What Does Ezra 3:3 Mean in the King James?
And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening.
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 offering is an ascent, and it begins while fear is still there.
THE MEANING
Fear can be upon you because of the people around you while something steady is being set in place. The offering rises from that place morning and evening; fear remains, but it is not the only reality in the moment.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that fear must disappear before devotion can begin: here, fear remains, and the offering still rises morning and evening.
THE ROOT
עֹלוֹת
ʿolot
GROWS FROM
עלה
ʿalah
To go up, rise, or ascend.
The Hebrew word for burnt offerings carries the sense of something rising. English names the ritual; the root also lets you see its upward movement, repeated at morning and evening.
ALSO GROWS
ʿaliyah: Ascent; going up.
עֲלִיָּה
It shares the upward movement carried by the offerings in this verse.
maʿalah: An ascent, step, or degree.
מַעֲלָה
It shows the same root describing a rise by stages, echoing the offering’s movement upward.
מְכוֹנֹתָיו
mekhonotav
GROWS FROM
כון
kun
To be firm or established; to set something in place.
The word for the altar’s bases comes from the language of being made firm and set in place. The offering rises from something established: the verse joins a grounded altar with a repeated ascent.
ALSO GROWS
makon: A fixed place or foundation.
מָכוֹן
It shares the root behind the altar’s bases and emphasizes a place set in position.
nakhon: Firm, prepared, or established.
נָכוֹן
It carries the root’s sense of readiness and firmness, matching the altar set on its supports.
THE PATTERN
What rises toward God can take a steady, recurring form while fear remains unresolved.
Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually. The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.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
Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually. The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:Ezra’s עֹלוֹת (ʿolot, ascents or burnt offerings) and Exodus’s עֹלָה (ʿolah, ascent offering) grow from עלה (ʿalah, to ascend). Exodus names the same morning-and-evening rhythm, while Ezra shows it continuing even with fear upon the people.
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