What Does Numbers 29:36 Mean in the King James?
But ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: one bullock, one ram, seven lambs of the first year without blemish:
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 “burnt offering” is an עֹלָה (olah, “ascending offering”): the verse presents the gift as whole, rising in fire as a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
THE MEANING
This verse places before you a whole offering to the LORD: one bull, one ram, and seven first-year lambs without blemish. The animals are given to the fire, and their rising aroma is named as pleasing to the LORD.
THE ROOT
עֹלָה
olah
GROWS FROM
עלה
ʿ-l-h
to rise, go up, ascend
“burnt offering” in this verse is olah. English names what happens to the gift; עֹלָה (olah) also names its movement: it rises. The verse holds the offering’s burning and its ascent together.
ALSO GROWS
ʿalah: to go up, rise
עָלָה
This verb names the upward movement carried by עֹלָה (olah).
maʿalah: an ascent, step, or degree
מַעֲלָה
This related noun keeps the same idea of going upward visible in the offering’s name.
ʿaliyyah: ascent, going up
עֲלִיָּה
This noun shows the root’s continuing sense of upward movement.
תְּמִימִם
temimim
GROWS FROM
תמם
t-m-m
to be complete, whole
“without blemish” in this verse is temimim. The phrase describes sound, unblemished animals, while the root also carries the sense of completeness. The gift is presented intact, with its wholeness part of the offering’s stated form.
ALSO GROWS
tamam: to be complete, come to completion
תָּמַם
The verb makes explicit the completeness contained in “without blemish.”
tom: integrity, completeness
תֹּם
This noun shows how the same root carries wholeness beyond the description of an animal’s condition.
נִיחֹחַ
nichoach
GROWS FROM
נוח
n-w-ḥ
to rest, settle
נִיחֹחַ (nichoach), rendered “sweet savour,” is linked to the root for resting or settling. The verse’s pleasing aroma therefore carries a shade of rest alongside the offering’s ascent.
ALSO GROWS
nuach: to rest, settle
נוּחַ
This verb names the resting or settling sense that underlies נִיחֹחַ (nichoach).
menuchah: rest, resting place
מְנוּחָה
This noun makes the root’s association with rest tangible beside the aroma described as pleasing.
THE PATTERN
A gift wholly offered rises before God as a pleasing aroma.
And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.THE THREAD
But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.Leviticus uses the same עֹלָה (olah, “ascending offering”) and נִיחֹחַ (nichoach, “pleasing aroma”) language. The shared words bring the offering’s ascent and its pleasing aroma into one image.
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