What Does Exodus 38:1 Mean in the King James?
And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.
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
The altar’s two names hold a movement English flattens: sacrifice is slain, and the offering rises.
THE MEANING
The altar stands as a shaped, measured place for an offering that rises. Its paired roots hold sacrifice and ascent together: what is given over is also what goes up.
THE ROOT
עֹלָה
ʿōlāh
GROWS FROM
עלה
rise, go up, ascend
The Hebrew name for the offering means “that which rises.” The verse’s language holds the offering’s ascent inside the word that English renders “burnt offering.”
ALSO GROWS
ʿālāh: rise, go up
עָלָה
This verb is the root movement within עֹלָה (ʿōlāh), the offering named here.
ʿaliyyāh: ascent; upper chamber
עֲלִיָּה
This related word names an upward movement or an upstairs place, echoing the ascent carried by the offering’s name.
מִזְבֵּחַ
mizbēaḥ
GROWS FROM
זבח
slaughter, sacrifice
The Hebrew word for “altar” carries the root of slaughter and sacrifice. Beside עֹלָה (ʿōlāh), “that which rises,” it holds the sacrifice and its ascent together in one phrase.
ALSO GROWS
zāvaḥ: slaughter; offer as a sacrifice
זָבַח
This verb names the act carried by the root inside מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbēaḥ), the altar.
zevaḥ: sacrifice; sacrificial meal
זֶבַח
This noun from the same root shows that the altar’s name is bound to the act and offering associated with it.
THE PATTERN
A prepared altar gives the offering a defined place to rise before God.
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.But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.THE THREAD
And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the LORD: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.“Burnt offering” again translates עֹלָה (ʿōlāh), “that which rises,” while “altar” again carries זבח, the root of slaughter and sacrifice. Together the verses hold the sacrifice and the offering’s ascent in the same image.
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