קִיטוֹר
a fume, i.e. cloud
Definition
The Hebrew noun קִיטוֹר (qîyṭôwr) refers to a visible, rising column of smoke or vapor. It most commonly describes the thick, ascending smoke from a large fire, as seen in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:28). It can also refer to the rising mist or vapor from water, as in the poetic command for 'smoke' to praise the Lord from the earth (Psalm 148:8). In a metaphorical sense, it describes the appearance of something that has been reduced or desiccated, like a wineskin shriveled in smoke (Psalm 119:83).
Biblical Usage
This word is used only three times in the Old Testament, appearing in narrative (Genesis), wisdom (Psalms), and poetic praise (Psalms) contexts. In Genesis 19:28, it describes the literal, catastrophic smoke from a divinely judged city. In the Psalms, its usage is more figurative: Psalm 119:83 uses it as a simile for personal affliction and drying up, while Psalm 148:8 includes it in a list of natural phenomena called to praise God. It consistently conveys the idea of a visible, ascending emission.
Etymology
The noun קִיטוֹר derives from the root verb קָטַר (qāṭar, H6999), which means 'to make sacrificial smoke,' 'to burn incense,' or 'to send up in smoke.' This root connection emphasizes the act of producing smoke, often in a ritual or destructive context. The noun form thus denotes the resulting substance—the smoke or vapor itself.
Semantic Range
This word connects to themes of divine judgment and human frailty. The smoke of Sodom (Genesis 19:28) serves as a lasting testament to God's wrath against sin. Conversely, the psalmist's use of 'smoke' for a dried wineskin (Psalm 119:83) poignantly illustrates spiritual weariness and persecution, making divine deliverance more meaningful. Its inclusion in creation's chorus of praise (Psalm 148:8) shows that even transient phenomena like mist are part of God's ordered world and declare His glory.
In an ancient Near Eastern context, smoke from a large fire was one of the most visible and enduring signs of a major event, whether a city's destruction, a large sacrifice, or a signal. The rising column would be seen from great distances, carrying immediate symbolic weight as evidence of an action's completion or a location's fate.
עָשָׁן (ʿāšān, H6227) — The more common general term for 'smoke,' often for a fire's ongoing smoke. קִיטוֹר can imply a more defined, rising column or vapor. אֵד (ʾēd, H108) — 'Mist' or 'vapor,' specifically from water or the ground (e.g., Genesis 2:6), with less association with fire.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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