תהלים 18:8

Hebrew Modern Translation

עלה עשן באפו ואש מפיו תאכל גחלים בערו ממנו׃

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Aleppo Codex
[18:9] עשן באפו ואש-מפיו תאכל גחלים בערו ממנו

Biblia Hebrica Stuttgartensia (1967/77)
[18:9] עָ֘לָ֤ה עָשָׁ֨ן ׀ בְּאַפֹּ֗ו וְאֵשׁ־מִפִּ֥יו תֹּאכֵ֑ל גֶּ֝חָלִ֗ים בָּעֲר֥וּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ ׃

Westminster Leningrad Codex
[18:9] עָלָה עָשָׁן ׀ בְּאַפּוֹ וְאֵשׁ־מִפִּיו תֹּאכֵל גֶּחָלִים בָּעֲרוּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ ׃

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

went: Psalms 11:6, Psalms 21:9, Psalms 74:1, Psalms 104:32, Psalms 144:5, Psalms 144:6, Genesis 19:28, Leviticus 10:2, Numbers 11:1, Numbers 16:35, Deuteronomy 29:20, Deuteronomy 29:23, Deuteronomy 29:24, 2 Thessalonians 1:8

out of his: Heb. by his

fire: Daniel 7:10, Amos 4:11, Nahum 1:5, Nahum 1:6, Revelation 11:5

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 22:9 - went 1 Kings 8:12 - The Lord 2 Chronicles 6:1 - The Lord Job 41:19 - General Job 41:21 - General Psalms 97:3 - General Isaiah 6:4 - the house Isaiah 10:17 - for a flame Isaiah 11:4 - with the breath Ezekiel 38:18 - that Revelation 15:8 - was

Gill's Notes on the Bible

There went up a smoke out of his nostrils,.... This, with what follows, describes a storm of thunder; the "smoke" designs thick black clouds, gathered together; "fire" intends lightning; and "coals of fire", hot thunderbolts; and the whole is borrowed from, and is an allusion to what was at the giving of the law on Mount Sinai,

Exodus 19:16; The majesty of God is here set forth in much such language as is the leviathan in Job 41:19; the "smoke of his nostrils" seems to intend the indignation of God against the enemies of David, of Christ, and of his people, and the punishment be will inflict upon them, Isaiah 65:5. The Targum interprets it of the pride and insolence of Pharaoh;

and fire out of his mouth devoured; God is a wall of fire round about his people, and a consuming one to his and their enemies. This expresses the wrath of God upon the Jewish nation, and his sending the Roman armies to burn their city, Matthew 22:7;

coals were kindled by it; the Jews being as dry trees, were fit fuel for the fire of divine wrath, and so presently became as coals of fire; so the antichristian party, upon the pouring out of the fourth vial, will be scorched with heat, and blaspheme the name of God, Revelation 16:8.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

There went up a smoke out of his nostrils - Margin, “by his;” that is, as it is understood in the margin, the smoke seemed to be produced “by” his nostrils, or to be caused by his breathing. The comparison, according to Rosenmuller and DeWette, is derived from wild beasts when excited with anger, and when their rage is indicated by their violent breathing. Compare Psalms 74:1; Deuteronomy 29:20; Isaiah 65:5.

And fire out of his mouth devoured - That is, the clouds seemed to be poured forth from his nostrils, and the lightning from his mouth. So in Habakkuk 3:5 : “Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.”

Coals were kindled by it - Everything seemed to glow and burn. The lightning, that appeared to flash from his mouth, set everything on fire. The heavens and the earth were in a blaze.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 18:8. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils — - Or, 'There ascended into his nostrils a smoke,' as the words, literally rendered, signify. The ancients placed the seat of anger in the nose, or nostrils; because when the passions are warm and violent, it discovers itself by the heated vehement breath which proceeds from them. Hence the physiognomists considered open wide nostrils as a sign of an angry, fiery disposition.

"This description of a smoke arising into and a fire breaking forth from the nostrils of God, denotes, by a poetical figure, the greatness of his anger and indignation.

"Fire out of his mouth devoured - means that consuming fire issued out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it, thus we render the next clause; but the words do not mean that fire proceeding from God kindled coals, but that burning coals issued from his mouth; and it should be rendered 'living coals from his mouth burned, and consumed around him.'-Chandler.