What Does Numbers 7:33 Mean in the King James?

One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:

Numbers 7:33 · 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

Hebrew names this burnt offering by its upward motion: it is an ascent.

THE MEANING

This verse names three animals, a bull, a ram, and a year-old lamb, for a burnt offering. ⁨עֹלָה⁩ (ʿolah, “ascent offering”) is rooted in the motion of rising; the animals are burned on the altar, and their smoke rises. The verse holds both the loss of life and the offering’s upward movement together.

THE ROOT

עֹלָה

ʿolah

GROWS FROM

עלה

ʿ-l-h

Rise, ascend, go up

English calls it a “burnt offering,” while ⁨עֹלָה⁩ (ʿolah, an ascent offering) comes from ⁨עָלָה⁩ (ʿalah, to rise or go up). The Hebrew name holds burning and rising together: the life is given over on the altar, and its upward movement is part of what defines the offering.

ALSO GROWS

ʿalah: To rise, ascend, or go up

עָלָה

This verb shares the offering’s root, making its name itself an expression of ascent.

maʿalah: An ascent, step, or degree

מַעֲלָה

This branch carries the same root into the idea of an upward way or a step of ascent.

THE PATTERN

In Scripture, an offering is presented as something that rises or is offered up to God.

And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

Genesis 8:20 · KJVThe Hebrew describes Noah’s burnt offerings with the same ascent root, making the offering literally rise.

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 1:9 · KJVThe priest burns the offering on the altar, giving concrete form to the upward movement named in Numbers.

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:5 · KJVThe offering is again described as something offered up and presented as acceptable to God.

THE THREAD

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

Psalm 24:3 · KJV

The word translated “ascend” comes from ⁨עָלָה⁩ (ʿalah, to rise or go up), the same root as ⁨עֹלָה⁩ (ʿolah, burnt offering/ascent offering) in Numbers. The shared root makes sacrifice and approach echo each other: both are described through the movement of rising toward God’s presence.

This reading is from Selah Verse.

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