מִקְדָּשׁ (miq.dash)
miq.dash
sanctuary
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 41 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun miqdash refers to a sacred place or sanctuary, specifically a location set apart as holy. Derived from the root for holiness, it denotes anything consecrated to divine presence, most commonly the tabernacle in the wilderness and later the temple in Jerusalem. The term appears frequently in legal texts like Leviticus and historical accounts such as Chronicles, marking the physical center where God’s people encountered Him.
While primarily used for Israel’s holy sites, the word also describes royal palaces consecrated by kings or even false sanctuaries associated with idols. Notably, it carries the sense of asylum in passages like Isaiah 8:14 and Ezekiel 11:16, where the sanctuary serves as a refuge for those seeking protection. This dual nature highlights its role not just as a place of worship, but as a zone of divine authority and safety.
Translators typically render miqdash as "sanctuary" or "holy place," preserving the distinction between the general concept of holiness and the specific location designated for it. The consistent use across different biblical genres underscores its central importance in Israel’s religious life, serving as the tangible link between the heavenly realm and earthly community.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word miqdash points to a place set apart for God’s presence, whether the portable tabernacle in the wilderness or the temple in Jerusalem. It reminds us that holiness is not just an abstract idea but a tangible reality where heaven touches earth. When Israel built these spaces, they were creating a focal point for encounter, showing that God desires to dwell among His people.
For your life today, this concept invites you to view your own heart and community as a sanctuary. Just as the ancient temple was a place of reverence and safety, Christians believe that through faith, believers become living temples where God’s Spirit resides. This shifts our perspective from seeing sacred spaces as distant ruins to recognizing them as present realities in our daily walk.
Even when the physical structures were destroyed or profaned, the underlying truth remained: God is the protector of His sanctuary. In times of trouble, this word offers a sense of divine refuge. It assures us that no matter how chaotic the world becomes, there is a secure place where we can find rest and hope in His presence.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 41 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ sanctuary8×
- [the] sanctuary of4×
- sanctuary/ your3×
- sanctuary/ my3×
- sanctuary/ his3×
- a sanctuary3×
- sanctuary/ its2×
- and/ sanctuary/ my2×
- to/ sanctuary/ his1×
- sanctuary/ their1×
- sanctuary/ our1×
- sanctuaries/ your1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/מִּקְדָּשׁ֙3×
- מִקְדָּשִׁ֔/י2×
- מִקְדַּ֣שׁ2×
- וּ/מִקְדָּשִׁ֖/י2×
- הַ/מִּקְדָּ֑שׁ2×
- בְּ/מִקְדַּ֥שׁ2×
- מִקְּדָ֕שׁ1×
- מִקְדָּשֽׁ/וֹ\׃1×
- מִקְדָּשָׁ֔/ם1×
- מִקְדָּשָׁ֔/הּ1×
- מִקְדָּשַׁ֔/י1×
- מִקְדָּשֶֽׁ/ךָ\׃1×
Key Verses
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Exodus 25:8
Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.
This verse establishes the primary purpose of the sanctuary as the location where God chooses to dwell among His people, setting the foundation for all subsequent biblical theology of holy space.
-
Leviticus 19:30
“‘You shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary; I am Yahweh.
Here the command to reverence the sanctuary is linked directly to keeping the Sabbaths, showing that proper worship requires both time set apart for God and physical spaces treated with awe.
-
II Chronicles 26:18
They resisted Uzziah the king, and said to him, “It isn’t for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to Yahweh, but for the priests the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed. It will not be for your honor from Yahweh God.”
This incident highlights the seriousness of violating the sanctuary’s boundaries, demonstrating that access to God’s holy presence is not a right but a privilege governed by divine order.
-
Psalms 73:17
until I entered God’s sanctuary, and considered their latter end.
The psalmist finds clarity about the future only after entering the sanctuary, indicating that spiritual insight and understanding often come through deliberate engagement with God’s holy presence.