What Does 1 Samuel 14:35 Mean in the King James?
And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
An altar’s Hebrew name already carries the sacrifice: Saul’s first act of building is oriented toward what will be given over.
THE MEANING
This verse meets you at the beginning of visible devotion: an altar is built unto the LORD, and the act is marked as Saul’s first. The altar’s Hebrew name carries sacrifice within it, so even before an offering appears in the sentence, the structure points toward something given over.
THE ROOT
מִזְבֵּחַ
mizbeach
GROWS FROM
זבח
To slaughter or sacrifice.
The altar’s Hebrew name grows from the verb for sacrifice: it is named for the act that happens there. Saul’s first built structure is therefore already oriented toward an offering, even though this verse records only its construction.
ALSO GROWS
zavach: To slaughter or sacrifice.
זָבַח
The altar’s name is formed from this action, so its purpose is present in the word.
zevach: A sacrifice or sacrificial offering.
זֶבַח
This branch names what the altar receives, connecting Saul’s building to the offering the verse leaves unstated.
THE PATTERN
The altar makes approach to the LORD tangible through sacrifice.
And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.THE THREAD
And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.Genesis and Samuel use the same Hebrew verb בנה (banah, build) and noun מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbeach, altar). Genesis then names the offerings, revealing the sacrifice already carried in the word for the altar Saul builds.
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