קְטוֹרָה (qe.to.rah)
qe.to.rah
incense
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun qᵉṭōrā refers to the smoke or fragrant vapor rising from a sacrifice, specifically describing the burning of incense. In the biblical text, it captures the visible and aromatic result of ritual burning, serving as a tangible sign of worship ascending toward God.
This term appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Deuteronomy 33:10. There, Moses blesses the tribe of Levi, highlighting their role in teaching justice and offering qṭōrā upon the altar. The usage underscores the priestly duty of maintaining this sacred ritual, linking the physical act of burning spices with spiritual fidelity.
While often translated simply as "incense," the word emphasizes the smoke itself rather than just the material. This distinction connects the offering to the broader sacrificial system where the rising vapor symbolized prayer or dedication reaching the divine presence.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word qᵉṭōrā appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, found in Moses’ blessing of the tribe of Levi. It describes the fragrant smoke rising from the altar, a visible sign of worship ascending toward God. This single occurrence highlights the priestly duty of maintaining sacred rituals, linking physical acts of burning spices with spiritual fidelity.
For your faith, this reminds us that worship is not just an internal feeling but involves tangible actions. The rising smoke symbolizes prayer and dedication reaching the divine presence. When you pray or offer thanks, imagine those words as a sweet aroma before God, showing your heart’s commitment to Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- incense1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קְטוֹרָה֙1×
Key Verses
-
Deuteronomy 33:10
They shall teach Jacob your ordinances, and Israel your law. They shall put incense before you, and whole burnt offering on your altar.
This verse uniquely uses qᵉṭōrā to describe the Levites' role in putting incense before God, linking their teaching of law with ritual worship.