What Does Leviticus 7:32 Mean in the King James?

And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave offering of the sacrifices of your peace offerings.

Leviticus 7:32 · KJV

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 priest receives a raised share from an offering whose Hebrew name grows from the root of wholeness.

THE MEANING

The verse shows wholeness taking form as something shared: a raised portion from the offering goes to the priest. That share belongs to the offering’s structure; it is not separate from the wholeness it expresses.

THE ROOT

שְׁלָמִים

shelamim

GROWS FROM

שׁלם

To be whole or complete; to make whole.

“peace offerings” in this verse is shelamim. Shelamim comes from the same root as shalom (⁨שָׁלוֹם⁩), wholeness. The priest receives a portion from an offering named for wholeness, so sharing is part of the offering’s form.

ALSO GROWS

shalom: Wholeness, well-being

שָׁלוֹם

This is the familiar branch of the same root, revealing the wholeness inside “peace offerings.”

shalem: Whole, complete

שָׁלֵם

This branch makes the root’s sense of completeness audible beneath the offering’s name.

shillem: Repay, make restitution

שִׁלֵּם

This branch shows the root extending into restoring what is owed, another form of making whole.

תְּרוּמָה

terumah

GROWS FROM

רום

To rise or be high; to lift up.

“heave offering” in this verse is terumah. Terumah names a contribution that is lifted or set apart. Here, what is raised from the offering becomes a share given to the priest.

ALSO GROWS

rum: Rise, be high, be exalted

רוּם

This verb carries the upward movement contained in “heave.”

herim: Raise, lift up

הֵרִים

This form shows the action of lifting a portion out and setting it apart.

marom: Height, high place

מָרוֹם

This noun preserves the root’s sense of elevation behind the raised contribution.

THE PATTERN

A sacred offering includes a share for those who serve at the altar.

For the wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons by a statute for ever from among the children of Israel.

Leviticus 7:34 · KJVThe priest’s portion is taken from the peace offering itself and given as part of its order.

And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever.

Numbers 18:8 · KJVThe heave offerings of sacred things become an enduring share for Aaron and his sons.

Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

1 Corinthians 9:13 · KJVThose who serve at the altar share in what is offered there.

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.

Exodus 20:24 · KJV

The Hebrew for “peace offerings,” shelamim (⁨שְׁלָמִים⁩), shares the root ⁨שׁלם⁩ with shalom (⁨שָׁלוֹם⁩), wholeness. Exodus places that same offering where the LORD comes to meet the giver, opening the priest’s portion as part of a shared encounter in wholeness.

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