The Bible portrays the good-for-nothing man as “making indications with his fingers.” (Prov. 6:12, 13) Israelites would have to remove from their midst such things as the “poking out of the finger” along with the speaking of what was hurtful, if they would obtain God’s favor. (Isa. 58:9-11) Because the fingers are prominently before a person’s eyes and are vital in carrying out one’s purposes, God’s people were figuratively to ‘tie his commandments upon their fingers’ as a constant reminder and guide in everything they did.—Prov. 7:2, 3; compare Psalm 144:1.

When a delegation asked King Rehoboam for a lighter load of service than his father Solomon had laid upon them, the king was advised by his young attendants to respond that ‘his little finger would be thicker than his father’s hips,’ this metaphor meaning that he would put a much heavier burden on them. (1 Ki. 12:4, 10, 11) The Hebrew word used here for “little finger” means “small, insignificant, trivial.”

Jesus Christ used a similar figure of speech in illustrating the harsh, arrogant domination the scribes and Pharisees exercised. Showing the complete unwillingness of these religious leaders to help the burdened people in the least, Jesus said that ‘they bound heavy loads on men’s shoulders, but were themselves not willing to budge them with their finger.’ (Matt. 23:2-4) In another metaphor Jesus depicted the “rich man” as desiring to get Lazarus to do even the least thing for him (bring only water on “the tip of his finger”), this request being designed to take Lazarus away from his favored position with Abraham.—Luke 16:24.

One of the Rephaim who fought against Israel, a man of extraordinary size, was a genetic freak, having his fingers and toes in sixes, twenty-four in all.—2 Sam. 21:20; 1 Chron. 20:6.

FINGERBREADTH

The smallest linear measurement mentioned in the Bible. A fingerbreadth equaled a fourth of a handbreadth or a twenty-fourth of a cubit (c. ³⁄₄ inch; c. 1.85 centimeters). At Jeremiah 52:21 the thickness of the copper used for the pillars Jachin and Boaz is given as four fingerbreadths (c. 2.9 inches; c. 7.4 centimeters).—1 Ki. 7:15, 21.

FIRE

As today, so also in Bible times fire played an important role in man’s life. Refining, forging and casting metals, preparing food, heating homes, as well as offering sacrifices and incense, are among the things specifically mentioned in the Bible requiring the use of fire. However, because of the destructiveness of uncontrollable fire, it is described as one of the four things that have not said: “Enough!” (Prov. 30:15, 16) For the same reason James compared the tongue when used wrongly to a fire.—Jas. 3:5-8; compare Proverbs 16:27.

The first man and woman were acquainted with fire, for Jehovah, upon expelling them from the garden of Eden, posted at the E of the garden “the cherubs and the flaming blade of a sword that was turning itself continually.” (Gen. 3:24) Cain and Abel may have brought their offerings to Jehovah before the cherubs and, though it is not directly stated in the Scriptures, likely they used fire in presenting them, or they may have expected fire to come from the cherubs to consume the sacrifices. (Gen. 4:3, 4) Tubal-cain, in forging tools of copper and iron, must have employed the heat of intense fires, especially since the melting of iron requires a temperature of about 2,800° F. (c. 1,537° C.) (Gen. 4:22) After the Flood, bricks were baked with a “burning process,” although some were merely sun-dried. (Gen. 11:3) In view of the difficulty faced in kindling a fire anew, it was evidently a frequent practice to transfer fire from one place to another.—Gen. 22:6; Isa. 30:14.

USE OF FIRE IN CONNECTION WITH GOD’S PURPOSES

Jehovah’s angel appeared to Moses in a flame of fire in a burning thornbush that was not consumed. (Ex. 3:2) A pillar of fire by night guided the Israelites through the wilderness, which pillar later rested over the tabernacle, signifying Jehovah’s presence. (Ex. 13:21; 40:38) The manifestation of Jehovah’s glory in fire at the giving of the Law to Israel caused Mount Sinai to smoke.—Ex. 19:18; 24:17.

As relates to the tabernacle and the temple

Fire figured in the worship carried on at the tabernacle and then later at the temple. Each morning and between the two evenings the high priest was to burn incense on the altar of incense. (Ex. 30:7, 8) God’s law required that the fire on the altar of burnt offering be kept burning continually. (Lev. 6:12, 13) The traditional Jewish view that the altar fire was originally kindled miraculously by God, though widely accepted, is not actually supported by the Scriptures. According to Jehovah’s initial instructions to Moses, the sons of Aaron were to “put fire on the altar and set wood in order on the fire” before placing the sacrifice on the altar. (Lev. 1:7, 8) It was after the installation of the Aaronic priesthood, and therefore after the installation sacrifices had been offered, that fire from Jehovah, probably proceeding from the cloud over the tabernacle, consumed the offering then upon the altar. In view of this, the miraculous fire manifested itself, not in kindling the wood on the altar, but in “consuming the burnt offering and the fatty pieces upon the altar.” The fire that then continued to burn on the altar, of course, was likely a result of the mixture of the fire from God and the fire already on the altar. (Lev. 8:14–9:24) Likewise, miraculous fire from Jehovah consumed the sacrifices right after Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the temple.—2 Chron. 7:1; see also Judges 6: 21; 1 Kings 18:21-39; 1 Chronicles 21:26 for other examples of Jehovah’s accepting the offerings of his servants by miraculous fire.

Legal provisions, and use in executions

The Mosaic law prohibited lighting a fire on the sabbath. (Ex. 35:3) According to the Law, if a fire got out of hand and caused a conflagration in the field of another, the one starting the fire had to make compensation. (Ex. 22:6) In the case of certain violations of God’s law the individuals were stoned to death and then their bodies were burned with fire. (Lev. 20:14; 21:9; Josh. 7:15, 25) If an Israelite city turned to apostasy, its inhabitants were to be struck down with the sword and the city and its spoil burned in the fire. (Deut. 13:12-16) Garments, the warp or the woof, or articles of skin in which a plague of leprosy developed and persisted were to be burned.—Lev. 13:53-58.

In carrying out war operations against their enemies, the Israelites consigned certain cities to the fire. (Num. 31:10; Josh. 6:24; 11:11-13) Also, the graven images and sacred poles were burned. (Deut. 7:5, 25; 12:3) In taking spoil, the Israelites passed metals through the fire, in effect sterilizing them thereby.—Num. 31:22, 23.

On numerous occasions Jehovah used literal fire in executing his judgments against wrongdoers. (Num. 11:1; 16:35; 2 Ki. 1:10-12; Jude 7) At the destruction of apostate Judah and Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 607 B.C.E., Jehovah’s anger was figuratively poured out “just like fire.” This expression of anger was accompanied by literal fire. (2 Ki. 25:9; Lam. 2:3, 4) John the Baptist warned the religious leaders of his day of a baptism with fire, which came upon Jerusalem in 70 C.E., when the Roman armies burned the city and its temple with fire.—Matt. 3:7-12.

USE BY OPPOSERS OF GOD’S WILL

Fire was also used by opposers of God’s will in threats, cruel executions and sacrifices. Angered Ephraimites threatened Jephthah: “Your very house we shall burn over you with fire.” Similarly, Samson’s thirty Philistine groomsmen threatened to burn his betrothed and her father’s house if she did not get