What Does 1 Chronicles 23:31 Mean?

And to send up all the rising offerings to the LORD, on the Sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the appointed feasts, by number, according to the ordinance prescribed for them, continually before the face of the LORD.

1 Chronicles 23:31 · SDV

Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.

Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.

This verse in the King James

King James wording

King James Version

And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD:

THE KEY

The Hebrew names both the act and the burnt offering with the root for ascending, picturing ritual as a measured rising before the LORD.

THE MEANING

The verse holds offerings inside a named rhythm: sabbaths, new moons, and appointed feasts. Each offering has its number and order, and the recurring service remains continually before the LORD.

THE ROOT

עֹלוֹת

ʿolot

GROWS FROM

עלה

To go up, rise, ascend.

“send up” in this verse is ʿolot. Hebrew uses the same ⁨עלה⁩ root in “to offer” (⁨לְהַעֲלוֹת⁩, lehaʿalot) and “burnt offerings” (⁨עֹלוֹת⁩, ʿolot), joining the act of raising with what is raised. English separates the action from the offering, while Hebrew lets the shared root picture sacrifice as an ascent.

ALSO GROWS

ʿalah: To go up, rise, ascend.

עָלָה

This verb underlies “to offer,” so the action in the verse carries the sense of making an ascent.

ʿolah: A burnt offering; an ascending offering.

עֹלָה

The noun itself names the offering as something that rises.

maʿalah: An ascent, step, or degree.

מַעֲלָה

This branch keeps the root’s sense of upward movement visible in the verse’s image of rising.

מוֹעֲדִים

moʿadim

GROWS FROM

יעד

To appoint, designate, or set a time.

“set feasts” in this verse is moʿadim. The “set” feasts belong to a word-family of appointment: the time is marked out in advance. The offerings return at these appointed times, so the calendar itself becomes part of their ordered rhythm.

ALSO GROWS

moʿed: An appointed time or meeting.

מוֹעֵד

The plural in this verse names the recurring appointed times on which the offerings are made.

yaʿad: To appoint or designate.

יָעַד

This verb shows the setting of the feasts as a deliberate marking of time.

THE PATTERN

Offerings before God return through measured times, joining a fixed rhythm to continual presence.

This is what you offer on the altar. Two lambs of a year, day by day continually.

Exodus 29:38 · SDVA daily offering gives the same act a repeating rhythm, extending it beyond the named feasts.

This is the ascending offering of every sabbath, beside the unbroken ascending offering, and its poured offering.

Numbers 28:10 · SDVThe Sabbath offering recurs alongside the continual one, holding a weekly return within an ongoing pattern.

Through him, then, let us always carry up a sacrifice of praise to God, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.

Hebrews 13:15 · SDVThe language of offering and continual presence carries into praise, where the offering is voiced in thanks.

THE THREAD

And Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean beast and of every clean bird, and sent up rising offerings on the altar.

Genesis 8:20 · SDV

Genesis uses ⁨עֹלוֹת⁩ (ʿolot), from ⁨עלה⁩ (ʿalah, “to ascend”), the same word-family behind the offerings here. The first altar and these scheduled offerings share the image of sacrifice as ascent toward the LORD.

Read the SDV Bible.

Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.

Get Selah Verse

The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.

Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us