מִקְדָּשׁ
Mikdash
Temple, sanctuary, holy place
Mikdash (מִקְדָּשׁ) is a Hebrew word meaning “temple, sanctuary, holy place,” pronounced “mik-DASH.” Derived from the root ק-ד-שׁ, mikdash appears 75 times in the Hebrew Bible (Strong's H4720).
| Hebrew | מִקְדָּשׁ |
|---|---|
| Transliteration | Mikdash |
| Pronunciation | mik-DASH |
| Meaning | Temple, sanctuary, holy place |
| Root Letters | ק-ד-שׁ |
| Occurrences in Hebrew Bible | 75× |
| Key Verse | Exodus 25:8 |
| Strong's Number | H4720 |
| Category | Covenant & Theology |
When God gave Moses the blueprints for the Tabernacle, He did not say, 'Build Me a house so I have somewhere to live.' He said something far more stunning: 'Let them make Me a mikdash (מִקְדָּשׁ), that I may dwell in their midst' (Exodus 25:8). The purpose of the mikdash was never to contain God — Solomon acknowledged this at the Temple dedication: 'The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You; how much less this temple I have built' (1 Kings 8:27). The mikdash was built so that God could draw near to His people. The word itself comes from the root kadash — 'to be holy, set apart' — the same root as kadosh. A mikdash is literally a 'holy place,' a zone of sacred space carved out of ordinary reality where heaven touches earth. Israel's entire worship life orbited around the mikdash: the Tabernacle in the wilderness, Solomon's Temple on Mount Moriah, and the Second Temple rebuilt after exile. When the Second Temple was destroyed by Rome in 70 AD, it was the greatest catastrophe in Jewish history — the place where God's presence dwelt was gone. But for Christians, the story continues. Jesus declared His body to be the temple (John 2:19-21), and Paul taught that believers are now the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). The mikdash has not disappeared — it has expanded from a building to a people.
Key Bible Verse: Exodus 25:8
“And let them make me a sanctuary (mikdash), that I may dwell in their midst.”
What Is the Root of Mikdash in Hebrew?
Mikdash comes from the root ק-ד-שׁ (qof-dalet-shin), meaning 'to be holy, set apart' — the same root as kadosh (holy) and Kiddush (sanctification). The prefix 'mi-' indicates a place — mikdash is literally 'a place of holiness.' The related term 'Beit HaMikdash' (House of the Sanctuary) is the formal name for the Jerusalem Temple.
What Does Mikdash Mean in the Bible?
Mikdash appears 75 times in the Hebrew Bible. It refers to the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:8), Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 6-8), and the future eschatological Temple envisioned by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 40-48). The prophet Ezekiel saw the glory of God depart from the mikdash (Ezekiel 10:18-19) — one of the most sorrowful moments in Scripture — and later saw it return in the restored Temple (Ezekiel 43:1-5).
How Is Mikdash Used in Modern Hebrew?
The Western Wall (Kotel) in Jerusalem is the closest accessible remnant of the Temple complex and the holiest site in Judaism. Jews pray there daily, inserting written prayers into the wall's cracks. The phrase 'Beit HaMikdash' evokes deep longing in Jewish liturgy — the prayer 'Next year in Jerusalem' expresses the hope of a rebuilt Temple.
How to Use Mikdash in Prayer & Worship
Ask God to fill you — His living mikdash — with His presence. If your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, treat it with the reverence due to sacred space. Invite God's glory to dwell richly in the 'holy of holies' of your heart.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mikdash
How do you say “Temple” in Hebrew?
“Temple” in Hebrew is Mikdash (מִקְדָּשׁ), pronounced “mik-DASH.” Mikdash comes from the root ק-ד-שׁ (qof-dalet-shin), meaning 'to be holy, set apart' — the same root as kadosh (holy) and Kiddush (sanctification). The prefix 'mi-' indicates a place — mikdash is literally 'a place of holiness.' The related term 'Beit HaMikdash' (House of the Sanctuary) is the formal name for the Jerusalem Temple.
What does Mikdash mean in the Bible?
Mikdash (מִקְדָּשׁ) means “Temple, sanctuary, holy place” in Biblical Hebrew. Mikdash appears 75 times in the Hebrew Bible. It refers to the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:8), Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 6-8), and the future eschatological Temple envisioned by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 40-48). The prophet Ezekiel saw the glory of God depart from the mikdash (Ezekiel 10:18-19) — one of the most sorrowful moments in Scripture — and later saw it return in the restored Temple (Ezekiel 43:1-5).
How do you pronounce Mikdash?
Mikdash is pronounced “mik-DASH.” The word comes from the Hebrew root ק-ד-שׁ.
What is the difference between the Tabernacle and the Temple?
The Tabernacle (mishkan) was the portable tent-sanctuary built by Moses in the wilderness (Exodus 25-40), designed to travel with Israel. The Temple (Beit HaMikdash) was the permanent stone structure built by Solomon on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6-8), following the same basic design. Both served the same purpose: providing a mikdash where God's presence could dwell among His people. The Tabernacle was temporary and mobile; the Temple was meant to be permanent.
Why did God's glory leave the Temple in Ezekiel?
In Ezekiel 8-11, the prophet has a vision of the abominations being committed inside the Temple — idolatry, sun worship, and other violations. In response, God's kavod (glory) gradually departs: first from the cherubim to the threshold (10:4), then to the east gate (10:19), then to the Mount of Olives (11:23). The glory left reluctantly, in stages — as though God was giving His people every chance to repent. This departure foreshadowed the Temple's destruction by Babylon in 586 BC.
How are believers the temple of God?
Paul writes that 'your body is a temple (naos) of the Holy Spirit' (1 Corinthians 6:19) and that believers collectively are 'being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit' (Ephesians 2:22). What was once localized in a building in Jerusalem — God's manifest presence — now dwells in every believer. The mikdash has been multiplied from one location to millions of living temples scattered across the earth.
Sources & Further Study
- Blue Letter Bible — H4720: Mikdash
- Bible Gateway — Exodus 25:8 (ESV)
- Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB) — entry for ק-ד-שׁ
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