קָטַר115 H6999a
To make sacrifices smoke on the altar or burn incense in worship or idolatry; encompasses both Piel (incense) and Hifil (altar offerings) stems.
A distinctly cultic verb whose two main stems divide the ritual world: in the Piel, it describes the burning of incense (qetoret), while in the Hifil it refers to sending the fat portions and sacrifices up in smoke upon the altar. Arabic preserves a parallel split between بَخَّرَ (fumigate with incense) and أَوْقَدَ (kindle a fire), mirroring the Hebrew stem distinction remarkably well. Korean similarly distinguishes 분향하다 (burn incense) from 태우다 (burn on altar). One poetic outlier in Song of Solomon 3:6 uses a participle to evoke fragrant perfuming rather than sacrificial burning, hinting at the aromatic root meaning beneath both cultic uses.
2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) — The Hifil stem denotes causing the fat, entrails, or whole burnt offerings to go up in smoke on the altar — the quintessential Levitical sacrificial act. Spanish Y-hará-humear ('he will make smoke') captures the causative nuance well. Concentrated in Exodus and Leviticus (Exod 29:13, 18, 25; Lev 1-9), this sense is the technical term for the priestly burning of sacrificial portions, distinct from the incense-specific Piel. 45×
AR["وَ-أَوْقَدَ","وَ-يُوقِدُ"]·ben["এবং-জ্বালাবে","এবং-দহন-করবে","এবং-ধূপ-পোড়ালেন","এবং-পোড়াক","এবং-পোড়াবে","এবং-পোড়ালেন","এবং-সে-পোড়াবে"]·DE["und-er-soll-verbrennen","und-er-verbrannte","und-lass-verbrennen","und-soll-verbrennen","und-verbrannte"]·EN["and-burned","and-he-burned","and-he-shall-burn","and-let-burn","and-shall-burn"]·FR["et---brûler","et-brûla","et-devra-brûler","et-il-brûla","et-il-brûlera","et-il-devra-brûler","et-laisse-brûler"]·heb["ו-הקטיר","ו-יקטר"]·HI["और-जलाए","और-जलाएगा","और-जलाया"]·ID["Dan-akan-membakar","Dan-membakar","dan-akan-membakar","dan-membakar"]·IT["e-brucera","e-brucio","e-dovra-bruciare","e-egli-bruciò","e-egli-dovra-bruciare","e-lascia-bruciare","e-shall-bruciare"]·jav["Lan-ngobong","lan-ngobong","lan-piyambakipun-ngobong"]·KO["그리고-그-가-태우라","그리고-불사르라","그리고-불살랐다","그리고-태우리라","그리고-태울-것이다","그리고-피우다","그리고-피울-것이다"]·PT["E-queimará","E-queimou","e-queimará","e-queimou"]·RU["И-будет-воскурять","и-воскурил","и-воскурит","и-сжёг-в-дым"]·ES["Y-hará-humear","Y-quemará","Y-quemó","y-quemará","y-quemó"]·SW["Na-atafukiza","Uhktir","na-akafukiza","na-atafukiza"]·TR["Ve-yakacak","Ve-yaktı","ve-yakacak","ve-yaktı","ve-yakıp-tüttürecek"]·urd["اور-جلائے","اور-جلائے-گا","اور-جلایا"]
Exod 29:13, Exod 29:18, Exod 29:25, Exod 30:7, Exod 30:7, Exod 30:8, Exod 40:27, Lev 1:9, Lev 1:13, Lev 1:15, Lev 1:17, Lev 2:2 (+33 more)
▼ 4 more senses below
Senses
1. burn incense (Piel) — The Piel stem denotes the ritual act of burning incense as worship or, frequently, as idolatrous practice. Arabic بَخَّرَ and Swahili -fukiza ubani both specify incense fumigation, matching this cultic sense precisely. Dominant in the prophetic condemnations of Jeremiah and Hosea (e.g., Jer 19:13, Hos 11:2), where Israel burns incense to foreign gods. The 50 occurrences span both legitimate temple worship (1 Sam 2:16) and the illicit high places. 50×
