PILLAR OF FIRE AND OF CLOUD. During the wilderness wanderings, Israel was guided on her way by the phenomenon of the pillar (עַמּוּד, H6647) of fire and of cloud (Exod 14:24). The complete expression occurs only once, but the separate expressions occur several times as “pillar of fire” (Exod 13:21, 22; Num 14:14; Neh 9:12, 19) and “pillar of cloud” (Exod 13:21, 22; 14:19; Num 14:14; Neh 9:12, 19; Ps 99:7). When Israel left Succoth and reached the edge of the wilderness, Yahweh went before them “by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light” (Exod 13:21). Thereafter, the pillar guided and protected Israel as she journeyed. Normally, the cloud by day and the fire by night moved in front of Israel to point the way. As Israel left Egypt, however, the cloud moved to the rear to provide protection from the Egyptians (Exod 14:19, 20, 24). There are other references to “pillar of cloud” (or cloudy pillar) descending and standing at the door of the tent of meeting when Moses entered the tent (33:7-9). Possibly the “cloud” that came down at Sinai when Moses spoke with God was the same pillar of cloud (34:5). When Miriam and Aaron murmured against Moses, the Lord came down in the pillar of cloud and stood at the door of the tent of meeting to confirm Moses’ authority (Num 12:5ff.). As the time of Moses’ death approached, Joshua was called to the tent of meeting where the Lord appeared in the pillar of cloud to give him a charge as Moses’ successor (Deut 31:15). In these latter instances the pillar of cloud was the place of divine revelation.

The explanation of this phenomenon is not easy. The association of the term “cloud” with God is very frequent in the OT. In some of the above passages the term “cloud” may mean “pillar of cloud” (Exod 34:5) although the presence of the Lord often is denoted by a theophany of cloud and glory. Perhaps there are two different phenomena—the guiding cloud and the cloud of the divine presence.

Some rationalistic writers have suggested that the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night may have been produced by a lighted bowl of pitch mounted on a pole. There are references by ancient historians and later travelers to the practice of Pers. armies and Arab caravans carrying braziers of burning wood at the head of their march. The large bronze pillars in front of Solomon’s Temple, which are thought by some to have been fiery cressets (or bowls of pitch), that emitted smoke and flame by day and night during festivals (1 Kings 7:15), were called “pillars” (עַמּוּד, H6647). There is, however, absolutely no proof in the Heb. text for this theory. Although it may be conceded that a device made with God’s approval could still serve His purpose, and that fire and smoke might have been employed as symbols of His presence. Yet the Scripture narrative implies that the pillar of fire and of cloud was supernatural in origin, and was intended to demonstrate God’s presence rather than merely symbolizing it.

Bibliography W. F. Albright, “Two Cressets from Marisa and the pillars of Jachin and Boaz,” BASOR, 85 (1942), 18-27; G. H. Davies, “Pillar of Fire and of Cloud,” IB, III (1962), 817; J. Finegan, Let My People Go (1963), 95.