The Hebrew noun baraq means lightning or a flash of light. It appears about 21 times in the Old Testament, predominantly in poetic and prophetic contexts depicting theophany — the dramatic visible manifestation of God's presence and power.
Baraq consistently appears in descriptions of God's majestic self-revelation. When God descended on Mount Sinai, the mountain was covered with smoke and lightning (Exodus 19:16). Psalm 18 describes God as riding on the storm, sending out lightning bolts and routing enemies. Ezekiel's visions of the divine chariot-throne (merkavah) are ablaze with lightning, representing the terrible holiness and glory of God. Job encounters God answering from the whirlwind, asking if Job can command the lightning (Job 38:35). In prophetic literature, God's judgment is frequently described as arrows of lightning (Psalm 77:17–18). The imagery carries forward into the New Testament, where Jesus declares, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven' (Luke 10:18), and the Son of Man's coming will be as visible as lightning (Matthew 24:27).