AR["أَنْ-تُبَخِّرَ","عَنِ-الْتَبْخِيرِ","لِ-يُبَخِّرَ","لِتُبَخِّرُوا","لِـ-يُبَخِّرَ","لِـ-يُبَخِّرُوا","لِلتَّبْخِيرِ","لِنُبَخِّرَ","لِيُبَخِّرَ","لِيُبَخِّرُوا","وَ-أَوْقَدَ","وَ-يُبَخِّرونَ","وَيُبَخِّرُ","وَيُبَخِّرُونَ","يُبَخِّرُوا"]·ben["এবং-ধূপ-জ্বালাত","এবং-ধূপ-জ্বালাতেন","এবং-ধূপ-দিচ্ছিল","এবং-ধূপ-দিচ্ছিল।","ধূপ-জ্বালাতে","ধূপ-দিতে"]·DE["raeuchern","raeucherte","und-verbrennend-incense","zu-raeuchern","zu-verbrenne-incense"]·EN["and-burning-incense","burn-incense","by-burning-incense","from-burning-incense","to-burn-incense"]·FR["brûler-de-l'encens","brûler-de-l’encens","et-brûlant-encens","à-brûle-encens"]·heb["ו-מקטיר","ו-מקטרים","וְ-הַקְטֵיר","ל-הקטיר","ל-קטר","לְ-הַקְטִיר","קטר"]·HI["और-धूप-जला-रहे-थे","और-धूप-जलाता-था","और-धूप-जलाते-थे","धूप-जलाना","धूप-जलाने","धूप-जलाने-को"]·ID["dan-membakar-kemenyan","dan-membakar-korban","dengan-membakar-kemenyan","membakar-kemenyan","untuk-membakar-kemenyan","untuk-membakar-korban"]·IT["a-brucia-incenso","bruciare-incenso","e-bruciando-incenso"]·jav["kangge-ngobong-dupa","kanggé-ngobong-dupa","kanggé-ngungelaken-dupa","lan-ngobong-dupa","lan-piyambakipun-sami-ngobong-dupa","ngobong-dupa","ngobong-menyan"]·KO["그리고-분향피우고-있었다","그리고-향을-사르고-있었다","그리고-향을-피우는","그리고-향을-피우며","분향을-피우다","분향하기-위해","에-향을-피우기로","향-피우기-위해","향을-피우기-위하여","향을-피우다"]·PT["de-queimar-incenso","e-queimando-incenso","para-queimar-incenso","queimar-incenso"]·RU["для-воскурения","и-воскурял","и-воскуряя","и-кадили","и-кадящий","кадить","кадя","чтобы-воскурять","чтобы-кадить"]·ES["de-quemar-incienso","para-quemar-incienso","quemando-incienso","quemar-incienso","y-quemando-incienso","y-quemar-incienso"]·SW["fukiza-ubani","kufukiza-ubani","kufukiza-uvumba","kufukizia-uvumba","kwa-kufukizia-uvumba","na-akafukiza-ubani","na-kufukiza-ubani","na-wakifukiza"]·TR["buhur-yakmak","buhur-yakmak-için","buhur-yakmayı","tütsü-yakmak","tütsü-yakmak-için","ve-buhur-yakanlar","ve-buhur-yakıyordu","ve-buhur-yakıyorlar"]·urd["اور-جلاتا","اور-خوشبو-جلاتا-تھا","اور-خوشبو-جلاتے-تھے","اور-دھوپ-جلاتے-تھے","بخور-جلائیں","بخور-جلانا","بخور-جلانے-سے","بخور-جلانے-کو","بخور-جلانے-کے-لیے","دھونی-دینے-کو","دھوپ-دینے-کو"]
1 Sam 2:16, 1 Kgs 3:3, 1 Kgs 9:25, 1 Kgs 12:33, 1 Kgs 13:1, 1 Kgs 22:43, 2 Kgs 12:3, 2 Kgs 14:4, 2 Kgs 15:4, 2 Kgs 15:35, 2 Kgs 16:4, 2 Kgs 17:11 (+38 more)
3. burn incense (Hifil) — A Hifil-stem usage that is semantically equivalent to the Piel 'burn incense,' appearing especially in Kings and Chronicles to describe worship at high places or the temple incense altar (Exod 30:7-8, 1 Kgs 11:8, 13:2). Korean 분향하다 does not distinguish the stems, treating both as identical, which reflects the real semantic overlap. The 18 occurrences suggest the Hifil could carry an incense meaning when the context or object makes it clear. 18×
