Original Word: אֵשׁ
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: esh
Pronunciation: aysh
Phonetic Spelling: (aysh)
Definition: Fire
Meaning: fire

Word Origin: Derived from an unused root probably meaning to be fiery or to burn.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - G4442 (πῦρ, pyr): Fire, used in the New Testament to describe both literal fire and metaphorical fire, such as the fire of judgment or the Holy Spirit.

Usage: The Hebrew word "esh" primarily denotes fire, a powerful and multifaceted symbol in the Bible. It is used both literally and metaphorically, representing God's presence, judgment, purification, and the Holy Spirit. Fire is a divine tool for both destruction and refinement, illustrating God's holiness and power.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Near Eastern cultures, fire was a vital element for daily life, used for cooking, warmth, and protection. It also held religious significance, often associated with divine presence and power. In the Israelite tradition, fire symbolized God's presence, as seen in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2) and the pillar of fire that guided the Israelites (Exodus 13:21). Fire was also central to sacrificial rituals, consuming offerings as a sign of divine acceptance.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
a fire
NASB Translation
blazing (1), burned* (1), burning (1), burning coals (1), fiery (1), fire (362), fires (2), flame (1), flaming (3), flashing (1), man (1).

אֵשׁ₃₇₇ noun feminine^{Exodus 9:23} (masculine^{Jeremiah 48:45; Psalm 104:4}; **masculine is dubious: Numbers 16:18 read עָלֶיהָ for 2nd עֲלֵיהֶם (ᵐ5B); Jeremiah 20:9 see Ges^{§ 132 d}; Jeremiah 48:45 read (many MSS., Numbers 21:23) יצאה; Psalm 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^{Jeremiah 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 Exodus 9:24 +; construct Leviticus 6:2 + (seldom); suffix אִשּׁוֺ Deuteronomy 4:36; Job 18:5; אֶשְׁכֶם Isaiah 50:11; אִשָּׁם Isaiah 66:24; —

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

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

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

4 especially of altar-fire Leviticus 1:7 (twice in verse); Leviticus 6:2; Leviticus 6:3; Leviticus 6:5; Leviticus 6:6 +; in offering incense Leviticus 10:1, also אֵשׁ זָרָה strange fire, i.e. an incense not commanded, offered presumptuously Leviticus 10:1; Numbers 3:4; Numbers 26:61; fire from ׳י consuming sacrifice (compare 2) Leviticus 9:24; 2Chronicles 7:1,3; of fire in child-sacrifice (usually הֶעֱבִיר בֵּן בָּאֵשׁ (לְׅ) 2 Kings 16:3; 2 Kings 21:6; compare 2 Kings 17:17; 2 Kings 23:10; 2Chronicles 33:6; also ׳שׂרף בָּא 2 Kings 17:31, ׳בער בָּא2Chronicles 28:3.

5 figurative of Yahweh's anger Psalm 89:47 (simile) compare Nahum 1:6; Lamentations 2:4 אֵשׁעֶֿבְרָתִי Ezekiel 21:36; Ezekiel 22:31; Ezekiel 38:19, אֵשׁקִֿנְאָתִי Ezekiel 36:5; see also Isaiah 66:15; Psalm 79:5; Psalm 89:47 etc.; of word of ׳י Jeremiah 23:29; figurative of outbursting emotion Psalm 39:4; of flagrant wickedness Isaiah 9:17, etc:

6 in various combinations, לַמִּיד אֵשׁ Genesis 15:17 (J) a torch of fire (compare Di); לַבַּתאֵֿשׁ Exodus 3:2 flame of fire, לַהַב אֵשׁ Joel 2:5, לַמִּידֵי אֵשׁ (in simile) Daniel 10:6 compare Zechariah 12:6, לַהֲבוֺת אֵשׁ Psalm 29:7 לַהֲבֵי אֵשׁ Isaiah 66:15 compare לְהָבוֺת ׳א Psalm 105:32, לָהָבָה ׳נֹגַהּ א Isaiah 4:5 compare Hosea 7:6; שְׁבִיב אִשּׁוֺ spark of his fire Job 18:5 compare כִּידוֺדֵי אֵשׁ Job 41:11; תַּנּוּר אֵשׁ Psalm 21:10 oven of fire, כִּיּוֺר אֵשׁ Zechariah 12:6; אוֺר אֵשׁ light of fire Psalm 78:14; אֵשׁ לֹהֵט flaming fire Psalm 104:4; לְשׁוֺן אֵשׁ Isaiah 5:24 tongue of fire, גַּחֲלֵי אֵשׁ Ezekiel 1:13 coals of fire, so Ezekiel 10:2, compare רִשְׁמֵּי אֵשׁ Songs 8:6; on אַבְנֵי אֵשׁ Ezekiel 28:14,16 see אֶבֶן; אֵשׁ דַּת Deuteronomy 33:2, literally fire of a law, or fire was a law, but דָּת law is Persian & late; read perhaps דֹת[לַמִּ] אֵשׁ compare Exodus 20:18 or דֶת [יֹקֶ] אֵשׁ compare Isaiah 65:5.

