שָׁבִיב
𐤔𐤁𐤉𐤁
shâbîyb
H7632 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A luminous tongue or point of flame, specifically a small individual flame, such as a spark or tip of fire. The term refers to a flickering or leaping flame and is used primarily of the visible, dynamic part of fire that appears as separate jets or tongues.
Semantic Range
spark, tongue of flame, point of fire, glowing tip, flickering flame
Root / Etymology
From the root שָׁבַב (sh-b-b), meaning 'to split, break through, burst forth.' The lexical form שָׁבִיב derives from this root, indicating something divided or splitting, likely referencing the divided, branching appearance of individual flames or sparks.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שָׁבִיב occurs infrequently in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Job 18:5–6, Isaiah 13:8), where it denotes a visible, often individual, flame or spark. In poetic and wisdom literature, it evokes imagery of fire's dynamic motion or its dangerous, penetrating presence. The term differs from אֵשׁ (esh, 'fire') in that it denotes not the whole phenomenon but the pointed, flickering, or sprouting aspect of flame. Later translations (e.g., KJV 'spark', 'flame') may not always distinguish this nuance. The image of a split or branching tongue of fire is especially vivid in ancient metaphor and is sometimes rendered with the sense 'glowing point' in modern scholarship. This word did not develop significant additional meanings in later Hebrew literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as שָׁבָב; flame (as split into tongues); spark.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁבב (sh-b-b) — split, break through, burst forth
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7632-01 |
שְׁבִ֣יב | sheviv | HNcmsc |
flame | spark of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7632-01 |
Job 18:5 | שְׁבִ֣יב | sheviv | HNcmsc |
flame | spark of |