Lexical Definition

‎אֵשׁ‎ ʼêsh (aysh) fire ^H:N-F
a primitive word

burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.

• fire (literally or figuratively)

1) fire
1a) fire, flames
1b) supernatural fire (accompanying theophany)
1c) fire (for cooking, roasting, parching)
1d) altar-fire
1e) God's anger (fig.)

See Greek: πῦρ · πύρινος · φλόξ

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Aramaic form: אֵשׁ
‎אֵשׁ‎₃₇₇ noun feminine^{Exod 9:23} (masculine^{Jer 48:45; Ps 104:4}; **'masculine' is dubious: Num 16:18 read ‎עָלֶיהָ‎ for 2nd ‎עֲלֵיהֶם‎ (‎ᵐ5‎B); Jer 20:9 see Ges^{§ 132 d}; Jer 48:45 read (many MSS., Num 21:23) ‎יצאה‎; Ps 104:4 read perhaps (Ol Du): ‎לֵֹ˜הטָה‎, or ‎וָלָֽחַט‎; Job 20:26 see Ges^{§ 145 u (or 121 b)}: compare Albr^{ZAW xvi {1896}. 63}. feminine & masculine^{Jer 20:9; Job 20:26}) fire (Assyrian išatu COT^Gloss, Syriac , Ethiopic derivatives from II. ‎אנשׁ‎, , sociable, friendly element (MV Wetzst in De^{Psalmen, ed. 4, p. 888} Lag^{BN 68} compare , ), improbable especially in view of Assyrian; daghesh probably secondary; compare also Sta^{§ 189 b}) — ‎׳‎‎א‎ absolute Exod 9:24 +; construct Lev 6:2* + (seldom); suffix ‎אִשּׁוֺ‎ Deut 4:36; Job 18:5 ‎אֶשְׁכֶם‎ Isa 50:11 ‎אִשָּׁם‎ Isa 66:24 —

1. fire, of conflagration, e.g. in briers, endangering or destroying crops ‎תֵּצֵא אֵשׁ וּמָֽצְאָה קֹצִים‎ Exod 22:5* compare Exod 3:2 ‎הַסְּנֶה בֹּעֵר בָּאֵשׁ‎ (both E); more often of deliberate destruction by fire, especially ‎שָׂרַף בָּאֵשׁ‎ (‎בָּ‎ with qam. preton.) object golden calf Exod 32:20 (J), other idols Deut 7:5; Deut 7:25, Asherim Deut 12:3, chariots Josh 11:6; Josh 11:9; 2Kgs 23:1, house Judg 12:1; Judg 14:15, tower Judg 9:52, city-gates Neh 1:3; Neh 2:3; Neh 2:13; Neh 2:17, city Josh 6:24; Judg 18:27 compare Isa 1:7 +; also ‎שִׁלַּח אֵשׁ בְּ‎ Amos 1:4; Amos 1:7; Amos 1:10 +; ‎שִׁלַּח אֶתהָֿעִיר בָּאֵשׁ‎ Judg 1:8; Judg 20:48 compare 2Kgs 8:12 ‎הִצִּית אֶתהָֿעִיר בָּאֵשׁ‎ Josh 8:8; Josh 8:19; Jer 17:27 +, compare Judg 9:49; 2Sam 14:30; 2Sam 14:31 (of field, compare Exod 22:5* above)

2. of supernatural fire, attending theophany Exod 3:2; Exod 19:18 (both J E) Deut 4:11; Deut 4:12; Deut 4:15; Deut 4:33; Deut 4:36 +; specifically ‎עַמּוּד (הָ)אֵשׁ‎ Exod 13:21; Exod 13:22; Exod 14:24 (all J E) Neh 9:12; Neh 9:19 compare Deut 1:33 (see ‎מַרְאֵהאֵֿשׁ‎ Num 9:15; Num 9:16 P); of destructive fire from ‎׳‎‎י‎ Num 11:1; Num 11:2; Num 11:3 (J) Num 26:10 (P) Lev 10:2 (P); compare ‎אֹכֶלָת‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ in simile of Yahweh's glory Exod 24:17 (E) Deut 4:24; Deut 9:3 see also 1Kgs 18:24; 1Kgs 18:38; 2Kgs 1:10 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 1:12 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 1:14; Job 1:16 (perhaps lightning intended), compare further of lightning Exod 9:23; Exod 9:24 (JE) Ps 18:13*; Ps 18:14*; Ps 148:8 etc.

