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מוֹקְדָה

𐤌𐤅𐤒𐤃𐤄

môwqᵉdâh

H4169 noun

SILEX Entry

Root יקד to burn, to be kindled

Definition

A place of continual fire or burning, specifically the hearth or perpetual fire on the altar in the tabernacle or temple; by extension, can refer to the fire itself that is kept burning for ritual purposes. The term denotes the continual, maintained fire, particularly in a cultic or ritual context.

Semantic Range

altar fire, perpetual fire, hearth of the sanctuary, burning place (cultic), occasionally fire or burning in a general sense

Root / Etymology

The word derives from the root יקד (yqd), meaning 'to burn' or 'to be kindled.' The noun מוֹקֵד (moqed) means 'fireplace,' 'hearth,' or more abstractly, 'burning place.' מוֹקְדָה (moqedah) is the feminine form, emphasizing the locale or state of continual burning rather than the act itself.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the priestly ritual prescriptions, especially in Leviticus (e.g., Leviticus 6:2 [Eng 6:9]), מוֹקְדָה refers specifically to the altar fire that is to be kept burning continually in the sanctuary. This perpetual fire symbolized ongoing divine presence and ritual readiness—distinct from ordinary household hearths. While later English translations may gloss this as 'fuel,' 'fire,' or 'altar hearth,' such renderings do not fully reflect the institutionalized, religious role of the perpetual altar fire in ancient Israelite worship. The rabbinic tradition (Mishnah Middot, Tamid) later elaborated the concept, but in biblical usage, the meaning is primarily tied to sanctuary practice, not general burning or fuel. There is some differentiation between מוֹקֵד (hearth or pyre in general) and מוֹקְדָה (specifically perpetual/altar fire). The term's use is largely confined to priestly texts and does not occur in reference to domestic settings.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine of מוֹקֵד; fuel; burning.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

יקד (y-q-d) — to burn, to be kindled

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3344 יָקַד kindled fire
H3345 יְקַד the burning one
H3346 יְקֵדָא to blazing-conflagration of
H3350 יְקוֹד like a burning-fire of
H4168 מוֹקֵד burning-hearths of

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4169-01 מוֹקְדָ֨ה moqedah HNcfsa the hearth perpetual burning-hearth 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4169-01 Leviticus 6:2 מוֹקְדָ֨ה moqedah HNcfsa the hearth perpetual burning-hearth
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