Word Study for H7631 (שְׂבִיב)

sᵉbîyb /seb-eeb'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to שָׁבִיב

Meaning(flame (as split into tongues))

KJV usageflame.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of sᵉbîyb — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Aramaic word sᵉbîyb, represented by H7631, means flame. It is defined as a {flame (as split into tongues)} and corresponds to the Hebrew word שָׁבִיב. This specific term appears only 2 times in 2 unique verses, both within the book of Daniel, highlighting its use in contexts of intense heat and divine power.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two uses of H7631 present a powerful contrast. In Daniel's vision of the Ancient of Days, the divine throne itself is described as a "fiery flame" Daniel 7:9, associating the word with God's glorious and awe-inspiring presence. In a more literal sense, it describes the deadly intensity of Nebuchadnezzar's furnace, where "the flame of the fire slew those men" who were enforcing the king's command Daniel 3:22.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Aramaic words appear alongside H7631 to build a picture of fire and judgment:

H5135 nûwr (fire; fiery, fire): This is a general term for fire. It is used to describe the "fiery flame" of God's throne Daniel 7:9 and is the word used for the "burning fiery furnace" throughout the narrative in Daniel 3 Daniel 3:17.
H1815 dᵉlaq (to flame; burn): This verb describes the action of burning. In Daniel's vision, it is used to depict the wheels of God's throne as "burning fire" Daniel 7:9, complementing the description of the throne as a flame.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7631 is concentrated in its specific, high-impact appearances.

Divine Majesty: Its use in describing the throne of the Ancient of Days establishes flame as an image of God's unapproachable holiness, power, and judicial authority. The vision presents a being whose very seat of power is a consuming fire Daniel 7:9.
Destructive Power: The word also represents the lethal and immediate consequence of opposing a king's decree, as seen when the flame from the furnace instantly kills the guards Daniel 3:22. This demonstrates its raw, physical power in the earthly realm.

Summary

In summary, H7631 is a rare but potent word. While it simply means flame, its limited usage is reserved for scenes of immense power. It is used to convey both the glorious, terrifying majesty of God's throne in a heavenly vision and the literal, deadly force of an earthly furnace, making it a key element in Daniel's fire-related imagery.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

שְׁבִיבִין
שְׁבִיבָ

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

2 verses, all in Daniel — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.