Hebrew word · H6919

קָדַח

kikdoach

to kindle

qādaḥ means to kindle or set fire to something. It is a rare verb (about five occurrences). Most of the other examples speak of fire kindled by God's anger: 'a fire is kindled in my anger' (Deut 32:22; Jer 15:14; 17:4). Isa 64:2 (64:1 in English Bibles) uses it of fire kindling brushwood.

Appears 5 times in 5 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) to kindle, be kindled

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to kindle

1a2) to be kindled

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 Isaiah 50:11

Range of meaning

qādaḥ means to kindle or set fire to something. It is a rare verb (about five occurrences). Most of the other examples speak of fire kindled by God's anger: 'a fire is kindled in my anger' (Deut 32:22; Jer 15:14; 17:4). Isa 64:2 (64:1 in English Bibles) uses it of fire kindling brushwood.

Against the English

'Kindle a fire' (KJV, BSB, WEB, ESV) is accurate. 'Light fires' (NIV) is fine. Paraphrases that make it 'live in your own light' bring out only the light side and lose the danger.

Used elsewhere in the period

Deut 32:22; Jer 15:14; 17:4; Isa 64:2. The Septuagint has 'you burn fire' (pyr kaiete).

From the study of Deuteronomy 32:22

Range of meaning

To kindle, to light, to be set alight. It is rare: Isaiah 50:11 (people who 'kindle a fire'), Isaiah 64:1/2 (fire kindling brushwood), Jeremiah 15:14 and 17:4 (both echoing this verse).

Against the English

English versions differ on time: 'has been kindled' (BSB, YLT), 'is kindled' (KJV, WEB), 'will be kindled' (some modern versions). The Hebrew uses the completed form.

Used elsewhere in the period

Jeremiah takes up this line twice when announcing exile. 17:4 adds 'which shall burn forever'. So later prophets read the Song of Moses as a warning that had come true in their own day.

From the study of Jeremiah 15:14

Range of meaning

To kindle, set alight. It is rare: Deuteronomy 32:22; Isaiah 50:11; 64:1 (Hebrew 64:1, English 64:2); Jeremiah 15:14; 17:4. The related noun qaddachat means burning fever (Leviticus 26:16; Deuteronomy 28:22).

Against the English

KJV and WEB 'is kindled' keep the completed sense. BSB's 'My anger will kindle a fire' turns it into a future and makes the anger the one who lights the fire. That reads smoothly but loses the point that the fire is already burning.

Used elsewhere in the period

The exact phrase כִּי־אֵשׁ קָדְחָה בְאַפִּי, 'for a fire is kindled in my nose', appears word for word in Deuteronomy 32:22, the Song of Moses, where the fire 'burns to the depths of Sheol and devours the earth'.

Where it appears

Deuteronomy · 1

  1. Deuteronomy 32:22 קָדְחָ֣ה it has been kindled

    For a fire has been kindled by My anger, and it burns to the depths of Sheol; it consumes the earth and its produce, and scorches the foundations of the mountains.

    Here: A rare verb for fire catching and flaring. The completed verb form presents the kindling as already done: the fire is lit and cannot be undone.

Isaiah · 2

  1. Isaiah 50:11 קֹ֥דְחֵי [who] kindle

    Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who array yourselves with firebrands, walk in the light of your fire and of the firebrands you have lit! This is what you will receive from My hand: You will lie down in a place of torment.

    Here: A participle, 'kindlers of'. It describes them by what they habitually do. Elsewhere in the Bible the verb is mostly used for the fire of God's anger (Deut 32:22; Jer 15:14; 17:4). Here humans light the fire, and it turns back on them.

  2. Isaiah 64:2 כִּקְדֹ֧חַ as kindles

    as fire kindles the brushwood and causes the water to boil, to make Your name known to Your enemies, so that the nations will tremble at Your presence!

    Here: 'As' plus a verb form meaning 'the kindling of'. It sets up a comparison: God's coming should be like the moment fire catches. Elsewhere the verb is used for the fire of God's anger being lit (Deut 32:22; Jer 15:14; 17:4), so it already has a ring of divine wrath.

Jeremiah · 2

  1. Jeremiah 15:14 קָדְחָ֥ה it has been kindled

    Then I will enslave you to your enemies in a land you do not know, for My anger will kindle a fire that will burn against you.”

    Here: A rare verb meaning to set alight or kindle. It is in the completed form: the fire is already lit, and the judgment is presented as already under way.

  2. Jeremiah 17:4 קְדַחְתֶּ֥ם you have kindled

    And you yourself will relinquish the inheritance that I gave you. I will enslave you to your enemies in a land that you do not know, for you have kindled My anger; it will burn forever.”

    Here: 'You (plural) have kindled.' The address suddenly moves from the singular 'you' (Judah as one person) to the people as a group. Their actions struck the spark.

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