The term "furious" in the Bible often describes intense anger or wrath, typically associated with human emotions but also occasionally attributed to God’s righteous indignation. This entry explores the usage and implications of "furious" within the biblical context, drawing from various passages to illustrate its significance.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word often translated as "furious" is "חָרוֹן" (charon), which denotes a burning anger or wrath. This term is frequently used to describe God's response to sin and disobedience. For instance, in Exodus 32:10, after the Israelites create the golden calf, God expresses His anger: "Now leave Me alone so that My anger may burn against them and consume them. Then I will make you into a great nation." Here, the furious anger of God underscores His holiness and intolerance of idolatry.

Human anger is also depicted in the Old Testament. In 1 Samuel 20:30, King Saul's anger is described when he confronts his son Jonathan: "Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan, and he said to him, 'You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother who bore you?'" Saul's furious anger reveals his jealousy and insecurity regarding David's rising favor.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the Greek word "θυμός" (thumos) is often used to describe a passionate or furious anger. This term appears in contexts that warn against uncontrolled anger. For example, in Ephesians 4:31, believers are instructed: "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice." Here, the admonition to rid oneself of furious anger is part of the broader call to live a life worthy of the calling received in Christ.

The New Testament also portrays the righteous anger of Jesus, which can be seen as a form of furious indignation against sin and hypocrisy. In Mark 3:5, Jesus looks around at the Pharisees "with anger, grieved by their hardness of heart," before healing a man on the Sabbath. This instance highlights that while human anger is often cautioned against, there is a place for righteous anger that aligns with God's will and purposes.

Theological Implications

The concept of furious anger in the Bible serves as a reminder of the seriousness of sin and the need for repentance. God's furious wrath is not capricious but is a response to sin that violates His holy nature. At the same time, believers are called to exercise self-control and avoid sinful anger, reflecting the transformative work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

The Bible acknowledges the reality of human emotions, including anger, but consistently points towards a life of peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation. The furious anger of God, when understood in the context of His justice and mercy, ultimately points to the redemptive work of Christ, who bore the wrath of God on behalf of sinners.1. (a.) Transported with passion or fury; raging; violent; as, a furious animal.

2. (a.) Rushing with impetuosity; moving with violence; as, a furious stream; a furious wind or storm.

5467. chalepos -- hard (to do or bear)
... fierce, perilous. Perhaps from chalao through the idea of reducing the strength;
difficult, ie Dangerous, or (by implication) furious -- fierce, perilous. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5467.htm - 6k

2371. thumomacheo -- to fight desperately
... be highly displeased. From a presumed compound of thumos and machomai; to be in
a furious fight, ie (figuratively) to be exasperated -- be highly displeased. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2371.htm - 6k

2970. komos -- a village festival, revel
... the original meaning, " 'a carousal,' such as a party of revelers parading the
streets, or revels held in religious ceremonies, wild, furious, and ecstatic ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2970.htm - 7k

2341. theriomacheo -- to fight with wild beasts
... From a compound of therion and machomai; to be a beast-fighter (in the gladiatorial
show), ie (figuratively) to encounter (furious men) -- fight with wild ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2341.htm - 6k

7108. qetsaph -- to be angry
... 7107, 7108. qetsaph. 7109 . to be angry. Transliteration: qetsaph Phonetic
Spelling: (kets-af') Short Definition: furious. ... be furious. ...
/hebrew/7108.htm - 6k

2734. charah -- to burn or be kindled with anger
... root Definition to burn or be kindled with anger NASB Word Usage angered (1), angry
(18), angry* (5), became (1), became angry (4), became furious (1), became ...
/hebrew/2734.htm - 6k

2534. chemah -- heat, rage
... Or (Dan. 11:44) chemac {khay-maw'}; from yacham; heat; figuratively, anger, poison
(from its fever) -- anger, bottles, hot displeasure, furious(-ly, -ry), heat ...
/hebrew/2534.htm - 6k

7107. qatsaph -- to be angry
... root Definition to be angry NASB Word Usage angry (21), became angry (1),
became...angry (1), become wrathful (1), enraged (1), furious (3), provoked (1 ...
/hebrew/7107.htm - 6k

1167. baal -- owner, lord
... this latter sense) -- + archer, + babbler, + bird, captain, chief man, + confederate, +
have to do, + dreamer, those to whom it is due, + furious, those that ...
/hebrew/1167.htm - 6k

If Some One, Despising the Deities, and Furious with a Savagely ...
... Book V. 8 If some one, despising the deities, and furious with a savagely
sacrilegious spirit? If some one, despising the deities ...
/.../the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/8 if some one despising.htm

