Hallow

Hallow means to render sacred, to consecrate, or to treat as holy. The term appears in the Old Testament in contexts of priestly consecration (Ex. 28:38; 29:1) and sabbath observance, and in the New Testament in the Lord's Prayer: hallowed be thy name (Matt. 6:9; Luke 11:2). To hallow something is to set it apart from ordinary use and designate it as belonging to or worthy of God.

The concept is closely related to the Hebrew qadash (to sanctify, make holy) and the Greek hagiazo (to sanctify, treat as holy). In the priestly legislation of Leviticus, numerous objects, persons, days, and places were hallowed through prescribed rituals of anointing, blood sprinkling, and dedication. The prayer that God's name be hallowed—the first petition of the Lord's Prayer—reflects the desire that God's character and reputation be honored, acknowledged, and glorified among all peoples, rather than blasphemed or treated as ordinary.