3. fire for cooking, roasting, parching, etc. ‎צְלִי אֵשׁ‎ roasted at a fire Exod 12:8; Exod 12:9 (P) compare Lev 2:14; 2Chr 35:13; Isa 44:16; Isa 44:19 of tinder for lighting fire Gen 22:6; Gen 22:7 (E); of fire for melting (gold for the idolatrous calf) Exod 32:24 for refining Jer 6:29, where read with Qr ‎מֵאֵשׁ תַּם עֹפֶרֶת‎; compare Mal 3:2 (simile of purifying work of messenger of cov't).

4. especially of altar-fire Lev 1:7 (twice in verse); Lev 6:2*; Lev 6:3*; Lev 6:5*; Lev 6:6* +; in offering incense Lev 10:1, also ‎אֵשׁ זָרָה‎ strange fire, i.e. an incense not commanded, offered presumptuously Lev 10:1; Num 3:4; Num 26:61 fire from ‎׳‎‎י‎ consuming sacrifice (compare 2) Lev 9:24; 2Chr 7:1; 2Chr 7:3 of fire in child-sacrifice (usually ‎הֶעֱבִיר בֵּן בָּאֵשׁ (לְׅ‎) 2Kgs 16:3; 2Kgs 21:6 compare 2Kgs 17:17; 2Kgs 23:10; 2Chr 33:6 also ‎׳‎‎שׂרף בָּא‎ 2Kgs 17:31, ‎׳‎‎בער בָּא‎ 2Chr 28:3.

5. figurative of Yahweh's anger Ps 89:47* (simile) compare Nah 1:6; Lam 2:4 ‎אֵשׁעֶֿבְרָתִי‎ Ezek 21:36*; Ezek 22:31; Ezek 38:19, ‎אֵשׁקִֿנְאָתִי‎ Ezek 36:5 see also Isa 66:15; Ps 79:5; Ps 89:47* etc.; of word of ‎׳‎‎י‎ Jer 23:29 figurative of outbursting emotion Ps 39:4* of flagrant wickedness Isa 9:17*, etc:

6. in various combinations, ‎לַפִּיד אֵשׁ‎ Gen 15:17 (J) a torch of fire (compare Di); ‎לַבַּתאֵֿשׁ‎ Exod 3:2 flame of fire, ‎לַהַב אֵשׁ‎ Joel 2:5, ‎לַפִּידֵי אֵשׁ‎ (in simile) Dan 10:6 compare Zech 12:6, ‎לַהֲבוֺת‎ ‎אֵשׁ‎ Ps 29:7 ‎לַהֲבֵי אֵשׁ‎ Isa 66:15 compare ‎לְהָבוֺת‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Ps 105:32, ‎לָהָבָה‎ ‎׳‎‎נֹגַהּ א‎ Isa 4:5 compare Hos 7:6 ‎שְׁבִיב אִשּׁוֺ‎ spark of his fire Job 18:5 compare ‎כִּידוֺדֵי אֵשׁ‎ Job 41:11* ‎תַּנּוּר אֵשׁ‎ Ps 21:10* oven of fire, ‎כִּיּוֺר אֵשׁ‎ Zech 12:6 ‎אוֺר אֵשׁ‎ light of fire Ps 78:14 ‎אֵשׁ לֹהֵט‎ flaming fire Ps 104:4 ‎לְשׁוֺן אֵשׁ‎ Isa 5:24 tongue of fire, ‎גַּחֲלֵי אֵשׁ‎ Ezek 1:13 coals of fire, so Ezek 10:2, compare ‎רִשְׁפֵּי אֵשׁ‎ Song 8:6 on ‎אַבְנֵי אֵשׁ‎ Ezek 28:14; Ezek 28:16 see ‎אֶבֶן‎; ‎אֵשׁ דַּת‎ Deut 33:2, literally fire of a law, or fire was a law, but ‎דָּת‎ law is Persian & late; read perhaps ‎דֹת‎[‎לַפִּ‎] ‎אֵשׁ‎ compare Exod 20:18 or ‎דֶת‎ [‎יֹקֶ‎] ‎אֵשׁ‎ compare Isa 65:5.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References