Usually pieces of wood set on fire. They were used by Samson in his revenge against the Philistines (
Judg 15:4; NRSV: “torches”); they were tossed over the city wall in time of military siege, as were the olive boughs during the attack of Lachish; or they were hurled as missiles by madmen (
Prov 26:18). “Snatched from the fire” by God, they symbolized individuals rescued by the Lord (
Amos 4:11).
Judg 15:4
4So Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took some torches; and he turned the foxes tail to tail, and put a torch between each pair of tails.
Prov 26:18
18Like a maniac who shoots deadly firebrands and arrows,
Amos 4:11
11I overthrew some of you,
as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
and you were like a brand snatched from the fire;
yet you did not return to me,
says the Lo ... View more
