Śâraph (שָׂרַף, Strong's #8313), “to burn.” A common Semitic term, this word is found in ancient Akkadian and Ugaritic, as well as throughout the history of the Hebrew language. It occurs in its verb form nearly 120 times in the Hebrew Old Testament. Śâraph is found first in Gen. 11:3 in the Tower of Babel story: “Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly.”Since burning is the main characteristic of fire, the term śâraph is usually used to describe the destroying of objects of all kinds. Thus, the door of a city tower was “burned” (Judg. 9:52), as were various cities (Josh. 6:24; 1 Sam. 30:1), chariots (Josh. 11:6, 9), idols (Exod. 32:20; Deut. 9:21), and the scroll that Jeremiah had dictated to Baruch (Jer. 36:25, 27-28). The Moabites’ “burning” of the bones of the king of Edom (Amos 2:1) was a terrible outrage to all ancient Semites. The “burning” of men’s bodies on the sacred altar was a great act of desecration (1 Kings 13:2). Ezekiel “burned” a third of his hair as a symbol that part of the people of Judah would be destroyed (Ezek. 5:4).

Interestingly, śâraph is never used for the “burning” of a sacrifice on the altar, although a few times it designates the disposal of refuse, unused sacrificial parts, and some diseased parts. The “burning” of a red heifer was for the purpose of producing ashes for purification (Lev. 19:5, 8).

B. Nouns.

Śârâph (שָׂרָף, 8314), “burning one; fiery being.” In Num. 21:6, 8, the term śârâph describes the serpents that attacked the Israelites in the wilderness. They are referred to as “fiery” serpents. A “fiery” flying serpent appears in Isa. 14:29, as well as in Isa. 30:6.

Śârâphim (שָׂרָף, 8314), “burning, noble.” Śârâphim refers to the ministering beings in Isa. 6:2, 6, and may imply either a serpentine form (albeit with wings, human hands, and voices) or beings that have a “glowing” quality about them. One of the śârâphim ministered to Isaiah by bringing a glowing coal from the altar.

Bibliography Information
Vines, W. E., M. A. Entry for 'Burn'. Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/vot/b/burn.html. 1940.

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Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words

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