שְׂבִיב (se.viv)
se.viv
flame
A:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-M
Word Overview
The Aramaic noun seviv, appearing in Daniel, translates simply to "flame." It is the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew shabib (H7632), carrying the same basic meaning of a burning fire or flame. In the biblical text, this word describes the physical reality of fire, specifically in the context of the fiery furnace where Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown.
Its occurrence is limited to two verses in Daniel (3:25, 34), both within the narrative of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and the subsequent event. The word underscores the literal intensity of the heat and light, serving as a concrete detail in the story rather than a metaphor for spiritual purification or judgment. Translators consistently render it as "flame" to maintain this direct, visual imagery.
As an Aramaic term within a predominantly Hebrew Old Testament, seviv highlights the bilingual nature of Daniel’s court. Its usage aligns perfectly with its Hebrew counterpart, ensuring that the description of the fire remains clear and unambiguous for readers. The word’s simplicity allows the narrative focus to remain on the divine presence within the flames rather than on linguistic complexity.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word seviv describes a flame with intense physical heat, appearing in Daniel to depict the literal danger faced by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When the furnace was exceedingly hot, the flames killed those who threw them in, showing that the threat was real and deadly. This concrete detail grounds the story in history, reminding us that faith often operates within genuine peril.
Yet the narrative does not stop at destruction. The same fire that threatened to consume also sheltered the faithful. Seeing four men walking unharmed in the midst of the flames offered Nebuchadnezzar a glimpse of divine presence. For believers today, this word invites trust that God is near even when circumstances feel overwhelmingly hot.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- flame/ the1×
- [was] flames1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שְׁבִיבָ֖/א1×
- שְׁבִיבִ֣ין1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 3:22
Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
This verse uses the word to highlight the lethal intensity of the furnace that killed the soldiers, emphasizing the real danger the three men faced.
-
Daniel 7:9
“I watched until thrones were placed, and one who was Ancient of Days sat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames, and its wheels burning fire.
Here the term describes the fiery nature of the Ancient of Days’ throne, linking the physical flame to divine majesty and judgment.