"Holy" from Leviticus 19:2

1. Christopher Hines
Dr. Edlin
Introduction to Biblical Languages
November 30, 2014
Hebrew Word Study: Holy
2 “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them:
‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2 NIV)
In all five different versions, the word “holy” is never changed. Other parts of the verse
are changed. The Message changes “LORD”, or ‫ְי‬‫ָ֥יוה‬‫ה‬, is changed to the word “God” which is
used in another part of the verse as a variation of ‫ֹלהא‬‫י‬ִ‫.םי‬ The only other variation between the five
versions is “assembly” (NIV) and is changed to congregation (MSG, ESV, NASB) and
“community” (NLT).
In the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament it is discussed that the word ‫דָק‬‫ׁשה‬
denotes that which is sacred and set apart from the common by divine rite (God). The best
example of holiness is God himself and He calls us to be holy and giving us a standard of
obedience to live by. Since God is holy, He would never do anything that is morally imperfect or

2. evil and can be counted on to be faithful to His promises. Many Old Testament prophets base
their belief in God on the aspect of His holiness. The common Israelites could never be in the
presence of God and serve Him due to their impurities. God set stipulations for the Israelites so
they could be cleansed of their imperfections to be able to worship in His presence. He did all
this for His people for the very fact that they are His people. For His people to think that God
would allow anyone who is imperfect into His presence is unthinkable and against the nature of
God. Finally, “holy” is not only distinct from sin but the complete opposite.
In William Mounce’s Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New
Testament Words, Mounce reiterated the word “holy” describing that which is sacred or that
which is allowed to be deemed holy by a divine rite. It is separate from the norm or profane. The
use of “holy” is in one of the multiple names for God as “the Holy One of Israel” and is applied
to God multiple times in the Old Testament. This name for God is used frequently through the
prophecy of Isaiah. This is used to contrast the sinfulness of Israel in the time of Isaiah in
comparison to God. As mentioned in the previous resource, God is absolutely separate from evil
and is intrinsically holy. He calls His people to be holy and uses Himself as a standard. He is free
from imperfections and frailties. Reiterating the fact again, Israel could not serve God because of
their persistent idolatrous practices and they are called to be holy as they are God’s possession.
The original word for holy is most frequent in the priestly legislation of the Old Testament and
believers are called to reflect on God’s holiness throughout the Old Testament.
In the Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible it also talked of how the word
“holy” means set apart or opposite of profane and common. The word “holy” is used
approximately 830 times in the Old Testament with 350 of them in the Pentateuch. “Holy” can
also be translated as “to divide” and could mean “to cut off” or “withdraw” from that which is

3. secular. Nothing is holy without association to God and is not a human quality. Holiness is the
central idea of the Old Testament and in Hosea the nearness of God is prominent as the “Holy
One in your midst”. God’s holiness is also shown in His judgment, mercy, and people. His
people are holy to God.
The word that best conveys the meaning of the Hebrew word is still holy. It still has the
best image behind it because, even to non-Christians, it portrays an image of a higher being or
God. The next best word or phrase to replace it would be “the Sacred” and is still defined as holy
by “Merriam-Webster”. Thus all logical translations would lead back to “holy”.

4. Bibliography
Harris, R. Laird, Gleason L. Archer, and Bruce K. Waltke. Theological Wordbook of the Old
Testament. Chicago: Moody, 1980. Print.
Mounce, William D. Mounce's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament
Words. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006. Print.
Tenney, Merrill C. The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan Pub. House, 1975. Print.
"Sacred." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.