לֶהָבָה
Definition
The Hebrew word לֶהָבָה (lehâbâh) primarily means 'flame' or 'blaze,' referring to the visible, fiery part of a fire. It describes literal flames, such as the fire that consumed the rebellious Israelites in Numbers 21:28 or the flames of God's judgment in Psalms 83:14. In a metaphorical sense, it can represent the 'head' or 'point' of a spear, as seen in 1 Samuel 17:7, where Goliath's spearhead is likened to a weaver's beam, suggesting a blazing or flashing tip. The word is also used poetically for divine phenomena, like the 'flame of fire' in God's theophany at Sinai (Psalm 29:7) or the protective glory over Mount Zion (Isaiah 4:5).
Biblical Usage
לֶהָבָה appears 19 times in the Old Testament, most frequently in poetic and prophetic books like Psalms, Isaiah, and Job. It is used in contexts of divine judgment (Psalm 106:18), natural phenomena like lightning (Psalm 105:32), and military imagery (1 Samuel 17:7). A pattern emerges where it often signifies destructive power, whether from God's wrath or human weapons, but also God's majestic and protective presence, as in Isaiah 4:5.
Etymology
לֶהָבָה is a feminine noun derived from the root ל־ה־ב (l-h-b), meaning 'to flame' or 'to blaze.' It is related to לַהַב (lahab, H3851), a masculine noun for 'flame' or 'blade,' and the verb לָהַב (lahab, H3857), 'to blaze up.' The word shares cognates in other Semitic languages, like Arabic 'lahab' (flame), indicating a common origin for concepts of fire and flashing light.
Semantic Range
לֶהָבָה is theologically significant as it portrays God's dynamic and powerful nature. It illustrates His judgment, as in the consuming fire against sin (Psalm 106:18), and His glorious presence, like the protective flame over Zion (Isaiah 4:5). Understanding this Hebrew term enriches Bible reading by highlighting how fire imagery connects divine holiness, purification, and revelation, emphasizing that God is both a consuming fire and a guiding light in biblical theology.
In ancient Israelite culture, fire was a potent symbol of divine intervention, purification, and destruction. A 'flame' (lehâbâh) would have been associated with altar sacrifices, God's manifestations (e.g., the burning bush), and warfare (spearheads). The metaphorical link between a spear's point and a flame reflects a view of weapons as flashing or blazing instruments of power, differing from modern, more technical understandings of military gear.
אֵשׁ (esh, H784) — a broader term for 'fire,' often the general substance, while lehâbâh specifies the visible flame. לַהַב (lahab, H3851) — a near synonym, also meaning 'flame' or 'blade,' but typically masculine and sometimes used for a sword's edge. שַׁלְהֶבֶת (shalhevet, H3857) — a poetic word for 'flame' or 'blaze,' often implying a raging or intense fire.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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