What Does Leviticus 4:10 Mean in the King James?
As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering.
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 rite for what is missing takes its pattern from the shelamim (שְׁלָמִים, shelamim: wholeness offerings), whose root carries the idea of wholeness.
THE MEANING
The portion removed from the bull is handled according to the same pattern as the offering named for wholeness. The priest gives that portion to the altar, where it is made into smoke.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the assumption that the handling of what is missing belongs outside the pattern of wholeness.
THE ROOT
הַשְּׁלָמִים
ha-shelamim
GROWS FROM
שלם
sh-l-m
To be whole or complete; to make whole or repay.
“peace offerings” in this verse is ha-shelamim. Shelamim grows from the same root as shalom, wholeness. The verse says the portion lifted from this bull follows the handling of a shelamim bull: the rite for what is missing is measured against the language and practice of wholeness.
ALSO GROWS
shalom: Wholeness, well-being
שָׁלוֹם
The shared root shows that the word translated “peace” also carries the sense of wholeness.
shalem: Whole, complete
שָׁלֵם
This adjective makes the root’s sense of completeness visible in a related form.
shillem: Repay, make restitution
שִׁלֵּם
The same root can describe restoring what is due, linking wholeness with repair.
וְהִקְטִיר
vehiqṭir
GROWS FROM
קטר
q-ṭ-r
To make smoke; to offer incense or burn an offering into smoke.
The verb translated “burn” belongs to the same root family as incense. English hides that connection: the priest’s act is expressed as making smoke for the altar.
ALSO GROWS
qetoret: Incense
קְטֹרֶת
The shared root links the offering’s smoke with incense.
qitor: Smoke, vapor
קִיטוֹר
This related form makes explicit the smoke-making sense within the verse’s verb.
THE PATTERN
Wholeness becomes the measure for treating what is missing and divided.
And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;THE THREAD
And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,Leviticus 3 names the inward fat within the shelamim (שְׁלָמִים, shelamim: wholeness offerings). Its name comes from שלם (sh-l-m: to be whole), making clear why Leviticus 4 uses this offering as the measure for the portion removed from the bull.
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