אֶשָּׁא noun [feminine] fire (Biblical Hebrew אֵשׁ; K^{§ 55, 5. 2 b} thinks emphatic from onomatopoetic √ אשׁשׁ; D¹⁶¹ Buhl √ אשׁא compare ᵑ7 אישָּׁא, אִישָּׁהָא, Syriac ; — Daniel 7:11.

אֻשֹּׁהִי, אֻשַּׁיָּא see [אשׁ]. above

burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot

A primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively) -- burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.

אִשּֽׁוֹ׃ אִשּׁ֣וֹ אֵ֑שׁ אֵ֔שׁ אֵ֖שׁ אֵ֗שׁ אֵ֚שׁ אֵ֛שׁ אֵ֜שׁ אֵ֝֗שׁ אֵ֞שׁ אֵ֡שׁ אֵ֣שׁ אֵ֤שׁ אֵ֥שׁ אֵ֨שׁ אֵ֬שׁ אֵ֭שׁ אֵֽשׁ׃ אֵשׁ֙ אֵשׁ֮ אֵשׁ־ אֶשְׁכֶ֗ם אש אש־ אש׃ אשו אשו׃ אשכם בְּאֵ֖שׁ בְּאֵ֣שׁ בְּאֵ֥שׁ בְּאֵ֨שׁ בְּאֵשׁ־ בְאֵשׁ־ בָ֭אֵשׁ בָּאֵ֑שׁ בָּאֵ֔שׁ בָּאֵ֖שׁ בָּאֵ֜שׁ בָּאֵ֞שׁ בָּאֵ֣שׁ בָּאֵ֣שׁ ׀ בָּאֵ֥שׁ בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ בָּאֵשׁ֒ בָּאֵשׁ֙ בָאֵ֑שׁ בָאֵ֔שׁ בָאֵ֖שׁ בָאֵ֗שׁ בָאֵ֜שׁ בָאֵ֣שׁ בָאֵ֥שׁ בָאֵֽשׁ׃ בָאֵשׁ֙ באש באש־ באש׃ הַאִשׁ֙ הָאֵ֑שׁ הָאֵ֔שׁ הָאֵ֖שׁ הָאֵ֗שׁ הָאֵ֛שׁ הָאֵ֜שׁ הָאֵ֤שׁ הָאֵ֥שׁ הָאֵ֨שׁ הָאֵֽשׁ׃ הָאֵשׁ֙ האש האש׃ וְ֝אֵ֗שׁ וְ֭אֵשׁ וְאִשָּׁם֙ וְאֵ֕שׁ וְאֵ֖שׁ וְאֵ֣שׁ וְאֵ֥שׁ וְאֵשׁ־ וְהָאֵ֖שׁ וְהָאֵ֗שׁ וְהָאֵ֨שׁ וָאֵ֑שׁ וָאֵ֔שׁ וּבְאֵשׁ֙ וּבָאֵ֕שׁ ואש ואש־ ואשם ובאש והאש כְּאֵ֣שׁ כְּאֵ֥שׁ כָּאֵ֖שׁ כָּאֵשׁ֙ כָאֵ֔שׁ כָאֵ֜שׁ כָאֵשׁ֙ כאש לְאֵ֑שׁ לְאֵ֔שׁ לְאֵ֗שׁ לָאֵ֔שׁ לָאֵ֖שׁ לָאֵ֤שׁ לאש מֵאֵֽשׁ׃ מֵהָאֵ֣שׁ מאש׃ מהאש ’êš ’êš- ’eš·ḵem ’ešḵem ’iš·šōw ’iššōw bā’êš ḇā’êš bā·’êš ḇā·’êš baEsh bə’êš bə’êš- ḇə’êš- bə·’êš bə·’êš- ḇə·’êš- beEsh chaEsh Esh eshChem hā’êš ha’iš hā·’êš ha·’iš haEsh haIsh ishSho kā’êš ḵā’êš kā·’êš ḵā·’êš kaEsh kə’êš kə·’êš keEsh lā’êš lā·’êš laEsh lə’êš lə·’êš leEsh mê’êš mê·’êš mê·hā·’êš meEsh mêhā’êš mehaEsh ū·ḇā·’êš ū·ḇə·’êš ūḇā’êš ūḇə’êš uvaEsh uveEsh vaEsh veEsh vehaEsh veishSham wā’êš wā·’êš wə’êš wə’êš- wə’iššām wə·’êš wə·’êš- wə·’iš·šām wə·hā·’êš wəhā’êšInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts