Brimstone and fire is associated with the judgment of God upon those who have turned away from Him. However, brimstone is a word we no longer use. That’s why I wanted to check what the word brimstone means in Hebrew and Greek.
All scriptures are taken from NKJV unless otherwise marked.
“Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens.”
– Genesis 19:24
What Does The Word ‘Brimstone’ Mean In Hebrew?
gophriyth- sulfur.
This word is translated in brimstone seven times.
What Does The Word ‘Brimstone’ Mean In Greek?
theion- sulfur.
Theion originally indicated “fire from heaven.”
Places that were struck by lightning were called theia and were left smelling sulfurous. Also, pagans used sulfur during purification rituals and it ended up receiving the name theion.
“By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths.”
– Revelation 9:18
theiodes- sulfurous yellow; sulfur-like.
Conclusion
Sulfur on its own isn’t toxic and is one of the elements on the periodic table. However, when sulfur burns it releases sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide turns into sulfurous acid when it comes in contact with water. That’s why burning sulfur is suffocating and is deadly to humans.
All throughout the Old Testament, we see many instances where God destroyed people who worshipped other Gods and idols. While Sodom and Gomorrah seem to be the most noticeable, they weren’t the only ones and certainly not that last.
Many people have visited the ashen remains of Sodom and Gomorrah, finding bones and sulfur. All in all, that’s what the word brimstone means in Hebrew and Greek.
I pray you found this article helpful. Please feel free to share any thoughts in the comment section below and to share this content. Thanks for reading!
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