קֹ֫דֶשׁ469 H6944
holiness, sacredness, sanctuary, holy thing; the state of being set apart for God or the consecrated place, object, or offering
The noun qodesh anchors the entire biblical vocabulary of the sacred. Built on the root idea of separation or cutting off, it names both the abstract quality of holiness and every concrete thing touched by that quality — from the burning ground before Moses to the innermost chamber of the temple. In the superlative construct qodesh qodashim ('holy of holies'), Hebrew grammar itself intensifies to mark the boundary between the approachable and the unapproachable. Arabic maqdis, Swahili patakatifu, and cognates across Semitic languages confirm that the spatial and qualitative senses were never truly separate: to be holy is to be set apart, and the holy place is where that apartness is most tangible.
6. holy of holies, most holy — The superlative construct qodesh qodashim — 'holy of holies' or 'most holy' — designating either the innermost sanctuary or items of the highest consecration. This Hebrew grammatical pattern (noun + plural of same noun) creates an absolute superlative found nowhere else in the language with such frequency. Exodus 26:33 (the veil between the holy place and the most holy) and Exodus 30:29 (they shall be most holy) mark the apex of the sacred hierarchy. 24×
AR["قُدسَ","قُدسَ-","قُدسِ","قُدْسًا","قُدْسٌ","قُدْسَ","قُدْسُ","قُدْسِ"]·ben["পবিত্র","পবিত্রতম","মহা"]·DE["Heiligkeit","heilig-von","holiest-von"]·EN["holiest-of","holiness-of","holiness-of-","holy-of"]·FR["holiest-de","il-a-sanctifié","saint-de","sainteté"]·heb["קדש","קודש"]·HI["अति-पवित्र","अति-पवित्र-","कोडेश","परमपवित्र","पवित्र","पवित्र-के","पवित्रतम","पवित्रता-के","होमबलि"]·ID["kudus","kudus-","maha","tempat-kudus"]·IT["holiest-di","santità","santo-di"]·jav["barang-suci","panggenan-suci","suci","suci-","suci-nipun"]·KO["거룩의","거룩한","거룩한-","거룩한-것","거룩한-것들의","거룩한-곳","거룩함","거룩함-의","거룩함의"]·PT["santidade-de","santo-de","santíssimo"]·RU["Святое","святого","святое","святой","святости","святым","святыней","святыни","святыню","святыня","святыня-"]·ES["Santo-de","santidad-de","santidad-de-","santo","santo-de","santísimo"]·SW["Patakatifu","mtakatifu-wa","patakatifu","takatifu","takatifu-","takatifu-wa","utakatifu","utakatifu-vya"]·TR["en-","en-kutsal","kutsal","kutsallık","kutsallığa","kutsallığı","kutsallığın","kutsallığının","kutsalı","kutsalın"]·urd["-پاک-ترین","قدس","قدس-","قُدس","مقدس","مقدّس","مَقدِس-","پاک"]
Exod 26:33, Exod 29:37, Exod 30:10, Exod 30:29, Exod 30:36, Exod 40:10, Lev 14:13, Lev 19:24, Num 4:4, Num 4:19, Num 18:9, Num 18:9 (+12 more)
▼ 5 more senses below
Senses
1. sanctuary, holy place — A sanctuary or holy place — the sacred location set apart for worship, especially the tabernacle's inner chamber or the temple. Arabic maqdis and Swahili pa-takatifu (locative noun class) confirm the spatial reading. Exodus 26:33 (the veil shall separate the holy place from the most holy) and Exodus 28:29 (Aaron shall bear the names when he goes into the holy place) define the sanctuary as the spatial locus of divine encounter. 129×
