Kadesh
/ˈkeɪ.dɛʃ/noun
A biblical place name, especially Kadesh-Barnea, associated with the Israelites’ wilderness wanderings.
Did you know?Kadesh appears in the Hebrew Bible both as a place name and within Kadesh-Barnea, where the Israelites reportedly spent time during their wilderness journey.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*q-d-š
“A reconstructed root meaning “holy,” “sacred,” or “set apart.””
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
קָדֵשׁ (qāḏēš)
“Holy place, sanctuary, or sacred site.”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
קָדֵשׁ (Qāḏēš)
“A place name meaning “holy place,” including the wilderness site Kadesh.”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
קָדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ (Qāḏēš Barneaʿ)
“Kadesh-Barnea, a major location in the biblical wilderness narratives.”
Early Modern English
English
Kadesh
“The traditional English transliteration of the biblical place name.”
Modern English
English
Kadesh
“A biblical geographic name, also used in historical discussion of ancient Near Eastern places and events.”