AR["[وَ-بَخَّرُوا]","الـ-مُبَخِّرَاتِ","الـ-مُبَخِّرِينَ","بَخَّرَ","بَخِّرْ","تُبَخِّرُونَ","كانَت-تُبَخِّرُ","لِ-يُبَخِّرَ","لِ-يُوقِدوا","لِـ-يُبَخِّرَ","لِيُبَخِّرَ","مُوقِدونَ","وَ-مُبَخِّرِينَ","وَالْمُبَخِّرَ","وَمُبْخِرُ","وَيُبخِّرونَ","يُبَخِّرُ"]·ben["আর-ধূপ-জ্বালানো","আর-পোড়াচ্ছে","এবং-যে-ধূপ-জ্বালায়","ও-ধূপ-জ্বালানেওয়ালা","ধূপ-জ্বালাও","ধূপ-জ্বালাত","ধূপ-জ্বালাতে","ধূপ-জ্বালাতেন","ধূপ-জ্বালালেন","ধূপ-দিচ্ছিল","ধূপ-দিতে","ধূপ-দেবে","ধোঁয়া-তুলতে","যারা-ধূপ-জ্বালাচ্ছে"]·DE["[תקטיר]","der-verbrennend-incense","raeuchern","und-raeuchern","verbrenne","verbrennend-incense","zu-verbrenne","zu-verbrennen","zu-verbrennen-Weihrauch"]·EN["[and-they-burned-incense]","and-burning","and-one-burning-incense","and-ones-burning-incense","burn","burned-incense","burning-incense","she-burned-incense","the-burning-incense","to-burn","to-burn-incense","you-shall-burn-incense"]·FR["[תקטיר]","brûlant-encens","brûle","brûler-de-l'encens","et-brûler-de-l'encens","et-brûler-de-l’encens","le-brûlant-encens","à-brûle","à-brûler","à-brûler-encens"]·heb["ה-מקטירים","הקטיר","הקטר","ו-[ויקטירו]","ו-מקטיר","ו-מקטרים","יקטר","ל-הקטיר","מקטירות","מקטירים","תקטיר","תקטירו"]·HI["[और-उन्होंने-धूप-जलाया]","और-जलाते-हैं","और-जलाने-वाला","और-धूप-जलाने-वाले-को","और-धूप-जलानेवाले।","जलाने","जलाने-को","धूप-जलाओगे।","धूप-जलाता-था","धूप-जलाती-थी","धूप-जलाना","धूप-जलाने-को","धूप-जलाने-वालों-को","धूप-जलानेवालियाँ","धूप-जलानेवाले","धूप-जलाया"]·ID["Dan-membakar","[dan-membakar-korban]","bakarlah","dan-membakar","dan-orang-yang-membakar-korban","dan-pembakar-korban","dia-membakar-korban","ia-membakar-korban","kamu-harus-membakar-korban","membakar-korban","untuk-membakar","yang membakar kemenyan","yang-membakar-korban"]·IT["a-brucia","a-bruciare","a-bruciare-incenso","brucia","bruciando-incenso","bruciare-incenso","e-bruciare-incenso","il-bruciando-incenso"]·jav["Lan-sami-ngobong","ingkang-ngobong-dupa","kangge-ngobong","kanggé-ngobong","lan-ingkang-ngobong-dupa","lan-ngobong","lan-sami-ngobong-dupa","lan-tukang-ngobong-dupa","ngobong","ngobong-dupa","ngobong-dupa-panjenengan","ngobongna","ngungelaken-dupa","supados-ngobong"]·KO["(그리고-그들이-향을-피웠다)","-에-태우다","그-분향하는","그리고-분향을-피우는-자를","그리고-사르는","그리고-태우고-있다","그리고-향을-피우는-자들","너희가-향을-피울-것이다","분향하는-자들","분향하려고-","분향했던","사르라","피우기-위하여","향을-피우기-위하여","향을-피우며","향을-피웠다"]·PT["E-queimam","[K: e-queimaram-incenso]","e-o-que-queima-incenso","e-que-queima","e-queimadores-de-incenso","os-que-queimam-incenso","para-queimar","queima-incenso","queimando","queimando-incenso","queimareis-incenso","queimava-incenso","queimou-incenso"]·RU["воскуряй","воскурять","воскуряющие","воскуряющих","и-возжигающие","и-воскуряющими","и-кадили","и-кадящего","и-кадящий","кадил","кадила","курите-фимиам","чтобы-воскурять"]·ES["[y-quemaron-incienso]","les-quemaba-incienso","los-que-queman-incienso","ofreceréis-incienso","para-hacer-humear","para-quemar","para-quemar-incienso","quema","quemaba-incienso","quemaban-incienso","quemando-incienso","quemó-incienso","y-al-que-quema-incienso","y-que-queme","y-quemadores-de-incienso","y-quemando-incienso"]·SW["[wyktyrw]","akafukiza-uvumba","alifukiza-uvumba","aliwafukizia","fukiza","kufukiza","na-anayefukiza-ubani","na-kufukiza","na-wanafukiza","na-wanaofukiza-uvumba.","taּktiyrwּ","wakifukiza-ubani","walifukiza","wanaofukiza-ubani"]·TR["Ve-yakıyorlar","[ve-buhur-yaktılar]","buhur-yakacaksınız","buhur-yakanlar","buhur-yakmak","tütsü-yakanlar","tütsü-yaktı","ve-buhur-yakanlar","ve-buhur-yakanı","ve-yakan-o","yak","yakmak-için","yakması-için","yakıyordu"]·urd["[اور-جلاے]","ال-بخور-جلانے-والوں","اور-بخور-جلانے-والے","اور-جلاتے-ہیں","اور-جلانے-والا","بخور-جلاؤ-گے","جلا","جلاتی-تھی","جلاتی-تھیں","جلانے-والے","جلانے-کو","دھونی-دی","دھوپ-جلاتا-تھا"]
Exod 30:20, Num 16:40, 1 Sam 2:28, 1 Kgs 11:8, 1 Kgs 13:2, 2 Kgs 16:15, 1 Chr 6:49, 2 Chr 2:4, 2 Chr 2:6, 2 Chr 13:11, 2 Chr 25:14, 2 Chr 28:3 (+6 more)
4. sense 4 — A single passive occurrence in Lev 6:22 (Eng. 6:15) where the grain offering of the anointed priest 'shall be burned' entirely. The multilingual glosses — Spanish se-quemará, French cela-devra-être-brûlé — all render it as a straightforward passive of burning, likely a Hofal or Pual form describing complete consumption rather than the standard Hifil altar-smoking. 1×
AR["تُوقَدُ"]·ben["পোড়াক"]·DE["es-soll-sein-verbrannte"]·EN["it-shall-be-burned"]·FR["cela-devra-être-brûla"]·heb["תוקטר"]·HI["जलाई-जाए"]·ID["akan-dibakar"]·IT["esso-dovra-essere-brucio"]·jav["dipunobong"]·KO["불사르라"]·PT["será-queimada"]·RU["будет-воскурено"]·ES["se-quemará"]·SW["itafukizwa"]·TR["yakılacak"]·urd["جلائی-جائے"]
5. sense 5 — A unique participial use in Song of Solomon 3:6 describing Solomon's litter as 'perfumed with' myrrh and frankincense. German leaves it untranslated, but French parfumée and Spanish perfumada both catch the aromatic rather than sacrificial sense. This poetic usage reveals the root's underlying meaning of producing fragrant smoke, before it was specialized into cultic vocabulary. 1×
AR["مِقُطِّرِت"]·ben["সুগন্ধিত"]·DE["[מקטרת]"]·EN["perfumed-with"]·FR["parfumée"]·heb["מקוטרת"]·HI["सुगंधित"]·ID["diharumkan-dengan"]·IT["perfumed-with"]·jav["kang-dipunpedupan"]·KO["향기로운"]·PT["perfumada-de"]·RU["окуренная"]·ES["perfumada-con"]·SW["iliyofukizwa"]·TR["kokulanan"]·urd["خوشبودار"]
Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)H4325 1. water, waters (582×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H3701 1. silver (the metal) (391×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)H0216 1. light (general / metaphorical) (116×)H2076 1. Qal: offer sacrifice (cultic) (116×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G0040 1. the Holy One, Holy Spirit (98×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
[קָטַר115] vb.denom. Pi. Hiph. make sacrifices smoke, send them up in smoke (proposes produce קְטֹרֶת, v StaZAW vi (1886), 298 f.);— Pi.42 Pf. 3 mpl. קִטְּרוּ Je 19:13 +, קִטַּרְתֶּם Je 44:21, 23; Impf. 3 ms. יְקַטֵּר Hb 1:16 +; 3 mpl. יְקַטֵּר֑וּן Ho 11:2, etc.; Inf. abs. קַטֵּר 1 S 2:16 +; cstr. Je 11:13 +, Pt. pl. מְקַטְּרִים Is 65:3 +, etc.;—make sacrifices smoke, offer them by burning: to…