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stars in the Bible

Hebrew: כּוֹכָב —transliteration: kokab —meaning: a star —occurrences: 37 (in Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Judges, 1 Chronicles, Nehemiah, Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes)

Stars are mentioned in various places in Scripture.

Constellations

Constellations of stars—Pleiades and Orion are mentioned in Amos 5:8 and other verses)

See: Constellations in the Bible

Questions about stars

• When were the stars created? Before the Earth or after? What is the order of events in the biblical Creation? See answer

  Was the 4th day of Creation (sun, moon, and stars) 24 hours long? Answer

• Is the Gospel spelled out in the stars? Answer —The 19th century brought forth the popularized notion that the gospel is outlined in the heavens above us. What is the truth about the gospel in the stars?
• What was the Star of Bethlehem? Answer
• What does the Bible say about the Sun?
• Morning Star in the Bible
• Is heaven located in the northern sky? Answer
• What is the host of heaven?
• Astronomy questions and answers
• Guiding star seen in the east at the birth of Christ (Matthew 2:2-10) (See: What was it?)
• Stars worshipped by idolaters (Deuteronomy 4:19; 2 Kings 17:16; 21:3; Jeremiah 19:13)

Stars spoken of symbolically

• The 11 stars of Joseph’s dream (son of Israel)…

  Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, “Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” —Genesis 37:9 NASB

• Wandering stars of Jude 1:13

• Messianic prophecy of Christ coming as a long future descendant of Jacob (Israel):

  “I see him, but not now;
  I behold him, but not near;
  A star shall come forth from Jacob,
  A scepter shall rise from Israel,
  And shall crush through the forehead of Moab,
  And tear down all the sons of Sheth. —Numbers 24:17 NASB

• Christ holds 7 “stars” in the book of Revelation prophecy

  In His right hand He [Christ] held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. —Revelation 1:16 NASB

  “As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. —Rev. 1:20 NASB

• The symbolic woman representing Israel

  A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; —Rev. 12:1 NASB

Hebrew and Greek words for stars

Hebrew:
כּוֹכָב —transliteration: kokab —meaning: a star —occurrences: 37

כִּימָה —transliteration: Kimah —meaning: a cluster of stars —occurrences: 3 (example: Amos 5:8 KJV —“the seven stars and Orion”)

Greek:
ἀστήρ —transliteration: astér —meaning: a star —occurrences: 24
ἄστρον —transliteration: astron —meaning: a star —occurrences: 4

Star and planet worship by pagans

• Star-god Saturn (aka Moloch and Remphan)
• Ishtar — associated with Venus
• About idolatry and false gods in the Bible
• About idols in the Bible
• What is an idolatrous worshipper?

Is the starry universe populated by other beings?

• Does Scripture refer to life in space? Answer
• Are we alone, or is there life elsewhere in the universe? Answer
• What does the Bible say about intelligent life on other planets? Answer

Stars and astrology

• What are stargazers in the Bible?
• Astrologers in the Bible
• What is divination?
• What’s wrong with practicing astrology?
• What does the Bible say about sorcery?
• About idolatry and false gods in the Bible