Hebrew Bible · Isaiah 6:1–7

Seraphim and the live coal

ReferenceIsaiah 6:1–7

Writtenc. 740 BCE (First Isaiah)

SetYear King Uzziah died

Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings… Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth.

Translation: KJV

Read it literally

'Burning ones' who handle a hot object with tongs, not with their hands, and use it to 'purge' a man. A medical procedure.

What scholars say

Seraph means 'burning one'; the same word is used for the fiery serpents in Numbers.

From the sky Looks like technology

Quick answers about Isaiah 6:1–7

Where is Isaiah 6:1–7 found?

Isaiah 6:1–7 (Hebrew Bible). Translation quoted: King James Version (1611; standard 1769 text), with Apocrypha.

When was Isaiah 6:1–7 written?

c. 740 BCE (First Isaiah).

What do scholars say about Isaiah 6:1–7?