AR["-القُدْسِ","القُدسِ","الْـقُدْسِ","الْقُدْسِ"]·ben["-পবিত্রের","পবিত্র-স্থানের","পবিত্রস্থানের","পবিত্রের","সেই-পবিত্রস্থান","সেই-পবিত্রের"]·DE["der-heilig","der-heilige-Dinge"]·EN["the-holy","the-holy-things"]·FR["le-saint","le-saint-choses"]·heb["ה-קודש"]·HI["को","पवित्र","पवित्र-के","पवित्र-स्थान-की","पवित्र-स्थान-के","पवित्रस्थान"]·ID["kudus","kudus;","tempat-kudus","tempat-kudus-itu","yang kudus","yang-kudus"]·IT["il-cose-sante","il-santo"]·jav["Papan-Suci","ingkang-suci","panggenan-suci","panggenan-suci,","papan-suci","suci"]·KO["거룩한","그-거룩한-것과","그-거룩한-것의","그-거룩한-곳","그-거룩한-곳과","그-거룩한것","그-성소의"]·PT["o-santo","o-santuário"]·RU["святилища","святое","святом","святым","святыни"]·ES["el-Santo","el-santuario","lo-santo"]·SW["kitakatifu","patakatifu","takatifu","ya-patakatifu"]·TR["kutsal-yere","kutsal-yerin","kutsallığın","kutsalın"]·urd["-قدس-کے","قدس-کے","مقدس","مقدس-کی","مقدس-کے"]
Exod 26:33, Exod 28:29, Exod 28:35, Exod 30:13, Exod 30:24, Lev 4:6, Lev 5:15, Lev 10:10, Lev 10:17, Lev 14:13, Lev 16:2, Lev 16:3 (+38 more)
2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) — The abstract quality of holiness, sacredness, or consecration — the divine attribute itself or the state of being set apart. Multilingual glosses converge on abstract nouns: Spanish santidad, French sainteté, German Heiligkeit. Exodus 3:5 (the ground on which you stand is holy) and Exodus 15:11 (majestic in holiness) show holiness as both a predicated quality of places and an intrinsic attribute of God. 123×
AR["\"قُدْسٌ","قُدساً","قُدسٌ","قُدْسًا","قُدْسَ","قُدْسُ","مُقَدَّساً"]·ben["পবিত্র","পবিত্র।","পবিত্রতম","পরম-পবিত্র"]·DE["ein-heilig-Sache","heilig"]·EN["a-holy-thing","holy"]·FR["saint","une-chose-sainte"]·heb["קודש"]·HI["परमपवित्र","पवित्र"]·ID["kudus","maha-kudus"]·IT["santo","un-santo-cosa"]·jav["SUCI","suci","suci,"]·KO["거룩하고","거룩한","거룩한-것","거룩한-것이니라","거룩한-것이다"]·PT["santidade","santidade-de","santo","santíssima"]·RU["святое","святость","святым","святыней","святыня"]·ES["santidad","santidad-de","santo"]·SW["matakatifu","mtakatifu","takatifu"]·TR["en-","kutsal","kutsallık"]·urd["قدس","مقدس","نہایت"]
Exod 3:5, Exod 12:16, Exod 29:33, Exod 29:34, Exod 30:32, Exod 30:32, Exod 30:35, Exod 30:37, Exod 31:14, Exod 31:15, Exod 35:2, Exod 37:29 (+38 more)
3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) — Holy things or sacred offerings in the plural — consecrated items, contributions, or dedicated objects viewed collectively. Arabic aqdas (broken plural) and Swahili vi-takatifu (plural thing class) confirm the concrete plural. Exodus 29:37 (whatever touches the altar shall become most holy) and Leviticus 22:15 (they shall not profane the holy things) treat these as a category of objects requiring special handling. 86×
