What Does Leviticus 2:16 Mean?
And the priest sends up its remembrance in smoke, from its grain driven out and from its oil, with all its frankincense; it is an offering of fire to the LORD.
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 the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the beaten corn thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.THE KEY
The offering’s memorial is a portion drawn from the whole, so remembrance takes shape in what is brought before the LORD.
THE MEANING
Remembrance here takes material form: part of the grain and oil, with all the frankincense, becomes the offering’s memorial before the LORD. The remembered offering is carried by a portion drawn from the whole.
THE ROOT
אַזְכָּרָה
ʾazkārāh
GROWS FROM
זכר
z-k-r
remember, call to mind, make mention
The Hebrew word for the memorial portion, אַזְכָּרָה (azkarah), grows from the root of remembering and making mention. Here remembrance is not only a thought: a portion of the offering is set before the LORD as its memorial.
ALSO GROWS
zāḵar: remember, call to mind
זָכַר
This verb shares the seed of azkarah, linking the offering’s memorial to the act of remembering.
zikkārôn: memorial, remembrance
זִכָּרוֹן
This noun names a remembrance kept in view; it shows how the root can give memory an enduring, tangible form.
THE PATTERN
A gift or sign is made present through a tangible act of remembrance before God.
And this day will be for you a remembrance. You will keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations, a statute for the ages.May he remember all your offerings, and make your rising offering rich. Selah.And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.THE THREAD
And you shall set pure white resin upon each row, that it may be upon the loaves for a remembrance, an offering of fire to the LORD.This verse uses the same word, אַזְכָּרָה (azkarah, memorial portion), for the frankincense set on the bread. Leviticus 2:16 draws the memorial from the grain and oil with frankincense; here the frankincense rests on the bread as the memorial.
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