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לֶהָבָה

𐤋𐤄𐤁𐤄

lehâbâh

H3852 noun

SILEX Entry

Root להב to blaze, burn, flash

Definition

A flame, especially a visible tongue or shaft of fire. In extended and poetic usage, denotes brilliance, a fiery phenomenon, or intense burning (literal or figurative). In rare metaphorical senses, used for something sharply pointed, such as the head or tip of a spear or weapon, likely referencing its shining or flashing appearance.

Semantic Range

flame, tongue of fire, shaft of fire, flashing brilliance, head or tip (of a spear or weapon as gleaming/fiery), intense burning (literal or metaphorical)

Root / Etymology

Root לׇהַב (lāhav), core meaning 'to blaze, burn, flash.' לֶהָבָה (lehâbâh) is the feminine form, emphasizing either an individual tongue of flame or the phenomenon of flames. Derives from the root meaning of burning or flashing, but the nominal form focuses on the visual aspect of fire rather than the abstract action of burning.

Historical & Contextual Notes

לֶהָבָה is found in both prose and poetic texts, frequently employed to evoke powerful imagery of consuming or destructive fire (e.g., Genesis 3:24; Isaiah 5:24; Ezekiel 20:47; Song of Songs 8:6). While its primary sense is 'flame' (often as a distinct tongue or shaft), extended metaphorical uses occur, particularly in parallel structure or heightened poetic context, where it can signify the brilliant or flashing tip of a weapon. The word appears more often in poetic or prophetic books, highlighting intense burning, divine action, or unstoppable power. Later Jewish exegesis sometimes ascribes symbolic meanings, but these are not inherent to the ancient usage. Standard English translations as 'flame' generally capture its core meaning, but miss the subtleties of brilliance, movement, or metaphorical extensions. Distinct from אֵשׁ (esh, 'fire') which can denote either the material phenomenon or sacrificial fire—the emphasis in לֶהָבָה is on the visible, flickering, or aggressive aspect of flame.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or לַהֶבֶת; feminine of לַהַב, and meaning the same; {a flash; figuratively, a sharply polished blade or point of aweapon}; flame(-ming), head (of a spear).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

להב (l-h-b) — to blaze, burn, flash

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3827 לַבָּה in blazing flame of
H3851 לַהַב in blazing flame of
H3853 לְהָבִים Flame-ones
H7957 שַׁלְהֶבֶת blazing flame
H8514 תַּלְאוּבָה scorching droughts

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3852-03 לֶהָבָ֖ה lehavah HNcfsa flame blazing flame 9
H3852-09 וְ/לֶהָבָ֖ה velehavah HC/Ncfsa and a flame and a flame 3
H3852-08 וְ/לַהֶ֣בֶת velahevet HC/Ncfsc and the socket and flame-of 1
H3852-01 לַהֲב֥וֹת lahavot HNcfpc flames flames of 1
H3852-07 וּ/בְ/לֶהָבָ֛ה uvelehavah HC/R/Ncfsa and-by-flame and in a flame 1
H3852-05 לְ/לֶהָבָ֑ה lelehavah HR/Ncfsa a flame blazing flame 1
H3852-04 לֶהָב֣וֹת lehavot HNcfpa flames blazing flames 1
H3852-02 לַהֶ֣בֶת lahevet HNcfsc flame flame of 1
H3852-06 וּ֝/כְ/לֶהָבָ֗ה ukhelehavah HC/R/Ncfsa and like a flame and like a blazing-flame 1

Occurrences in Scripture

19 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3852-03 Numbers 21:28 לֶהָבָ֖ה lehavah HNcfsa flame blazing flame
H3852-08 1 Samuel 17:7 וְ/לַהֶ֣בֶת velahevet HC/Ncfsc and the socket and flame-of
H3852-03 Isaiah 4:5 לֶהָבָ֖ה lehavah HNcfsa flaming blazing flame
H3852-03 Isaiah 5:24 לֶֽהָבָה֙ lehavah HNcfsa flame blazing flame
H3852-05 Isaiah 10:17 לְ/לֶהָבָ֑ה lelehavah HR/Ncfsa a flame blazing flame
H3852-09 Isaiah 43:2 וְ/לֶהָבָ֖ה velehavah HC/Ncfsa and the flame and a flame
H3852-03 Isaiah 47:14 לֶֽהָבָ֑ה lehavah HNcfsa the flame blazing flame
H3852-09 Jeremiah 48:45 וְ/לֶֽהָבָה֙ velehavah HC/Ncfsa and a flame and a flame
H3852-02 Ezekiel 21:3 לַהֶ֣בֶת lahevet HNcfsc flame flame of
H3852-03 Hosea 7:6 לֶהָבָֽה lehavah HNcfsa a flame blazing flame
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