“As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!”
As fire kindles brushwood and fire causes water to boil, the people's foes know YHWH's name and nations tremble, suggesting that divine presence alone is sufficient to terrify enemies. The fire and water imagery suggests overwhelming divine force. The assertion that foes will know YHWH's name through fear establishes fear-knowledge as the mechanism of divine revelation. The trembling of nations indicates cosmic-scale reaction to divine presence. This verse's vision of theophanic judgment promises that YHWH's mere appearance will vindicate Israel through enemies' terror.
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