Hebrew word · H6225

עָשַׁן

'ashan

be angry

The verb means "to smoke, give off smoke." Figuratively it describes anger "smoking" or fuming (Deut 29:20; Ps 74:1; 80:4), much as English speaks of someone fuming. The noun means smoke, including the smoke of burning cities, of sacrifice, and of God's presence.

Appears 6 times in 6 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. · Updated October 31, 2026

What it means

1) to smoke, be angry, be wroth

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to smoke

1a2) to fume, be wroth, be furious

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Exodus 19:18

Range of meaning: The verb means "to smoke, give off smoke." Figuratively it describes anger "smoking" or fuming (Deut 29:20; Ps 74:1; 80:4), much as English speaks of someone fuming. The noun means smoke, including the smoke of burning cities, of sacrifice, and of God's presence.
Against the English: English "smoked," "was covered/enveloped/wrapped in smoke" are all accurate. "Covered" and "enveloped" suggest a cloud lying over the mountain. The Hebrew verb has the mountain itself actively smoking, like something burning.
Used elsewhere in the period: Smoke signals God's presence in several key scenes: the "smoking firepot" that passes between the pieces when God makes his covenant with Abraham (Gen 15:17); the temple filling with smoke in Isaiah's vision (Isa 6:4); God who "touches the mountains and they smoke" (Ps 104:32; 144:5); and smoke from God's nostrils in the storm theophany of Ps 18:8 (a theophany is a visible appearance of God). The supplied lexical gloss "be angry" reflects only the figurative use; BDB and HALOT give "to smoke" as the basic meaning.

From the study of Psalm 74:1

Range of meaning: ʿāšan means 'to smoke, to give off smoke'. It is used of Mount Sinai (Exod 19:18) and of smoking mountains (Ps 104:32; 144:5). ʾap means first 'nose, nostril' and then, by a very common extension, 'anger', pictured as hot breath snorting from the nose.
Against the English: KJV, YLT, ESV and NASB keep 'smoke'. BSB, WEB and NIV use 'smolder'. NLT drops the image and simply says the anger is intense. No English version keeps 'nose', and 'anger' is the right meaning, but the bodily picture behind the line is lost.
How it drifted: 'Smolder' in modern English suggests a low, hidden, slow burn, almost dormant. The Hebrew pictures visible smoke pouring from God's nostrils, which is active and ongoing fury.
Used elsewhere in the period: Ps 18:8 (= 2 Sam 22:9): 'Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth.' Deut 29:20 (29:19 Heb): 'the anger of the LORD and his jealousy will smoke against that man.' Ps 80:4 (also Asaph): 'How long will you smoke against the prayer of your people?' The Septuagint drops the image: 'your wrath was angered.'

From the study of Psalm 104:32

Range of meaning: To smoke, fume. Used literally of Mount Sinai at the giving of the law (Exodus 19:18) and the mountains here and in Psalm 144:5. Used figuratively of anger 'smoking' (Deuteronomy 29:20; Psalm 74:1; 80:4). The noun ʿāšān, 'smoke', is a regular part of God appearing in Scripture (Exodus 19:18; Isaiah 6:4; Psalm 18:8).
Against the English: KJV, WEB, ESV, NIV and NASB have "smoke". BSB's "smolder" suggests slow burning without flame. That is a reasonable picture, but it is narrower than the Hebrew, which just says smoke rises. The supplied lexical gloss "be angry" comes from the figurative uses and does not fit this verse.
Used elsewhere in the period: Exodus 19:18: "Mount Sinai was all in smoke, because the LORD had descended on it in fire... and the whole mountain trembled greatly." Smoke and trembling together make an unmistakable echo of Sinai. The Septuagint uses καπνίζονται, "they smoke"; the Vulgate has fumigant.

Where it appears

Exodus · 1

Exodus 19:18 עָשַׁ֣ן it was smoking

Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke, because the LORD had descended on it in fire. And the smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.

Here: "Was smoking." A state, not a single puff: the mountain stood there giving off smoke. The same root is used elsewhere for God's anger "smoking" (Ps 74:1), but here it is literal smoke.

Deuteronomy · 1

Deuteronomy 29:20 יֶעְשַׁ֨ן it will smoke

The LORD will never be willing to forgive him. Instead, His anger and jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse written in this book will fall upon him. The LORD will blot out his name from under heaven

Here: Literally 'will smoke.' Anger pictured as smoke pouring from flared nostrils, the way a furious man or beast snorts. It is a physical, vivid image, not an abstract 'burn.'

Psalms · 4

Psalm 74:1 יֶעְשַׁ֥ן does it smoke?

A Maskil of Asaph. Why have You rejected us forever, O God? Why does Your anger smolder against the sheep of Your pasture?

Here: 'Smokes'. The verb form describes something still going on, so it means 'keeps on fuming'. The anger is pictured as smoke pouring from a nose, and it does not let up.
Psalm 80:4 עָ֝שַׁ֗נְתָּ have you smoked

O LORD God of Hosts, how long will Your anger smolder against the prayers of Your people?
Psalm 104:32 וְֽיֶעֱשָֽׁנוּ׃ so they may smoke

He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smolder.

Here: "And they smoke", or "so that they smoke". This is literal smoke rising from the mountains, the picture of Sinai "wrapped in smoke" (Exodus 19:18). The same verb is used elsewhere as a picture of God's anger "smoking" (Psalm 74:1), but here it describes the mountains, not an emotion.
Psalm 144:5 וְֽיֶעֱשָֽׁנוּ׃ so they may smoke

Part Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, that they may smoke.

Here: "And they will smoke" or "so that they smoke". It states the result of God's touch: the mountains pour out smoke the way Sinai did. The same verb is used elsewhere for God's anger "smoking", so the word quietly carries that tone of hostility toward the king's enemies.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.