785. esh or eshsha
Lexical Summary
esh or eshsha: fire

Original Word: אֵשׁ
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: esh
Pronunciation: /eɪʃ/ or /eɪʃ-ʃa/
Phonetic Spelling: (aysh)
NASB: fire
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H784 (אֵשׁ - fire)]

1. flame

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
flame

(Aramaic) corresponding to 'esh -- flame.

see HEBREW 'esh

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to esh
Definition
a fire
NASB Translation
fire (1).

Topical Lexicon
Overview

The word אֵשׁ occurs once in the Hebrew-Aramaic text of the Old Testament, appearing in Daniel 7:11 to describe the “blazing fire” that consumes the fourth beast in Daniel’s night vision. Though the term itself is rare in Aramaic, the concept of divine fire is woven throughout the canonical narrative. In Daniel it functions as an eschatological sign of God’s final judgment, seamlessly harmonizing with earlier Mosaic theology and later New Testament prophecy.

The Apocalyptic Setting in Daniel

Daniel 7 unveils a series of four world kingdoms climaxing in a blasphemous “little horn.” In verse 11 Daniel testifies, “I continued to watch until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.” The fire issues from the heavenly court where “a river of fire was flowing, coming out from before Him” (Daniel 7:10). The single use of אֵשׁ therefore anchors the vision in a throne-room setting: God is both Judge and Executioner, and His judgment is immediate, public, and irreversible.

Fire as Divine Judgement

Within Scripture, fire repeatedly symbolizes God’s judicial activity:
• Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown with “fire and sulfur from the LORD out of heaven” (Genesis 19:24).
• Nadab and Abihu were consumed when they offered unauthorized fire (Leviticus 10:2).
• Elijah called down fire upon the soldiers of Ahaziah (2 Kings 1:10-12).

Daniel 7:11 continues this line by portraying the fourth beast’s destruction as a divine sentence, not a mere political accident. The horn’s arrogant speech provokes the court, and the fire enforces the verdict.

Fire as Throne-Room Imagery

Ezekiel 1:27, Isaiah 6:6, and Revelation 4:5 each depict fire in proximity to God’s throne, highlighting His holiness and unapproachable light. Daniel’s vision matches this pattern—before any earthly empire collapses, the blazing presence of God is revealed. The consuming fire therefore signifies the majesty of the Ancient of Days and the moral purity that cannot tolerate sin.

Prophetic Continuity from Daniel to Revelation

Revelation revisits Daniel’s motif:
Revelation 19:20 envisions the beast and false prophet “thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur,” echoing Daniel 7:11.
Revelation 20:10 extends the judgment to the devil, confirming the finality of God’s wrath.

The New Testament thus completes the trajectory begun in Daniel, assuring believers that God will vindicate His name and people.

Historical and Theological Reception

Second Temple literature (e.g., 1 Enoch 52) elaborated on fiery judgment, influenced by Daniel’s imagery. Church fathers such as Irenaeus and Hippolytus linked Daniel 7 to Revelation’s lake of fire, affirming a coherent eschatology. Reformers maintained the same reading, viewing the vision as a prophecy of Christ’s eventual victory over antichristian powers.

Pastoral and Ministry Considerations

1. Warning: Daniel’s solitary use of אֵשׁ underscores the certainty of judgment for all who persist in pride and rebellion.
2. Comfort: The passage assures persecuted believers that God’s timeline is sovereign; evil empires are temporary.
3. Evangelism: Fire imagery compels urgency in gospel proclamation—“it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).
4. Worship: The scene invites reverence; congregations may respond with confession and adoration of God’s holiness.

Key Related Passages

Genesis 19:24; Leviticus 10:2; Deuteronomy 4:24; 2 Kings 1:10-12; Isaiah 66:15-16; Ezekiel 1:27; Daniel 7:9-11; Matthew 13:41-42; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10.

Forms and Transliterations
אֶשָּֽׁא׃ אשא׃ ’eš·šā ’eššā eshSha
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Daniel 7:11
HEB: וִיהִיבַ֖ת לִיקֵדַ֥ת אֶשָּֽׁא׃
NAS: and given to the burning fire.
KJV: and given to the burning flame.
INT: and given to the burning fire

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 785
1 Occurrence


’eš·šā — 1 Occ.

784
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