Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came from His mouth; glowing coals blazed forth.
Parallel translations
- WEB Smoke went up out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.
- KJV There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
- NKJV Smoke went up from His nostrils, And devouring fire from His mouth; Coals were kindled by it.
- NASB “Smoke went up out of His nostrils, And fire from His mouth was devouring; Coals were kindled by it.
- NLT Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Smoke and consuming fire are pictured pouring from God in his anger. The imagery conveys the fierce intensity of his judgment against evil.
Overview
David draws on vivid theophany language to portray God's wrath as a devouring fire. This is poetic depiction of the Holy One roused to deliver his servant and judge the wicked. It reminds us that God is a consuming fire, holy and just, yet here that power is turned to save his beloved.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Heb 12:29“For our God is a consuming fire.”
- Ps 18:15The channels of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the world were exposed, at Your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.
- Deut 32:22For 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.
- Ps 18:8Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came from His mouth; glowing coals blazed forth.
- Ps 97:3–5Fire goes before Him and consumes His foes on every side.
- Exod 15:7–8You overthrew Your adversaries by Your great majesty. You unleashed Your burning wrath; it consumed them like stubble.
- 2 Sam 22:16The channels of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the world were exposed at the rebuke of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of His nostrils.
- Exod 24:17And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop in the eyes of the Israelites.
- Isa 30:27Behold, the Name of the LORD comes from afar, with burning anger and dense smoke. His lips are full of fury, and His tongue is like a consuming fire.
- Jer 15:14Then 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.”
- Exod 19:18Mount 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.
- Job 41:20–21Smoke billows from his nostrils as from a boiling pot over burning reeds.
- 2 Sam 22:13From the brightness of His presence coals of fire blazed forth.
- Hab 3:5Plague went before Him, and fever followed in His steps.
- Job 4:9By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of His anger they are consumed.
- Jer 5:14Therefore this is what the LORD God of Hosts says: “Because you have spoken this word, I will make My words a fire in your mouth and this people the wood it consumes.
- Isa 30:33For Topheth has long been prepared; it has been made ready for the king. Its funeral pyre is deep and wide, with plenty of fire and wood. The breath of the LORD, like a torrent of burning sulfur, sets it ablaze.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 22:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.