What Does Leviticus 6:14 Mean in the King James?
And this is the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, before the altar.
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
What English calls an offering is, in Hebrew, an act of drawing near.
THE MEANING
The offering is placed before the LORD and toward the altar. The verb translated “offer” carries the sense of drawing near, so the act gives approach a visible form. The repeated “before” keeps attention on presence and orientation.
THE ROOT
הַקְרֵב
haqrev
GROWS FROM
קרב
קָרַב (qarav): approach, come near.
The verb translated “offer” belongs to the root of drawing near. The offering is not only something presented; its very name and action carry the movement of approach.
ALSO GROWS
qorbān: offering; something brought near
קָרְבָּן
This noun makes explicit the shared root’s link between an offering and approach.
qarov: near, close
קָרוֹב
This adjective shows the nearness held inside the verb translated “offer.”
מִזְבֵּחַ
mizbeach
GROWS FROM
זבח
זָבַח (zavach): slaughter, sacrifice.
The word for altar grows from the root of sacrifice. The place named in the verse carries the action associated with it: the approach takes concrete form at the altar.
ALSO GROWS
zavach: to slaughter or sacrifice
זָבַח
This verb shares the altar’s root and names the action that happens there.
zevach: sacrifice
זֶבַח
This noun makes the altar’s connection to the offering explicit.
לִפְנֵי
lifnei
GROWS FROM
פנה
פָּנָה (panah): turn, face toward.
The Hebrew wording uses the face-language of פָּנִים (panim, face) for what English renders “before.” The phrase appears in relation both to the LORD and to the altar, keeping the act oriented toward presence.
ALSO GROWS
panah: to turn or face toward
פָּנָה
This verb shares the root and gives “before” a sense of orientation.
panim: face, presence
פָּנִים
This related form reveals the face-language beneath the repeated word “before.”
THE PATTERN
Approach to God takes shape in what is brought near and set before the altar.
An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.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
An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.The Hebrew word for altar in Leviticus grows from זבח (zavach, sacrifice), and Exodus uses that same root in the verb rendered “sacrifice.” The place and the action share a seed: what is brought near becomes an enacted offering, set where God’s name, God’s nature, is made present.
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