קוֹמָה (qo.mah)
qo.mah
height
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 34 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun qomah refers to physical height or stature, describing the vertical dimension of a person, object, or structure. Derived from the root meaning "to stand," it captures the idea of upright presence and measurable size. In the Old Testament, this word appears in diverse contexts, ranging from the dimensions of the Tabernacle’s bronze altar (Exodus 27:1) to the towering stature of King Saul (1 Samuel 16:7).
Its usage extends beyond human bodies to include the height of cedars and ships, as seen in Isaiah 37:24 where it describes the depth or height reached by royal vessels. This versatility highlights its function as a neutral term for vertical extent, whether applied to sacred architecture, natural elements, or individuals. Translators typically render it as "height," "stature," or "tallness," depending on whether the subject is animate or inanimate.
The word carries no inherent moral judgment; it simply denotes physical magnitude. In Ezekiel 13:18, for instance, it is used to describe women of every stature, emphasizing variety rather than superiority. By focusing on measurable reality, qomah provides a concrete vocabulary for describing the visible world in Scripture.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word qomah simply describes vertical height, whether applied to a person's stature or the dimensions of sacred furniture. In Exodus, it measures the ark, the table, and the altar, giving precise instructions for how God’s presence was to be housed among His people. These measurements were not arbitrary; they reflected order, reverence, and a tangible way to approach the divine through physical reality.
When the word appears in 1 Samuel 16:7, it shifts focus from objects to people. God tells Samuel not to judge by the height of Saul’s stature, reminding us that outward appearance holds no weight in His eyes. This offers a gentle correction to our natural tendency to value status or physical presence over character.
For your faith life, this word invites you to look beyond surface-level judgments. Whether you are considering your own worth or how you view others, God’s perspective remains fixed on the heart. It is a reminder that true value is found in who you are before Him, not in how tall or prominent you appear to the world.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 34 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- height/ its19×
- [the] height of8×
- and/ [the] height of3×
- stature/ his2×
- and/ [the] height2×
- height1×
- <the>/ height1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קֹמָתֽ/וֹ\׃6×
- קוֹמַת֙4×
- קוֹמָתֽ/וֹ\׃2×
- קוֹמָתָֽ/הּ\׃2×
- קוֹמָת֑/וֹ2×
- קוֹמַ֤ת2×
- קֽוֹמָת֔/וֹ2×
- קוֹמָתֽ/וֹ\׃\ \ס1×
- קוֹמָת֖/וֹ1×
- קוֹמָת֔/וֹ1×
- קוֹמָ֖ה1×
- קוֹמַ֣ת\׀1×
Key Verses
-
I Samuel 16:7
But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”
This verse uses qomah to contrast human focus on outward appearance with God’s focus on the heart, establishing a key theological principle about divine judgment.
-
Exodus 25:10
“They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Its length shall be two and a half cubits, its width a cubit and a half, and a cubit and a half its height.
Here qomah specifies the height of the ark, showing how physical dimensions were used to create sacred space for God’s presence.
-
I Kings 6:20
Within the inner sanctuary was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in width, and twenty cubits in its height. He overlaid it with pure gold. He covered the altar with cedar.
The height of the inner sanctuary is given as twenty cubits, emphasizing the square, perfect proportions of the Most Holy Place.
-
Genesis 6:15
This is how you shall make it. The length of the ship shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.
Qomah measures Noah’s ark at thirty cubits high, illustrating how the word applies to large structures built for preservation.