Lexical Summary kavah: To wait, to hope, to look for, to expect Original Word: כָּוָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance burn A primitive root; properly, to prick or penetrate; hence, to blister (as smarting or eating into) -- burn. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to burn, scorch, brand NASB Translation scorched (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs [כָּוָה] verb burn, scorch, brand (Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic  especially Pa`el; Arabic  cauterize) — Niph`al Imperfect2masculine singular תִּכָּוֶה Isaiah 43:2 thou shalt not be scorched (figurative of Israel, "" בָּעַר); 3 feminine plural וְרַגְלָיו לֹא תִּכָּוֶי֑נָה Proverbs 6:28 shall a man walk on the coals and his feet not be burned ? ("" שָׂרַף of garments Proverbs 6:27). Topical Lexicon Concept and ImageryThe verb כָּוָה describes the intense effect of fire on the human body—being scorched or burned. Scripture uses the word not only for literal physical damage but also for a vivid moral and spiritual analogy: the inevitable impact of sin and the preserving power of God. Occurrences and Literary Context 1. Proverbs 6:28—Solomon places כָּוָה in a series of rhetorical questions that expose the folly of adultery. “Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?”. The scorching is certain; the warning is that moral trespass brings unavoidable pain. 2. Isaiah 43:2—The Lord’s covenant assurance to Israel employs the same verb for an opposite purpose: “When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze”. The certainty here lies not in inevitable harm but in unbreakable divine protection. The juxtaposition of these two passages—one in Wisdom literature, one in Prophetic comfort—creates a balanced biblical testimony: God has ordered creation so that disobedience scorches, yet He is powerful to keep His people from ultimate harm when they trust Him. Theological Themes • Moral Cause and Effect: Proverbs 6 links sexual sin with physical scalding, reinforcing the broader biblical principle that sin naturally yields pain (Galatians 6:7). • Covenant Preservation: Isaiah 43 places protection from scorching within the framework of redemption (“For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior,” Isaiah 43:3). The same God who ordains consequences for evil also promises deliverance to His redeemed. • Fire as Judgment and Purification: Throughout Scripture fire symbolizes both wrath (Genesis 19; Revelation 20) and refinement (Malachi 3:2-3; 1 Peter 1:7). כָּוָה captures either outcome—harm for the unrepentant, purification or protection for the faithful. Historical and Cultural Background In ancient Near Eastern daily life an open hearth, cooking fires, and smelting furnaces made scorching a familiar danger. Proverbs’ imagery of hot coals is grounded in domestic reality. In Isaiah’s era, Israel’s memory of Egyptian brick kilns (Exodus 5) and Babylonian furnaces (later illustrated in Daniel 3) rendered the promise of not being scorched especially poignant. The term therefore bridges concrete experience and divine revelation. Connections with Wider Biblical Fire Imagery • Exodus 3: A bush burns but is not consumed—anticipating Isaiah’s promise. Each passage deepens the meaning of כָּוָה: the righteous may feel heat yet remain untouched, while the unrepentant suffer lasting burn. Pastoral and Ministry Application 1. Purity Teaching: Proverbs 6:28 urges clear boundaries; counselors can illustrate the inevitability of damage when believers “play with fire” morally. 2. Encouragement in Trials: Isaiah 43:2 comforts congregations facing persecution or severe testing. The promise that flames cannot scorch reinforces perseverance and hope (Romans 8:37). 3. Assurance of Salvation: God’s ability to spare from scorching undergirds confidence in Christ’s atonement, who endured the fiery wrath so His people would not (2 Corinthians 5:21). 4. Discipleship Framework: Small groups can examine both passages together, contrasting self-inflicted burns with Spirit-guarded resilience, fostering wise living and resilient faith. Questions for Reflection and Teaching • Where do I risk being “scorched” by tolerating seemingly small sins? Forms and Transliterations תִכָּוֶ֔ה תִכָּוֶֽינָה׃ תכוה תכוינה׃ ṯik·kā·we·nāh ṯik·kā·weh tikkaVeh tikkaVeinah ṯikkāweh ṯikkāwenāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Proverbs 6:28 HEB: וְ֝רַגְלָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִכָּוֶֽינָה׃ NAS: And his feet not be scorched? KJV: and his feet not be burned? INT: and his feet not not be burned Isaiah 43:2 2 Occurrences |
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