What Does Leviticus 16:1 Mean in the King James?
And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;
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 Hebrew behind “offered” says they drew near, placing death beside the approach itself while naming no gift.
THE MEANING
This verse places you before a nearness that is not automatically safe: the sons draw near before the LORD, and they die. The sentence leaves the cause unstated, holding divine presence, human approach, and death together without softening them.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the assumption that closeness to God is always harmless or comforting; here, approach stands beside death.
THE ROOT
בְּקָרְבָתָם
bəqorbātām
GROWS FROM
ק־ר־ב
Q-R-B
draw near, approach
“offered; drew near” in this verse is bəqorbātām. The word translated “offered” names their drawing near; no object is specified in this sentence. The root makes approach itself the charged detail before the verse says they die.
ALSO GROWS
qārab: draw near, approach
קָרַב
This is the root behind their action: the verse describes the sons coming near before the LORD.
qorbān: offering; what is brought near
קָרְבָּן
This related word shows how an offering belongs to the language of approach, though this verse does not name what the sons brought.
מֹשֶׁה
Mōsheh
GROWS FROM
מ־שׁ־ה
M-Sh-H
draw out, especially from water
Moses’ name carries the sense of being drawn out. In this verse, the one named “drawn out” receives the word after two others die while drawing near, a contrast held in the wording, not explained by it.
ALSO GROWS
māshāh: draw out
מָשָׁה
This verb supplies the name’s stated connection to being drawn out.
Mōsheh: Moses; the one drawn out
מֹשֶׁה
The name recalls the act of being drawn out, a distinct image beside the sons’ fatal approach.
THE PATTERN
Approach to God’s presence is marked by a boundary or a given means of entry.
And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,THE THREAD
If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.The Hebrew verb for “offer” here belongs to the same Q-R-B root family as the word for “offered” in Leviticus 16:1; both carry the idea of drawing near. Leviticus 1:3 names an animal and a place for that approach, while 16:1 leaves the object unnamed and places the drawing near beside death.
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