What Does Leviticus 1:10 Mean?
And if his drawing near is from the flock, from the sheep or from the goats, for a rising offering, he shall bring near a whole male.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.THE KEY
The offering is called a qorban because its deepest purpose is already in its name: it draws near.
THE MEANING
Here, nearness takes physical form: the offering comes from the flock and is male and tamim, whole, complete, without blemish. What is brought near carries visible integrity; approach is not abstract but embodied in the offering.
THE ROOT
קָרְבָּן
qorbān
GROWS FROM
קרב
q-r-b
Approach; come near.
“drawing near” in this verse is qorbān. Qorban names more than an object being given: it carries the movement of coming near. The offering gives that approach a tangible form.
ALSO GROWS
qārab: Come near; approach.
קָרַב
This verb names the movement held in the offering’s root.
qārōḇ: Near; close.
קָרוֹב
The shared root links the offering to the nearness it expresses.
תָּמִים
tāmîm
GROWS FROM
תמם
t-m-m
Be complete; be whole.
Tamim describes the offering as whole and sound. The requirement carries a sense of integrity alongside the visible condition of the animal.
ALSO GROWS
tām: Whole; complete; blameless.
תָּם
This related form carries the sense of wholeness expressed by tamim.
tōm: Integrity; completeness.
תֹּם
It shows how the root can name wholeness as an inner quality as well as an intact condition.
עֹלָה
ʿōlāh
GROWS FROM
עלה
ʿ-l-h
Go up; ascend.
“rising offering” in this verse is ʿōlāh. Olah holds the motion of ascending within the offering’s name. The rising smoke makes that upward movement visible.
ALSO GROWS
ʿālāh: Go up; ascend.
עָלָה
This verb makes explicit the upward motion carried by olah.
maʿălāh: Ascent; upward step.
מַעֲלָה
This noun from the same root extends the image of rising.
THE PATTERN
Drawing near takes form in what is brought, and wholeness marks the offering’s integrity.
And whoever brings near a wholeness offering to the LORD to set apart his vow, or a willing offering from the herd or the sheep, it shall be whole to be pleasing; no blemish shall be in it.When you bring near the blind for slaughter, is it not evil? And when you bring near the lame and the sick, is it not evil? Bring it near now to your governor. Will he be pleased with you, or lift your face? says the LORD of hosts.Let us draw near with a true heart in the fullness of trust, our hearts sprinkled from a burdened shared sight, and our bodies bathed in clean waters.THE THREAD
But for me, drawing near to God is good; I have set my shelter in the Lord LORD, to recount all your works.The Hebrew behind “draw near” is qārab (קָרַב), from the same root as qorban (קָרְבָּן), “offering.” Leviticus gives that approach a tangible form; the psalm names nearness to God as the good itself.
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