AR["أَقْدَاسٍ","الْ-أَقْدَاسِ","الْأَقْدَاسِ"]·ben["-পবিত্রের","পবিত্র-বস্তুগুলির","পবিত্রগুলো","পবিত্রগুলোকে","পবিত্রগুলোর","পবিত্রতম","পবিত্রতমে","পবিত্রতমের","পবিত্রের","পরম-পবিত্রের"]·DE["Allerheiligste","der-Allerheiligste","der-heilige-Dinge","von-heilig-Sachen","von-holies"]·EN["holinesses","of-holies","of-holy-things","the-holies","the-holy-things"]·FR["de-saint-choses","de-saintetés","le-saint-choses","sainteté"]·heb["ה-קודש","ה-קודשים","קדשים","קודש","קודשים"]·HI["परमपवित्र","परमपवित्रस्थान","पवित्र-वस्तुओं","पवित्र-वस्तुओं-की","पवित्रताओं-की","पवित्रों-का","वस्तु","वस्तुएँ"]·ID["dari-yang-kudus","hal-hal-kudus","kudus","maha-kudus","yang-kudus","yang-mahakudus"]·IT["di-holies","di-santo-cose","il-cose-sante","santità"]·jav["barang-barang-suci","barang-maha-suci","barang-suci","ingkang-mahasuci","ingkang-suci","ingkang-suci-sanget","paling-suci","suci-sanget"]·KO["거룩한-것들","거룩한-것들-중-에","그-거룩한-것들","지극히-거룩하다"]·PT["as-coisas-santas","os-santos","santidades","santíssima"]·RU["святынь","святыням","святых"]·ES["las-cosas-santas","los-santos","santidades","santos"]·SW["pa-patakatifu","sana","vitu-takatifu","vya-patakatifu","ya-vitakatifu","za-vitu-takatifu"]·TR["kutsal","kutsal-şeylerden","kutsal-şeylere","kutsal-şeylerin","kutsallar","kutsalların","kutsallarının"]·urd["-پاک-چیزوں-کے","اقداس","بہت-مقدّس","مقدس","مقدّس-چیزوں-کے","پاک-مقاموں-کے","پاک-چیزوں","پاک-چیزوں-کے"]
Exod 29:37, Exod 30:10, Exod 30:29, Exod 30:36, Exod 40:10, Lev 2:3, Lev 2:10, Lev 5:15, Lev 6:17, Lev 6:25, Lev 6:29, Lev 7:1 (+38 more)
4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) — Holiness with a possessive pronoun — his holiness, my holiness, your holiness — expressing the divine or human quality of consecrated apartness as a possessed attribute. Spanish su-santidad, French sa-sainteté, and German sein-Heiligkeit all preserve the possessive structure. Psalm 89:35 (once for all I have sworn by my holiness) and Leviticus 20:3 (to profane my holy name) show God's holiness as something personally staked and jealously guarded. 77×
AR["قُدسِهِ","قُدْسِه","قُدْسِهِ","قُدْسِي"]·ben["আর","তাঁর-পবিত্র","তাঁর-পবিত্র-নাম","তাঁর-পবিত্র-স্থান","তাঁর-পবিত্রতার","পবিত্র-পর্বত-আমার","পবিত্রতা-তাঁর","পবিত্রে।"]·DE["Heiligkeit","sein-Heiligkeit"]·EN["His-holiness","his-holiness","holiness-my"]·FR["sa-sainteté","sainteté"]·heb["קדשו","קודש-ו","קודשו","קודשי"]·HI["अपनी-पवित्रता-की","अपनी-पवित्रता-के","अपने-पवित्र","अपने-पवित्र-स्थान-की","उसकी-पवित्रता-के","उसकी-पवित्रता-ने","उसके-पवित्र","पवित्र-अपने","पवित्र-उसके","पवित्रता-उसकी-के","मेरी-पवित्रता"]·ID["kekudusan-Nya","kesucian-Ku","kesucian-Nya","kudus-Nya"]·IT["le-mie-cose-sante","santita'"]·jav["ingkang-suci","kasucen-ipun","kasucenipun","kasucian-Nipun","kasucian-ipun","suci-Kula","suci-Panjenenganipun","suci-Panjenengané","suci-ipun"]·KO["거룩한","거룩한-성전","거룩함-의","그-거룩한","그-의-거룩한","그-의-거룩함-의","그의-거룩함의","내-거룩함의"]·PT["Sua-palavra-santa","da-sua-santidade","de-Seu-santuário","de-Sua-santidade","de-seu-santuário","de-sua-santidade","minha-santidade","monte","santa","santo-dele","sua-santidade"]·RU["святое-Его","святое-Моё","святой-Моей","святой-Своей","святом-Его","святости-Его","святости-Своей"]·ES["mi-santidad","santidad-de-el","su-santidad"]·SW["Yahwe","kitakatifu","kutoka","lake-takatifu","mtakatifu","patakatifu-pake","takatifu","takatifu-lake","takatifu-wake","takatifu-zake","utakatifu-wake","wangu-mtakatifu","yake-matakatifu"]·TR["kutsal","kutsal-olan","kutsal-yerinin","kutsallığının","kutsalının"]·urd["اس-کے-قدوس-کے","اُس-کی-قدس-کی","اُس-کی-قدسیت-کے","اُس-کی-پاکیزگی-کی","اُس-کی-پاکیزگی-کے","اُس-کے-قدس-کے","اُس-کے-مقدس","اپنی-قدسیت-کے","اپنی-قدوسیت-کے","اپنی-پاکیزگی-کی","اپنے-قدس-کی","اپنے-قدس-کے","پاک-میرے"]
5. holy thing, sacred offering — A concrete holy thing or sacred offering in the singular — an individual consecrated item, dedicated object, or firstfruit. Arabic muqaddas and Swahili ki-takatifu (thing class) confirm the concrete singular. Exodus 29:6 (the holy crown) and Exodus 29:29 (the holy garments) designate specific manufactured objects that have crossed from the common realm into the sacred through anointing or dedication. 28×
AR["ال-قُدْسِ","القُدسِ","القُدْس","الْقُدْسِ","قُدْسًا","قُدْسٍ"]·ben["-ঐ পবিত্র","-পবিত্র-এর","-পবিত্রতার","-পবিত্রের","পবিত্র","পবিত্রতার","পবিত্রের","সেই-পবিত্রতার"]·DE["das-Heilige","das-Heiligtum","die-Heiligkeit","ein-heilig-Sache","heilig-Sache"]·EN["a-holy-thing","holiness","holy-thing","the-holiness","the-holy","the-set-apart"]·FR["le-sainteté","saint-chose","sainteté","une-chose-sainte"]·heb["ה-קדש","ה-קודש","קודש"]·HI["नहीं","पवित्र","पवित्र वस्तु","पवित्र-के","पवित्रता","पवित्रता-का","पवित्रता-के"]·ID["kekudusan-itu","kudus","kudus-itu","yang-kudus"]·IT["la-santità","santita","santità","santo-cosa","un-santo-cosa"]·jav["barang-suci","kang-suci","kasucèn","suci","suci-punika","suci.","suci;"]·KO["거룩한","거룩한-","거룩한-것","그-거룩한","그-거룩한-것의","그-거룩한의","그-거룩함의"]·PT["a-santa","a-santidade","coisa-santa","o-santo","santa","santo"]·RU["hа-святости","святилища","святого","святое","святой","святом","святому","святости","святые","святыни","святыню","святых"]·ES["Santo","cosa-santa","el-santuario","la-santa","la-santidad","santidad"]·SW["kitakatifu","kitu-kitakatifu","matakatifu","mtakatifu","takatifu","watakatifu"]·TR["-kutsallığın","kutsal","kutsal-şey","kutsalin","kutsallığın","kutsalın"]·urd["-قدس-کا","-قدس-کے","قدس-کا","قدس-کے","مقدس","مقدس-کی","مقدس-کے","مقدّس","مُقدّس","پاک","کے-قدس"]
Exod 15:11, Exod 29:6, Exod 29:29, Exod 31:10, Exod 35:19, Exod 35:21, Exod 39:1, Exod 39:30, Exod 39:41, Exod 40:13, Lev 12:4, Lev 22:10 (+16 more)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
קֹ֫דֶשׁ469 n.m. apartness, sacredness (opp. חֹל Lv 10:10 + 4 times Ez);—abs. ק׳ Ex 3:5 +; קוֹדֶשׁ Dn 11:30; cstr. קֹדֶשׁ Ex 30:36 +; sf. קָדְשִׁי Lv 20:3 +, etc.; pl. קָֽדָשִׁים Ex 29:37 +, הַקֳּדָשִׁים 26:33 +; cstr. קָדְשֵׁי Lv 22:15 +; sf. קָֽדָשַׁי Ez 22:8 + 3 times, קֳדָשֶׁיךָ †Dt 12:26, קֳדָשָׁיו Nu 5:10; 2 K 12:19, קָֽדָשָׁיו †2 Ch 15:18, etc.;— 1. apartness, sacredness, holiness, of God:…