What Does Numbers 7:57 Mean in the King James?
One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
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 Hebrew names the burnt offering as an ascent, so even this list of animals carries a direction: upward.
THE MEANING
You encounter three distinct animals, counted one by one: a young bull, a ram, and a lamb still in its first year. Their offering is עֹלָה (ʿōlāh, “ascending offering”), from עָלָה (ʿālāh, “to ascend”). The fire consumes the animals, while the word names the offering by its rising.
THE ROOT
עֹלָה
ʿōlāh
GROWS FROM
עלה
עלה (ʿ-l-h): to rise, ascend, go up.
“burnt offering” in this verse is ʿōlāh. The offering’s Hebrew name comes from the verb “to ascend,” so the word holds the image of rising within the act of burning. English names the fire; the Hebrew also gives the offering a direction.
ALSO GROWS
ʿālāh: To rise or go up.
עָלָה
This verb supplies the upward movement carried inside the offering’s name.
maʿălāh: An ascent, step, or degree.
מַעֲלָה
The related noun preserves the root’s basic motion as a rise or upward step.
ʿaliyyāh: An ascent; an upper room.
עֲלִיָּה
This branch shows the same root extending from rising movement to a place above.
THE PATTERN
Scripture presents an offering as what is yielded to God, whether consumed on an altar or embodied as a living sacrifice.
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.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.I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.THE THREAD
And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.The ram in Genesis is called עֹלָה (ʿōlāh, “ascending offering”), the same word used in Numbers 7:57. Genesis says the ram is offered “in the stead of” Isaac, joining the counted offering here to a scene where one life is offered in place of another.
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