799. esh dath
Lexical Summary
esh dath: Fiery law

Original Word: אֶשְׁדָּת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: eshdath
Pronunciation: aysh dath
Phonetic Spelling: (esh-dawth')
KJV: fiery law
NASB: flashing lightning
Word Origin: [from H784 (אֵשׁ - fire) and H1881 (דָּת - law)]

1. a fire-law

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
fiery law

From 'esh and dath; a fire-law -- fiery law.

see HEBREW 'esh

see HEBREW dath

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from esh and dath
Definition
fire of a law
NASB Translation
flashing lightning (1).

Topical Lexicon
Biblical Setting

אֶשְׁדָּת appears once, in Moses’ final blessing over Israel: “He said: ‘The LORD came from Sinai and dawned upon them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran and came with myriads of holy ones; at His right hand was a fiery law for them’ ” (Deuteronomy 33:2). The word stands at the heart of a panoramic recollection of the Sinai theophany, highlighting the dramatic union of God’s glory, His angelic host, and the covenantal Torah.

Symbolism of Fire in Divine Revelation

Fire is consistently tied to God’s self-disclosure—burning bush (Exodus 3:2), smoking mountain (Exodus 19:18), pillar of fire (Exodus 13:21). אֶשְׁדָּת concentrates that imagery into a single expression: law issuing forth as flame. The fiery element conveys:
• Purity—“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire” (Deuteronomy 4:24).
• Illumination—“The unfolding of Your words gives light” (Psalm 119:130).
• Power that judges and refines—“Is not My word like fire?” (Jeremiah 23:29).

Thus the term does more than describe physical phenomena; it presents the law as living, burning, and active, bringing both comfort and awe.

Theology of the Word and Law

Placed “at His right hand,” the law is portrayed as proceeding directly from the place of authority and favor, underscoring inspiration and infallibility. The singular occurrence, framed by three geographical references (Sinai, Seir, Paran), roots the Torah in concrete history while heralding its transcendent character. Moses pleads with the tribes to embrace that blazing revelation, for fidelity to it will secure their future (Deuteronomy 33:3–5).

Intertestamental and New Testament Echoes

Although the term itself does not recur, its imagery reverberates:
• In Second Temple writings, Sinai is remembered as shaking with “fire and sound,” reinforcing the connection between divine speech and flame.
• At Pentecost “tongues as of fire appeared and rested on each of them” (Acts 2:3). The Spirit applies the same fiery quality to the gospel proclamation, suggesting continuity between Sinai covenant and new-covenant mission.
• Hebrews contrasts “a blazing fire” at Sinai with “Mount Zion” (Hebrews 12:18–24), yet both mountains announce an unshakable kingdom founded on God’s authoritative word.

Through these links, אֶשְׁדָּת becomes a bridge from Mosaic revelation to apostolic witness.

Historical and Liturgical Significance

Jewish tradition read Deuteronomy 33 on Simchat Torah, celebrating the giving of the law; אֶשְׁדָּת reminded worshipers that the scroll they danced with once burned atop Sinai. Early Christian teachers drew on the verse to defend the unity of Old and New Testaments: the same God who spoke in fire has now spoken in His Son (Hebrews 1:1–2).

Implications for Preaching and Discipleship

1. Authority—Teaching must present Scripture as flaming from God’s right hand, not human speculation.
2. Purification—Personal holiness flows from exposure to the fiery word (John 17:17).
3. Illumination—The Spirit who once wrote the law on tablets now writes it on hearts (2 Corinthians 3:3), enabling believers to shine “as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).
4. Mission—Just as the fire at Sinai sent Israel into covenant obedience, the Pentecostal flames commission the church to disciple the nations.

Summary

אֶשְׁדָּת compresses the majesty of Sinai into a vivid picture: God’s law blazing forth from His right hand. Though it appears only once, the term gathers the biblical themes of revelation, purity, power, and continuity between covenants. For faith and ministry alike, it summons God’s people to hear, obey, and proclaim the word that still burns with divine fire.

Forms and Transliterations
דָּ֖ת דת Dat dāṯ
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Deuteronomy 33:2
HEB: (אֵ֥שׁ ק) (דָּ֖ת ק) לָֽמוֹ׃
NAS: At His right hand there was flashing lightning for them.
KJV: from his right hand [went] a fiery law
INT: holy his right fiery law

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 799
1 Occurrence


dāṯ — 1 Occ.

798
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