Seraphim
/ˈsɛr.ə.fɪm/
noun (plural, heavenly beings)
Hebrew seraphim (שְׂרָפִים) — "burning ones" (plural of saraph). From the root saraph meaning "to burn." A high order of angelic beings who stand above the throne of God and proclaim His holiness.

📖 Biblical Definition

The seraphim appear only once in Scripture, in Isaiah 6. There Isaiah sees the Lord high and lifted up, with the seraphim standing above His throne: each has six wings — with two he covers his face (unable to look upon God's full glory), with two he covers his feet (in humility), and with two he flies. They cry antiphonally: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" The Hebrew saraph means "burning one" — suggesting they are creatures of fire, possibly connected to the flaming sword at Eden (Genesis 3:24) or the fiery serpents of Numbers 21. One seraph takes a burning coal from the altar and touches Isaiah's lips: "Your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged." The seraphim exist to magnify God's holiness and to minister atonement from His altar.

📖 Key Scripture

Isaiah 6:2-3 — "Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings... And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!""

Isaiah 6:6-7 — "Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.""

🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots

H8314 — שָׂרָף (saraph) — burning one, seraph; also used of fiery serpents (Numbers 21:6)

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H8314 — שָׂרָף (saraph) — burning one, seraph; also used of fiery serpents (Numbers 21:6)

H8313 — שָׂרַף (saraph) — to burn (verbal root)

Related Words

🔗 Related by Strong’s Roots

Entries that share at least one Hebrew/Greek root with this word.

H8313