What Does Leviticus 1:9 Mean in the King James?
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.
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 “burnt offering” is עֹלָה (ʿolah, “what rises”), so Hebrew names the animal’s burning by its upward movement.
THE MEANING
The animal’s inward parts and legs are washed in water, and the priest burns all of it on the altar. “A sweet savour unto the LORD” names the result without hiding that the offering is consumed by fire.
THE ROOT
עֹלָה
ʿolah
GROWS FROM
עלה
to rise, go up, ascend
“burnt offering” in this verse is ʿolah. The offering’s name comes from its upward movement, and the next clause makes that image concrete as the whole is turned into smoke on the altar. עֹלָה (ʿolah, “what rises”) carries that movement inside the word itself.
ALSO GROWS
ʿalah: to rise, go up
עָלָה
The verb names the upward movement held in the offering’s name.
ʿaliyah: ascent, going up
עֲלִיָּה
This related noun makes the rising sense of עֹלָה (ʿolah, “what rises”) audible.
וְקִרְבּוֹ
weqirbo
GROWS FROM
קרב
to approach, draw near
“inwards” in this verse is weqirbo. The word for the animal’s inward parts belongs to a consonantal family that also carries the sense of nearness and approach. This root-family places the animal’s center within the language of bringing an offering near.
ALSO GROWS
qarav: to approach, draw near
קָרַב
This verb carries the approach sense of the root also found in the word for “inwards.”
qorban: offering, that which is brought near
קָרְבָּן
The word for offering shares this root-family, linking the inward parts with the act of approach.
וְהִקְטִיר
wehiqṭir
GROWS FROM
קטר
to make smoke, offer as incense
The verb translated “burn” carries the force of making smoke, the same root-family used for incense. The English can leave “burn” as a general action; the Hebrew connects the altar’s fire with smoke rising from the offering.
ALSO GROWS
qetoret: incense
קְטֹרֶת
Incense is made to smoke, showing the same root’s use beyond the burnt offering.
qitor: smoke, vapor
קִיטוֹר
This related word names the smoke that makes the verb’s force visible.
THE PATTERN
Scripture includes the inward parts in the preparation of an offering and presents the whole body as part of the act.
But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him, and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head.I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.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.“Inwards,” קֶרֶב (qerev, “inner part”), belongs to the consonantal root קרב (q-r-b, “approach, draw near”), also seen in קָרַב (qarav, “draw near”) and קָרְבָּן (qorban, “offering”). Leviticus 1:2 uses this root-family for bringing an offering near; here its sound sits at the animal’s center before the whole offering rises.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us