The Hebrew noun אשׁ (ʾēsh, pronounced EYSH) is the word for "fire." אשׁ (ʾēsh) appears in numerous famous episodes throughout the Hebrew Bible. For example, in the (near) sacrifice of Isaac in Genesis 22:6, Isaac asks Abraham: "The fire (האשׁ) and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" The word אשׁ (ʾēsh) is not limited to earthly fire, but can also refer to divine fire, as אשׁ (ʾēsh) is used in Exodus 3:2 when Moses encounters the burning bush: "There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire (האשׁ) out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was burning with fire (באשׁ), yet it was not consumed."
Friday, March 29, 2024