Originally the Hebrew term makom (place) applied both to a particular
spot and to space in general; subsequently it received a wider
signification and denoted “position,” or “degree,” as regards the
perfection of man in certain things. We say, e.g., this man occupies a
certain place in such and such a subject. In this sense this term, as
is well known, is frequently used by authors, e.g., “He fills his
ancestors’ place (makom) in point of wisdom and piety”; “the dispute
still remains in its place” (makom), i.e., in statu quo [ante]. In the
verse, “Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His place” (mekomo)
(Ezek. iii. 12), makom has this figurative meaning, and the verse may
be paraphrased “Blessed be the Lord according to the exalted nature of
His existence,” and wherever makom is applied to God, it expresses the
same idea, namely, the distinguished position of His existence, to
which nothing is equal or comparable, as will be shown below (chap.
lvi.).
It should be observed that when we treat in this work of any homonym,
we do not desire you to confine yourself to that which is stated in
that particular chapter; but we open for you a portal and direct your
attention to those significations of the word which are suited to our
purpose, though they may not be complete from a philological point of
view. You should examine the prophetical books and other works composed
by men of science, notice the meaning of every word which occurs in
them, and take homonyms in that sense which is in harmony with the
context. What I say in a particular passage is a key for the
comprehension of all similar passages. For example, we have explained
here makom in the sentence “Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His
place” (mekomo); but you must understand that the word makom has the
same signification in the passage “Behold, a place (makom) is with me”
(Exod. xxxiii. 26), viz., a certain degree of contemplation and
intellectual intuition (not of ocular inspection), in addition to its
literal meaning “a place,” viz., the mountain which was pointed out to
Moses for seclusion and for the attainment of perfection.