לֶהָבָה (le.ha.vah)
le.ha.vah
flame
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 17 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun lehabah denotes a bright, active fire, most commonly translated as "flame" or "blaze." It appears seventeen times in the Old Testament, carrying a sense of intense heat and visible light. The word is not used for a gentle glow but for a consuming force that demands attention.
Its usage spans both natural phenomena and military imagery. In poetic texts like Psalms and Joel, it describes the destructive power of divine judgment or disaster, such as the "flames" of locusts devouring crops (Joel 1:19). This vivid metaphor links physical destruction with spiritual severity.
A striking nuance appears in Isaiah 27:4, where lehabah is paired with thorns. Here, the image suggests that God’s wrath acts like a fire consuming dry brush, clearing away what is useless or harmful. The word emphasizes the thoroughness of this action, leaving nothing behind but ash.
In some contexts, lehabah refers to the pointed tip of a weapon, such as a spearhead (1 Samuel 17:7). This usage highlights the sharp, dangerous edge of the metal, connecting the idea of piercing heat with physical threat. The word thus bridges the gap between natural fire and human-made instruments of war.
Translators often render lehabah as "flame," "firebrand," or "point." The choice depends on whether the context emphasizes light, heat, or sharpness. In every instance, the word conveys intensity and danger, reminding readers of the power inherent in both divine judgment and human conflict.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word lehabah describes a flame that is bright, active, and intense. It is not a gentle glow but a consuming force. In the Old Testament, it often appears in contexts of judgment or disaster, such as the locusts in Joel described as flames devouring crops. This imagery reminds us that some things in life are destructive and require divine intervention to overcome.
Yet there is also comfort in this word. Isaiah 43:2 promises that when you walk through fire, the flame will not scorch you. God’s presence acts as a shield against the very forces that destroy. This assurance does not mean we avoid hardship, but that we do not face it alone.
Understanding lehabah helps us see both the seriousness of sin and the power of God’s protection. It calls us to trust in His ability to preserve us when circumstances seem overwhelming. We can find hope in knowing that no flame is beyond His control.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 17 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- flame4×
- a flame3×
- and/ a flame2×
- flames of1×
- flames1×
- and/ flame1×
- and/ by/ flame1×
- and/ [the] blade of1×
- [will be] a flame1×
- [the] flame1×
- <into>/ a flame1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לֶהָבָ֖ה2×
- לֶֽהָבָ֑ה2×
- לַהֲב֥וֹת1×
- לֶהָבָֽה\׃1×
- לֶהָבָ֗ה1×
- לֶהָב֣וֹת1×
- לֶֽהָבָה֙1×
- לֶֽהָבָ֔ה1×
- לֶ֝הָבָ֗ה1×
- לְ/לֶהָבָ֑ה1×
- וּ/בְ/לֶהָבָ֛ה1×
- וְ/לַהֶ֣בֶת1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and flame will not scorch you.
This verse uses lehabah to promise divine protection, showing that the flame will not scorch those who trust in God.
-
Joel 1:19
Yahweh, I cry to you, for the fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame has burned all the trees of the field.
Here the word describes the destructive power of locusts as flames, highlighting the severity of the disaster facing Judah.
-
Isaiah 10:17
The light of Israel will be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame; and it will burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day.
The flame is paired with Israel’s Holy One to depict God’s judgment consuming the thorns and briers of Assyria.
-
Obadiah 1:18
The house of Jacob will be a fire, the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble. They will burn among them and devour them. There will not be any remaining to the house of Esau.” Indeed, Yahweh has spoken.
This passage contrasts Jacob’s fire with Esau’s stubble, illustrating how divine justice will completely consume the enemy.