What Does Leviticus 8:13 Mean in the King James?
And Moses brought Aaron’s sons, and put coats upon them, and girded them with girdles, and put bonnets upon them; as the LORD commanded Moses.
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
Moses, the one drawn out of water, now clothes Aaron’s sons for service, while the verb for their headwrap can also mean “bind up”, a word of repair.
THE MEANING
Here a calling takes visible form in the body: Aaron’s sons are brought near, clothed, girded, and covered in an ordered sequence. For you, the verse shows setting apart as something received and embodied, with each act following a command beyond the wearers.
THE ROOT
וַיַּחֲבֹשׁ
vayachavosh
GROWS FROM
חבש
ḥ-b-š
To bind, wrap, or secure; also to saddle.
“put bonnets upon them” in this verse is vayachavosh. The Hebrew action behind “put bonnets upon” is a binding or wrapping verb, not merely a word for a hat. Its branches reach from securing a head covering to binding up a broken heart, so the same root can name covering and mending.
ALSO GROWS
lechabesh: To bind up or bandage.
לְחַבֵּשׁ
Isaiah 61:1 uses this root for binding up the brokenhearted, opening an echo of repair inside the act of wrapping a head.
vayachavosh: Saddled.
וַיַּחֲבֹשׁ
Genesis 22:3 uses the verb for Abraham saddling his donkey, showing the root’s shared sense of securing something into place.
וַיַּלְבִּשֵׁם
vayalbishem
GROWS FROM
לבש
l-b-sh
To clothe, put on, or wear.
“put coats upon them” in this verse is vayalbishem. English keeps “put coats on” and “the Spirit came upon” far apart, but Hebrew uses this same clothing root in both images. The language pictures the LORD’s breath clothing Gideon, making clothing an image of appointment and empowerment.
ALSO GROWS
levush: Garment or clothing.
לְבוּשׁ
The garment noun is the tangible result of the verb: what the sons receive settles around the body.
lavshah: Clothed [Gideon].
לָבְשָׁה
Judges 6:34 uses this form for what the KJV renders “came upon Gideon”; Hebrew pictures the LORD’s breath as clothing him.
THE PATTERN
Set-apart identity takes visible form as something received and put on.
And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office.I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.THE THREAD
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;The verb for Moses placing the headwraps on Aaron’s sons comes from חבש, the same root translated “bind up” here. One root joins being wrapped into a role with binding up what is broken.
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