שִׁקּוּץ (shiq.quts)
shiq.quts
abomination
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 16 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun shiqquuts refers to something that is deeply detestable or an object of disgust. In the Hebrew Bible, it most frequently describes idols or practices considered ritually unclean and morally repugnant to God. The word carries a strong sense of revulsion, marking what is forbidden or corrupt within the covenant community.
Its usage appears prominently in historical and prophetic books, particularly in Jeremiah and Kings, where it labels the idolatrous shrines and rituals introduced by Israel’s kings. For instance, 1 Kings 14:24 mentions high places filled with shiqquuts, highlighting how these objects defiled the land. The term is not merely about aesthetic dislike but signifies a serious breach of holiness that provokes divine judgment.
Translators often render shiqquuts as "abomination," though this English word can sometimes feel abstract. In its original context, it points to concrete things—statues, altars, or actions—that actively separate people from God’s presence. The repeated use of the term in Jeremiah underscores the severity of turning away from true worship toward false gods.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word shiqquuts describes something that causes deep revulsion, often referring to idols or practices that break covenant with God. In the ancient context, this was not just a matter of personal taste but a serious spiritual breach that defiled the land and separated people from divine presence. When Scripture uses this term, it highlights actions or objects that actively turn hearts away from true worship.
For believers today, this word serves as a sobering reminder of what truly harms our relationship with God. It invites us to examine our own lives for any 'abominations'—whether they are overt idols like wealth and status, or subtle compromises in integrity. The call to remove these things is an invitation to purity and freedom, allowing God’s presence to dwell fully within us without obstruction.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 16 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] detestable thing of5×
- detestable things/ their3×
- the/ detestable things2×
- detestable things/ your2×
- the/ abomination1×
- detestable things1×
- and/ detestable things/ its1×
- and/ <in>/ detestable things/ their1×
- abomination<s>1×
- [the] abomination1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שִׁקֻּ֣ץ3×
- שִׁקּֽוּצֵי/הֶ֗ם2×
- שִׁקֻּ֖ץ2×
- שִׁקּוּצָ֑יִ/ךְ1×
- שִׁקּוּצֶ֛י/ךָ1×
- שִׁקּוּצִים֙1×
- שִׁקּוּצִ֖ים1×
- שִׁקּֽוּצֵי/הֶם֙1×
- שִׁקּ֣וּץ1×
- וּ/בְ/שִׁקּוּצֵי/הֶ֖ם1×
- וְ/שִׁקֻּצָי/ו֙1×
- הַ/שִּׁקּוּצִים֙1×
Key Verses
-
I Kings 11:5
For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
This verse identifies specific foreign deities like Ashtoreth as abominations, showing how idolatry directly opposes exclusive devotion to Yahweh.
-
Jeremiah 7:30
“For the children of Judah have done that which is evil in my sight,” says Yahweh. “They have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it.
Here the term highlights the grave offense of placing detestable objects inside God's own temple, defiling the sacred space meant for worship.
-
Daniel 11:31
“Forces from him will profane the sanctuary, even the fortress, and will take away the continual burnt offering. Then they will set up the abomination that makes desolate.
This prophecy uses the phrase 'abomination that makes desolate' to describe a future act of sacrilege that will halt regular temple services and bring judgment.