Whether it was Desirable that the Roman Empire Should be Increased ...
... Chapter 10."Whether It Was Desirable that The Roman Empire Should Be Increased by
Such a Furious Succession of Wars, When It Might Have Been Quiet and Safe ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 10 whether it was desirable.htm

The Scourging of Jesus.
... The guards were therefore ordered to conduct him through the midst of the furious
multitude to the forum, which they did with the utmost brutality, at the same ...
/.../the dolorous passion of our lord jesus christ/chapter xxii the scourging of.htm

How the Meek and the Passionate are to be Admonished.
... by any consideration, and, like Asahel, cease not to pursue and to be mad, it is
necessary that those who endeavour to repress these furious ones should by no ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/chapter xvi how the meek.htm

Diocletian, as Being of a Timorous Disposition, was a Searcher ...
... either from guess or from his own observation, said, "There are profane persons
here, who obstruct the rites." Then Diocletian, in furious passion, ordered not ...
/.../of the manner in which the persecutors died/chap x diocletian as being.htm

How to Keep the Heart
... of the walls thereof he will be sure to bring out his great guns, yet the place
against which he levels his deadliest malice, and his most furious strength, is ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/how to keep the heart.htm

To the Rev. A. Brandram
... similar for some little time, on account of the late change of Ministry, the present
head of the Cabinet, Ofalia, being one of the most furious bigots in Spain ...
/.../borrow/letters of george borrow/to the rev a brandram 35.htm

Then Midas, King of Pessinus, Wishing to Withdraw the Youth from ...
... 4323] Gallus cuts off her breasts; Attis snatches the pipe borne by him who was
goading them to frenzy; and he, too, now filled with furious passion, raving ...
/.../the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/7 then midas king of.htm

The Family of a Saint
... Sometimes this indolent man was overcome by a sudden passion for work; or again
he was seized by furious rages. He was violent and brutal. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bertrand/saint augustin/ii the family of a.htm

Petilianus Said: "But if Authority had Been Given by Some Law for ...
... Indeed, should we not certainly be driven on all sides from the country by the furious
attacks of your Circumcelliones, who fight under your command in furious ...
/.../chapter 84 183 petilianus.htm

Furious (28 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Transported with passion or fury; raging; violent;
as, a furious animal. ... Multi-Version Concordance Furious (28 Occurrences). ...
/f/furious.htm - 14k

Reproofs (5 Occurrences)
... An instruction and an astonishment, To nations that 'are' round about thee, In My
doing in thee judgments, In anger and fury, and in furious reproofs, I ...
/r/reproofs.htm - 7k

Mad (22 Occurrences)
... 8. (superl.) Furious with rage, terror, or disease; -- said of the lower animals;
as, a mad bull; esp., having hydrophobia; rabid; as, a mad dog. ...
/m/mad.htm - 19k

Hornet (3 Occurrences)
... They "attack human beings in a very furious manner." "The furious attack of a swarm
of hornets drives cattle and horses to madness, and has even caused the ...
/h/hornet.htm - 11k

Furiously (9 Occurrences)

/f/furiously.htm - 9k

Vehement (10 Occurrences)
... 2. (a.) Acting with great force; furious; violent; impetuous; forcible; mighty;
as, vehement wind; a vehement torrent; a vehement fire or heat. Int. ...
/v/vehement.htm - 11k

Violent (151 Occurrences)
... or acting with physical strength; urged or impelled with force; excited by strong
feeling or passion; forcible; vehement; impetuous; fierce; furious; severe; as ...
/v/violent.htm - 36k

North-east (2 Occurrences)
... Acts 27:14 But it was not long before a furious north-east wind, coming down from
the mountains, burst upon us and carried the ship out of her course. (WEY). ...
/n/north-east.htm - 7k

Neighbourhood (9 Occurrences)
... Matthew 2:16 Then Herod, finding that the Magi had trifled with him, was furious,
and sent and massacred all the boys under two years of age, in Bethlehem and ...
/n/neighbourhood.htm - 9k

Nebuchadnezzar (90 Occurrences)
... 1:1). The Egyptians met him at Carchemish, where a furious battle was fought, resulting
in the complete rout of the Egyptians, who were driven back (Jeremiah 46 ...
/n/nebuchadnezzar.htm - 57k

Why should I forgive? | GotQuestions.org

Why did Queen Vashti refuse to appear before Xerxes? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Simeon in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Furious: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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