כִּבְשָׁן (kiv.shan)
kiv.shan
kiln
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun kibshān refers to a kiln or furnace used for firing pottery or burning lime. In the ancient Near East, this was not merely a pit but a constructed structure capable of sustaining the intense heat required to transform clay into durable vessels or limestone into quicklime for building and purification.
Its usage is relatively rare in Scripture, appearing only four times, primarily within the legal texts of Exodus and Genesis. These contexts highlight its practical role in daily life and craftsmanship rather than symbolic theology. The word distinguishes this specific type of high-heat oven from other terms used for general cooking fires or sacrificial altars.
Translators typically render kibshān as "kiln" to preserve the distinction between burning fuel for heat and the industrial process of firing materials. This precision helps readers visualize the specialized technology available in biblical times, where such structures represented significant investment and skill in material culture.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word kibshān describes a specialized kiln used for firing pottery or burning lime in the ancient Near East. This was not just a simple fire pit but a constructed structure capable of sustaining intense heat to transform materials permanently. In Scripture, it appears only four times, primarily highlighting practical craftsmanship and daily life rather than deep symbolic theology.
When we read about smoke rising like that of a furnace in Genesis 19 or Exodus 19, we are reminded of the raw power present at key moments in biblical history. These descriptions ground us in the physical reality of God’s interaction with the world. The imagery connects the ordinary work of human hands with the extraordinary presence of the Divine.
Understanding this term helps us appreciate the tangible nature of faith. It reminds us that God works within the structures and materials of our daily lives. Whether in the quiet diligence of a potter or the awe-inspiring descent on Sinai, His presence is real and impactful.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- <the>/ furnace2×
- the/ furnace1×
- a furnace1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כִּבְשָׁ֑ן1×
- הַ/כִּבְשָֽׁן\׃1×
- הַ/כִּבְשָׁ֗ן1×
- הַ/כִּבְשָׁ֔ן1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 19:28
He looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and saw that the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace.
This verse uses the image of a furnace to describe the destruction of Sodom, emphasizing the completeness and intensity of judgment through smoke rising from the land.
-
Exodus 9:8
Yahweh said to Moses and to Aaron, “Take handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh.
Here the text specifies taking ashes from the furnace, linking the plague of boils directly to the intense heat source that symbolizes God's power over Pharaoh.
-
Exodus 19:18
All of Mount Sinai smoked, because Yahweh descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.
The mountain smoking like a furnace vividly portrays the terrifying and holy presence of Yahweh descending on Sinai, marking a pivotal moment in Israel's covenant history.