The Hebrew verb ba'ar (H1197) means to kindle fire, to burn, to consume completely, and by extension to purge or remove evil. It is used of literal fire, divine judgment, righteous anger, and the elimination of evil from the community.
Ba'ar frequently describes the consuming fire of God's holiness. In Deuteronomy, Israel is commanded to ba'ar (purge) evil from their midst, applying the burning/consuming concept to community holiness. This dual nature — destruction and purification — reflects the biblical understanding that God's wrath and grace are two aspects of the same holy love.