What does “holy” mean?
Webster’s Dictionary defines “holy” as:
(1) exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness.
(2) divine (for the Lord our God is holy [Psalms 99:9 KJV])
(3) devoted entirely to the deity or the work of the deity (a holy temple; holy prophets)
(4) having a divine quality (holy love)
(5) venerated as or as if sacred (holy scripture; a holy relic)
The Hebrew root word translated “holy” is QDSh (QADOSh / QODESh)
(1) Removed from common use, subject to special treatment, forfeit to the sanctuary
(2) To transform someone to the state of holiness, dedicate.
(3) To proclaim a holy period.
Examples: (The word “holy” appears 611 times in the KJV.) The underlined words below are the translations of QADOSH / QODESH.
Genesis 2:3 –Then ELOHIYM blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that He had done.
Genesis 38:21 - He asked the men of that place, “Where is prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?” “There hasn’t been a prostitute here,” they said. [literally, “the holy woman”]
Exodus 3:5 - “Do not come any closer,” ELOHIYM. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
Exodus 13:2 – “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.”
Exodus 20:8 – “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”
Exodus 22:31 – “You are to be my holy people. So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts; throw it to the dogs.”
Joshua 6:19 – “All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to YAHWEH and must go into his treasury.”
Now, after reading the above verses -- What does "holy" mean? In the Hebrew culture it means "to be separated for a specified task or use."
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