Protos

What does "Stars" mean in the Bible?

Under the name of stars the Hebrews comprehended constellations, planets, and heavenly bodies - indeed, all luminaries except the sun and moon. Stars appears in 47 verses across 21 books of the Bible.

The Orion nebula, a place where stars are born
The Orion nebula, a place where stars are born · NASA, JPL-Caltech, J. Stauffer (SSC/Caltech) (NASA JPL), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

What does the Bible say about Stars?

STARS. Under the name of stars the Hebrews comprehended constellations, planets, and heavenly bodies - indeed, all luminaries except the sun and moon. The Psalmist, to exalt the power and omniscience of God, Ps 147:4, describes him taking a review of the stars as a king takes a survey of his army and knows the name of every one of his soldiers. To express a very extraordinary increase and multiplication, the sacred writers use the similitude of the stars of heaven or of the sands of the sea. Gen 15:5; Gen 22:17; Gen 26:4; Ex 32:13, etc. No part of the visible creation exhibits the glory of the Creator more illustriously than do the starry heavens. Ps 19:1. When we seriously contemplate the moon and stars, the work of the fingers of God, we cannot but be astonished that he should condescend to pay any attention to man. Ps 8:3. The celebrated philosopher Kant declared: "Two things fill my mind with evergrowing reverence and awe - the starry heavens above me, and the moral law within me." Stars are sometimes symbolically put for rulers and princes, Dan 8:10; sometimes, also, for pastors and ministers. Rev 1:16, Ruth 4:20. The angels, too, appear to be intended by the term, Job 38:7, and sometimes it points prophetically to the Lord of angels. Num 24:17. Jesus Christ is called the "Morning Star," Rev 22:16, as he introduced the light of the gospel day and made a fuller manifestation of the truths of God than the prophets, whose predictions are now accomplished.

Definition text: Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible · 1898. Public domain.

Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.

What is the Hebrew word for Stars?

Hebrew · H3556

כּוֹכָב

ko.khav

star

TBESH, STEPBible, licensed CC BY 4.0.

Where does Stars appear in the Bible?

Stars is referenced in 47 verses across 21 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

Showing the first 24 of 47.

Open all 47 references in Protos

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Stars.

Common questions

How many times does the Bible mention Stars?

Stars appears in 47 verses across 21 books, most often in Revelation, which accounts for 8 of them.

Which books of the Bible mention Stars?

Revelation, Genesis, Job, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Isaiah, Daniel, Joel, and 13 more.

Where can I read every verse about Stars?

This page lists 24 of them. Protos carries all 47, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.

Read it in context

Read Revelation with "Stars" explained on the verse.

Tap any name, place, or word you do not recognize and the background opens on the verse you are reading. No second tab, no search, no losing your place.

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Fabio Jonathan ArifinFabio JonathanFounder of Protos · Portland Bible College graduate

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