What Does Ezekiel 43:23 Mean in the King James?
When thou hast made an end of cleansing it, thou shalt offer a young bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish.
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
Cleansing is completed before the offering comes near, and what approaches is whole.
THE MEANING
Cleansing reaches its endpoint before the bull and ram are brought near; both are whole. The verse holds removal and approach in one movement: what is cleared makes room for what is complete.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the idea that cleansing is the whole movement: once cleansing is complete, a whole offering still comes near.
THE ROOT
תַּקְרִיב
taqriv
GROWS FROM
קרב
To come near or draw near; in this form, to bring near.
The verb translated “offer” comes from qarav, to draw near. Its word family names the offering itself as something brought near, so the act and the offering share the language of approach.
ALSO GROWS
qarav: To approach or draw near.
קָרַב
It makes the movement in “offer” visible: the animal is brought near.
qorbān: An offering; something brought near.
קָרְבָּן
This related noun reveals the same approach within the thing being offered.
מֵחַטֵּא
meḥaṭṭēʾ
GROWS FROM
חטא
To miss or err; in the Piel stem, to purge or cleanse.
The word for cleansing here belongs to the root that also names missing or erring. The verse completes this purging before the language of drawing near begins.
ALSO GROWS
ḥāṭāʾ: To miss or err.
חָטָא
This familiar sense of the root gives the cleansing verb its connection to what is being purged.
ḥaṭṭāʾt: An offering for the missing, also called a purification offering.
חַטָּאת
The related ritual term links the root’s language of missing with cleansing at the altar.
תָּמִים
tamim
GROWS FROM
תמם
To be complete or whole.
Both animals are called tamim, a word rooted in completeness. “Without blemish” carries the visible requirement, while the root also describes what is whole.
ALSO GROWS
tam: Whole, complete, or blameless.
תָּם
It shares the root’s sense of completeness with the animals brought near here.
tom: Integrity or completeness.
תֹּם
This related noun shows that the root’s language of wholeness extends beyond an unmarked surface.
THE PATTERN
Clearing reaches completion before approach opens, and what comes near is whole.
And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord GOD.And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.THE THREAD
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.Leviticus uses the same q-r-b root for bringing an offering near and for the offering itself. That root opens Ezekiel’s “offer”: the bull and ram are part of an approach, not simply objects named for sacrifice.
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