WG: Incense / Fumigation¶
Concept¶
The semantic cluster of Hebrew and Greek words related to aromatic incense — both the compound itself and the act of burning it. Central to tabernacle/temple worship as a symbol of prayer ascending before God; condemned when offered to idols or unauthorized persons.
Members¶
| Strong's | Word | Transliteration | POS | Gloss | Verses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H7004 | קְטֹרֶת | qeṭoreth | fem. noun | (sweet) incense, perfume | 58 |
| H6999 | קָטַר | qâṭar | verb | to burn incense, to make smoke | 112 |
| H6988 | קְטוֹרָה | qᵉṭôwrâh | masc. noun | perfume, incense | 1 (hapax) |
| H7002 | קִטֵּר | qiṭṭêr | fem. noun | perfume, incense | 1 (hapax) |
| H3828 | לְבוֹנָה | lᵉbôwnâh | fem. noun | frankincense | 21 |
| G2368 | θυμίαμα | thymíama | neut. noun | incense, fragrant powder | 6 (NT) |
Word Relationships¶
Root cluster (all from H6999 קָטַר): H7004, H6988, H7002 are all nominal derivatives of the root verb qâṭar (to fumigate/burn). The verb appears most often; qeṭoreth (H7004) is the primary substantive.
Frankincense distinction: H3828 לְבוֹנָה (lᵉbôwnâh) is a specific aromatic resin (from its whiteness), one of the components in the sacred blend, sometimes listed alongside qeṭoreth.
LXX/NT bridge: G2368 θυμίαμα translates H7004 in 52 LXX co-occurrences and appears 6 times in NT (Luke 1:10–11; Rev 5:8; 8:3–4). See TR-qtoreth-thymiama.md.
Key Distinction Among Members¶
| Pair | Distinction |
|---|---|
| H7004 vs H6999 | Noun (the incense substance) vs verb (the act of burning) |
| H7004 vs H3828 | Compound blend (all spices together) vs frankincense (single resin) |
| H7004 vs H6988/H7002 | Primary lexeme vs rare cognate synonyms |
| H7004 vs G2368 | Hebrew OT word vs LXX/NT Greek equivalent |
Shared Context¶
These words cluster in Exodus 30 (incense instructions), Leviticus 16 (Day of Atonement), Numbers 7 (census offerings), and 2 Chronicles (temple worship). The prophetic books (Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah) use qâṭar (H6999) overwhelmingly in condemnation of idolatrous incense.
Library Status¶
| Word | Study File |
|---|---|
| H7004 | H7004-qtoreth.md ✓ |
| H6999 | H6999-qatar.md |
| H6988 | TODO(need H6988 study) |
| H7002 | TODO(need H7002 study) |
| H3828 | TODO(need H3828 study) |
| G2368 | G2368-thymiama.md ✓ |
See Also¶
- H7004-qtoreth.md — incense (compound noun)
- G2368-thymiama.md — NT/LXX Greek equivalent
- TR-qtoreth-thymiama.md — cross-testament trace
- WG-altar.md — altar/sacrifice cluster
- WG-worship.md — worship cluster
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py Last updated: 2026-04-02