What Does Leviticus 3:7 Mean in the King James?
If he offer a lamb for his offering, then shall he offer it before 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 word for “offering” carries the movement of drawing near, so the lamb is both a gift and an approach into the LORD’s presence.
THE MEANING
The word translated “offering” carries the sense of drawing near, while “before” places the lamb in the LORD’s presence. The verse holds the gift and the approach together: what comes forward is set in encounter.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The idea that an offering is only something surrendered misses the nearness already carried in the word.
THE ROOT
קָרְבָּנוֹ
qorbānō
GROWS FROM
ק־ר־ב
q-r-b
to approach or draw near
The Hebrew word for “offering” grows from the same root as “approach” and “draw near.” What English presents as an object given also carries the movement of coming close.
ALSO GROWS
qarav: to approach, draw near
קָרַב
The verb makes clear that the offering belongs to a movement toward presence.
qarov: near, close
קָרוֹב
This branch names the nearness toward which the offering moves.
לִפְנֵי
lifnê
GROWS FROM
פנה
p-n-h
to turn toward or face
“Before the LORD” is expressed with a word built around face and facing. The lamb is brought into the LORD’s presence, giving the approach of the offering a relational direction.
ALSO GROWS
panim: face; presence
פָּנִים
This branch gives “before” its face-to-face sense of being in someone’s presence.
panah: to turn, face toward
פָּנָה
This branch echoes the offering’s movement: what is brought is turned toward the LORD.
THE PATTERN
Nearness to God is expressed as an approach carried by both what is brought and the one who draws near.
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.But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.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 1:2 uses the Hebrew root ק־ר־ב (q-r-b, draw near) for both “bring” and “offering.” The verse makes explicit what Leviticus 3:7 holds inside one word: the gift and the approach belong to the same movement.
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