (Judges 20:40 King James Version margin, "a holocaust, or offering wholly consumed by fire"; compare Leviticus 6:15); shalhebheth (Job 15:30; Song of Solomon 8:6; the American Standard Revised Version "a very flame of Yahweh," margin "or, a most vehement flame"; Ezekiel 20:47, the Revised Version (British and American) "the flaming flame"); shabhibh (Job 18:5; the Revised Version, margin); shebhibh, Aramaic (Daniel 3:22; Daniel 7:9). In Psalms 104:4 the American Standard Revised Version has "maketh .... flames of fire his ministers"; the Revised Version (British and American) "flame" for "snare" (Proverbs 29:8).
Figuratively: "Flame" is used to denote excitement (Proverbs 29:8 the Revised Version (British and American)), shame, astonishment, "faces of flame" (Isaiah 13:8); in Revelation 1:14, the glorified Christ is described as having eyes "as a flame of fire," signifying their searching purity (compare Revelation 2:18; Revelation 19:12). Flame is also a symbol of God's wrath (Psalms 83:14; Isaiah 5:24; Isaiah 10:17).
See also FIRE.
W. L. Walker
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