Acts 2:3

“And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, etc.] An emblem of the various tongues and languages, in which they were to preach the Gospel; these appearances were like flames of fire parted, and these parted flames looked like tongues; so, a flame of fire is with, the Jews called, ça ˆwçl, “a tongue of fire”, (<230524>Isaiah 5:24) hence the Apostle James compares a tongue to fire, (<590306>James 3:6) this was the baptism with fire, John the Baptist speaks of, (See Gill on “<400311>Matthew 3:11”); and the Jews say f67, “the holy blessed God baptizeth with fire, and the wise shall understand.” Through this baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, the apostles became more knowing,…”

“cloven tongues, like as of fire, &c.--"disparted tongues," that is, tongue-shaped, flame-like appearances, rising from a common center or root, and resting upon each of that large company:--beautiful visible symbol of the burning energy of the Spirit now descending in all His plenitude upon the Church, and about to pour itself through every tongue, and over every tribe of men under heaven!”

“And there appeared unto them - There were seen by them, or they saw. The fire was first seen by them in the room before it rested in the form of tongues on the heads of the disciples. Perhaps the fire appeared at first as scintillations or coruscations, until it became fixed on their heads. Tongues - γλῶσσαι glōssai. The word “tongue” occurs often in the Scriptures to denote the member which is the instrument of taste and speech, and also to denote “language” or “speech” itself. It is also used, as with us, to denote what in shape resembles the tongue. Thus, Joshua 7:21, Joshua 7:24 (in Hebrew), “a tongue of gold,” that is, a wedge of gold; Joshua 15:5; Joshua 18:19; Isaiah 11:15, “The…”

“And there appeared distinct tongues, as of fire - That is, small flames of fire. This is all which the phrase, tongues of fire, means in the language of the seventy. Yet it might intimate God's touching their tongues as it were (together with their hearts) with Divine fire: his giving them such words as were active and penetrating, even as flaming fire. Acts 2:4”

“cloven: Act 2:4, Act 2:11; Gen 11:6; Psa 55:9; Co1 12:10; Rev 14:6 like: Isa 6:5; Jer 23:29; Mal 3:2, Mal 3:3; Mat 3:11; Luk 24:32; Jam 3:6; Rev 11:3 sat: Act 1:15; Isa 11:2, Isa 11:3; Mat 3:15; Joh 1:32, Joh 1:33 Acts 2:4”