SMOKE (עָשָׁנ֒, H6940, קִיטﯴר, H7798; καπνός, G2837). 1. A visible concomitant of the presence of God in divine self-manifestations. In the instance of the Abrahamic covenant, while Abraham slept he saw “a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch” passing between the pieces of the sacrifices which he had divided (Gen 15:17). When Moses met with God on Mt. Sinai, the mountain was “wrapped in smoke” (Exod 19:18). The Temple was filled with smoke when Isaiah saw the Lord (Isa 6:4), and he prophesied that “the Lord will create over the whole site of Mt. Zion...a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night” (4:5). In Revelation, John’s vision of the Temple of the tent of witness in heaven “was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power” (Rev 15:8). Though not explicitly stated, one can assume that references to the divine self-manifestation in passages such as Exodus 3:2; 13:21; Numbers 10:34 and 14:14 include also the presence of smoke.

2. The fire of God’s anger also is accompanied by “smoke...out of his nostrils” (Ps 18:8; cf. Job 41:20). Moses warned against idolatry lest “the anger of the Lord...smoke against that man” (Deut 29:20). The psalmist cried out, “Why does thy anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?” (Ps 74:1).

3. The smoke of the sacrifices and incense is mentioned in Ezekiel 8:11 and Psalm 66:15. John saw the smoke of incense rising “with the prayers of the saints” (Rev 8:4).

4. Smoke also symbolizes the transient: enemies (Pss 37:20; 68:2), idolaters (Hos 13:3), days (Ps 102:3), and the heavens (Isa 51:6). See Incense.