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In Isaiah 6:3, the seraphim call one to another, saying:
Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (ESV)
קָדֹ֧ושׁ׀ קָדֹ֛ושׁ קָדֹ֖ושׁ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֑ות מְלֹ֥א כָל־הָאָ֖רֶץ כְּבֹודֹֽו׃ (BHS)
I’m wondering about the meaning of repeating three times קָדֹ֛ושׁ (qādōš, “holy”). Is this just an extension of the Hebrew habit of repeating things (usually twice) for “emphasis”1? Or is there a special meaning to the number three?2 Are there other examples in Isaiah (or elsewhere) of such thrice repetition?
1. In quotes because I’m never quite sure what that means. Comments welcome.
2. I did learn the word Trisagion in the process of writing this question, but I’m left without much insight into the point.