לַ֫הַב (la.hav)
la.hav
flame
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 8 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun lahav denotes a bright, intense flame, but its meaning extends beyond fire to include the sharp, flashing edge of a weapon. In Scripture, it describes both the consuming heat of a blaze and the gleaming point of a spear or sword blade. This dual usage highlights a shared quality: intensity and danger.
The word appears eight times, with significant occurrences in Judges, Isaiah, and Joel. In Judges 15:14, for instance, the Spirit of the Lord comes upon Samson, and he grabs a fresh jawbone to strike down a thousand men, an act associated with the fierce power implied by lahav. Similarly, in Joel 2:3, the advancing army is depicted as a fire that devours grass, its path marked by a lahav that leaves nothing untouched.
This term captures the visual and destructive force of light and heat. Translators often render it as "flame" or "blade," depending on context. The imagery serves to convey sudden, overwhelming power, whether in divine judgment or human conflict, emphasizing the awe-inspiring nature of the event described.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word lahav captures more than just heat; it describes a sharp, flashing intensity that can be seen in both a devouring fire and the gleaming edge of a spear. This dual imagery reminds us that God’s presence is often experienced as overwhelming power. In Judges 13:20, we see this vividly when the angel ascends in the flame of the altar, a moment that leaves Manoah and his wife falling on their faces in awe.
For your faith, this word bridges the gap between divine judgment and divine protection. Whether it is the fire that devours stubble in Joel 2:5 or the blade in Samson’s hand during Judges 15:14, lahav signifies a force that cannot be ignored. It calls us to recognize that God acts with decisive power, clearing away what hinders His purposes.
You can find comfort in knowing that this same intensity that judges evil also reveals God’s glory. When life feels chaotic or threatening, remember that the God who sends the flame is also the one who guides it. His actions are purposeful, leaving no room for doubt about His sovereignty over all things.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 8 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ blade2×
- and/ a flame of2×
- with/ flames of1×
- the/ flame1×
- in/ [the] flame of1×
- flames1×
- a flame of1×
- [the] blade of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/לַ֖הַב2×
- לַ֣הַב1×
- לַ֖הַב1×
- לְהָבִ֖ים1×
- הַ/לַּ֜הַב1×
- הַ/לַּ֗הַב1×
- הַ/לַּ֔הַב1×
- בְּ/לַהֲבֵי\־1×
- בְּ/לַ֣הַב1×
Key Verses
-
Judges 13:20
For when the flame went up toward the sky from off the altar, Yahweh’s angel ascended in the flame of the altar. Manoah and his wife watched; and they fell on their faces to the ground.
This verse uniquely uses lahav to describe the supernatural ascent of God’s angel, linking the word directly to divine revelation and worship.
-
Joel 2:5
Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains, they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people set in battle array.
Here the flame devours stubble, illustrating how God’s judgment can be as sudden and consuming as a wildfire moving through dry grass.
-
Isaiah 66:15
For, behold, Yahweh will come with fire, and his chariots will be like the whirlwind; to give his anger with fierceness, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
The prophet pairs fire with chariots like whirlwinds to show that God’s coming is both majestic in speed and fierce in purpose.