Bible Encyclopedias
Flame

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

flām ( להב , lahabh , and other forms from same root; φλόξ , phlóx ): 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'ēth , "a lifting or rising up" (Judges 20:38 , Judges 20:40 the King James Version), the Revised Version (British and American) "cloud" (of smoke); kālı̄l , "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"); shābhı̄bh (Job 18:5; the Revised Version, margin); shebhı̄bh , Aramaic (Daniel 3:22; Daniel 7:9 ). In Psalm 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 (Psalm 83:14; Isaiah 5:24; Isaiah 10:17 ). See also FIRE .