What Does 2 Chronicles 7:4 Mean in the King James?
Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before 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
Hebrew says they “sacrificed a sacrifice” before the LORD’s face, making the whole people’s approach a concrete act in God’s presence.
THE MEANING
The LORD’s presence meets the whole people, not only the king: king and people gather into one offering. Their approach takes material, costly form in animal sacrifice, rather than remaining a private idea.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
This undoes the idea that access to the LORD belongs to the ruler alone: the whole people stand with the king in the act of offering.
THE ROOT
זֹבְחִים זֶבַח
zoveḥim zevaḥ
GROWS FROM
זבח
z-b-ḥ
To slaughter for sacrifice; to sacrifice.
“offered sacrifices” in this verse is zoveḥim zevaḥ. Hebrew repeats the same root for both the act and what is offered: they are literally “sacrificing a sacrifice.” English smooths that repetition away, while the related word for altar keeps the shared root visible in the place of offering.
ALSO GROWS
zevaḥ: Sacrifice; slaughtered offering
זֶבַח
The noun names what the people bring, using the same root as the act of sacrificing.
mizbēaḥ: Altar
מִזְבֵּחַ
The altar is the place shaped around this same act of sacrifice.
לִפְנֵי
lifnê
GROWS FROM
פנה
p-n-h
To turn or face toward.
The Hebrew word for “before” carries the image of being before a face. The sacrifice is presented in the LORD’s presence, not described as an anonymous gift.
ALSO GROWS
panim: Face; presence
פָּנִים
This is the face-word behind “before,” giving the phrase the sense of standing in someone’s presence.
panah: Turn; face toward
פָּנָה
The root’s sense of turning toward gives “before the LORD” a relational direction.
THE PATTERN
Approach before God takes tangible form in what people offer.
And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD.And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.THE THREAD
And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.The Hebrew again repeats זבח: the people “sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings” before the LORD. The shared root makes the offering both a concrete deed and the thing brought, while king and people stand together in the act.
This reading is from Selah Verse.
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