Whirlwind — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Term descriptive of any strong, potentially destructive wind (Jb 27:20; Ps 77:18; Dn 11:40). While whirlwinds are relatively common in the arid regions of the Middle East (e.g., dust devils), the apparent fury and destructiveness of the biblical “whirlwinds” makes it unlikely that the relatively harmless dust devils are intended (cf. Am 1:14; Hb 3:14). Sirocco winds from the eastern deserts are occasionally cyclonic in form, but the winds in Scripture may not be whirlwinds in the technical sense.

Show passage in OET: JOB 27:20

OET-RV JOB 27:20

20 Terrors overtake them like a flood.
⇔ ≈ A gale carries them away in the night.

OET-LV JOB 27:20

20 It_overtakes _him like_waters sudden _terror(s) night it_steals _him _away a _storm-wind.

Show passage in OET: PSA 77:18

OET-RV PSA 77:18

18 Your thunderous voice was heard in the wind.
⇔ The lightning lit up the world.
⇔ The earth trembled and shook.

OET-LV PSA 77:19

19  The _sound _of your _thunder _of_your was_in_whirlwind lightning _flashes they _lit _up the_world it _trembled and_it _shook the_earth/land.

Show passage in OET: DAN 11:40

OET-RV DAN 11:40

40 At the time of the end, the southern (Mitsri (Egyptian) ) king will attack the northern king, but that northern (Syrian) king will fight back aggressively with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. He’ll invade several countries like how a flood overflows then passes through.

OET-LV DAN 11:40

40 And_at_the_time _of the_end he _will _wage _war with_him/it the _king _of the _south and_he _will _storm on/upon/above_him/it the _king _of the _north with_chariotry and_with_horsemen and_with_ships many and_he _will _go in_lands and_he _will _overflow and_he _will _pass _through.

Show passage in OET: AMO 1:14

OET-RV AMO 1:14

14 I’ll light a fire in Rabah’s walls,
⇔ and it’ll devour its fortresses,
⇔ with a shout in the day of battle,
⇔ with a storm in the day of the whirlwind.

OET-LV AMO 1:14

14 And_I _will _kindle a _fire on_the _wall _of Rabāh and_it _will _consume fortresses _of_its with_a _shout _of _alarm in/on_day battle with_a _storm in/on_day a _storm-wind

Show passage in OET: HAB 3:14

OET-RV HAB 3:14

14 You have pierced the head of his warriors with his own arrows,
⇔ since they came like a storm to scatter us—
⇔ their gloating was like someone who destroys weak people in secret.

OET-LV HAB 3:14

14 You _pierced with_his _own _of_arrows the _head _of his they _storm to_scatter_me exultation _of_their was_like to_devour the_afflicted in_place.

Jump to OET JOB 27:20 section.

Jump to OET PSA 77:18 section.

Jump to OET DAN 11:40 section.

Jump to OET AMO 1:14 section.

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Biblical whirlwinds were often associated with divine activity. Elijah was taken into heaven by a whirlwind (one case where “whirlwind” may properly be translated as such; 2 Kgs 2:1, 11 OET KI2 2:1 · OET KI2 2:11). God frequently spoke out of the whirlwind (Jb 38:1; 40:6; Ps 77:18). The description of the sudden destruction of divine judgment was frequently associated with storms, tempests, and whirlwinds (Hos 8:7; Am 1:14; Na 1:3; Hb 3:14).

Show passage in OET: KI2 2:1; KI2 2:11

OET-RV KI2 2:1

2 ⇔One day as Eliyah (Elijah) and Elisha had left Gilgal, Yahweh took Eliyah up to heaven in a storm.

OET-RV KI2 2:11

11 Then it had happened while they were walking and talking together. Wow, a chariot of fire and horses of fire drove between the two of them, separating them. Then Eliyah went up to the heavens in the gale.

OET-LV KI2 2:1

2 And_he/it _was when_ YHWH _took _up DOM ʼĒliy^yāh by_whirlwind the_heavens and_ ʼĒliy^yāh and_ʼElīshāˊ _he/it _went from (the)_Gilgal.

OET-LV KI2 2:11

11 And_he/it _was they were_walking walking and_speaking and_BEHOLD/LO/SEE a _chariot _of fire and_horses _of fire and_they _separated between both _of_them and_ ʼĒliy^yāh _he/it _ascended in_whirlwind the_heavens.

Show passage in OET: JOB 38:1

OET-RV JOB 38:1

38 Then Yahweh answered Iyov (Job) from the storm:

OET-LV JOB 38:1

38 And_ YHWH _he _answered DOM ʼIyyōⱱ/(Job) wwww the and_he _said.

Show passage in OET: JOB 40:6

OET-RV JOB 40:6

6 Then Yahweh again spoke to Iyov (Job) from inside the storm:

OET-LV JOB 40:6

6 And_ YHWH _he _answered DOM ʼIyyōⱱ/(Job) wwww wwww and_he _said.

Show passage in OET: HOS 8:7

OET-RV HOS 8:7

7 because they sow the wind and harvest the whirlwind.
⇔ The standing grain has no heads—it yields no flour.
⇔ If it were to produce, strangers would grab it anyway.

OET-LV HOS 8:7

7 If/because a _wind they _sow and_a_storm-wind they _will _reap standing _grain there_is_not to_him/it growth not it _will _produce flour perhaps it _will _produce strangers they_will _swallow _it.

Show passage in OET: NAH 1:3

OET-RV NAH 1:3

3 Yahweh is slow to get angry, but very powerful.
⇔ He certainly won’t allow guilty people to go unpunished.
⇔ He walks among whirlwinds and storms,
⇔ ≈ and clouds are like dust stirred up by his feet.

OET-LV NAH 1:3

3 YHWH is_long _of anger(s) and power and_certainly _(leave _unpunished) not YHWH he _will _leave _unpunished is_in_storm-wind in_storm its_road/course and_cloud[s] are_the _dust _of his _feet _of_his.

Jump to OET KI2 2:1 section. · OET KI2 2:11 section.

Jump to OET JOB 38:1 section.

Jump to OET JOB 40:6 section.

Jump to OET HOS 8:7 section.

Jump to OET NAH 1:3 section.