### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **hâmâç**, represented by `{{H2003}}`, describes the concept of **melting**. It appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the Bible. Based on a root that means "to crackle," its definition as a **dry twig or brushwood** suggests a rapid, intense melting, like light material being utterly consumed by fire.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The single biblical use of `{{H2003}}` is found in a powerful simile in [[Isaiah 64:2]]. The verse describes the effect of God's manifest presence: "As when the **melting**{H2003} fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil." This imagery is part of a plea for God to reveal Himself in such a mighty way that His adversaries would know His name and the nations would tremble before Him. Here, **melting** is not a gentle process but a violent, immediate reaction to overwhelming heat and power.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several words used alongside `{{H2003}}` in its only context help to define its meaning:
* `{{H784}}` **'êsh** (fire): This is the agent of the action, a literal or figurative fire that is the source of the intense heat that causes the **melting** [[Isaiah 64:2]].
* `{{H6919}}` **qâdach** (to inflame; burn, kindle): This word describes the action of the fire. The "melting" of `{{H2003}}` is the direct result of this burning [[Isaiah 64:2]].
* `{{H1158}}` **bâʻâh** (to gush over, i.e. to swell... cause, inquire, seek up, swell out): Used in parallel with **melting**, it describes the waters boiling, reinforcing the theme of a powerful, agitated response to God's presence [[Isaiah 64:2]].
* `{{H7264}}` **râgaz** (to quiver... tremble): This is the intended result of the display. The "melting" fire is meant to cause the nations to **tremble** in awe and fear [[Isaiah 64:2]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H2003}}` is tied entirely to its singular, vivid use.
* **Manifestation of Divine Power:** The word is used to illustrate the overwhelming nature of God's presence. Likening its effect to a **melting** fire that makes water boil demonstrates a power that alters the state of the physical world [[Isaiah 64:2]].
* **A Sign of God's Presence:** The "melting" serves as a visible sign of God's arrival. It is part of a dramatic display intended to make His name known to his adversaries.
* **Inducing Awe and Fear:** The purpose of this powerful phenomenon is to evoke a response. The **melting** is a prelude to the nations trembling before God, a tangible reason for them to stand in awe [[Isaiah 64:2]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2003}}` is a rare but impactful Hebrew word. Its lone appearance in scripture provides a crucial detail in a metaphor for God's power. It defines not just a physical process but the profound and terrifying effect of the divine presence on the created world, an event so powerful it is meant to make the nations tremble.
TRV