Leviticus 3:16 — Word Study
WLCוְהִקְטִירָ֥ם הַכֹּהֵ֖ן הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָה לֶ֤חֶם אִשֶּׁה֙ לְרֵ֣יחַ נִיחֹ֔חַ כָּל־ חֵ֖לֶב לַיהוָֽה׃
BSAThen the priestkôhên [the spiritual leader, mediator] is to burnqâṭar [to offer, to make a perfume] the foodlechem [bread or grain] on the altarmizbêach [the place of sacrifice, the mizbeach] as a food offeringʼishshâh [a gift, a sacrifice] a pleasingnîychôwach [soothing, a sweet] aromarêyach [fragrance, a sweet smell] Allkôl [everything, the entirety] the fatcheleb [the richest part, the best] [is] the LORD’sYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the supreme God, the covenant maker]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְהִקְטִירָ֥ם | and he will make smoke them | Verb hiphil sequential perfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
| הַכֹּהֵ֖ן | the priest | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָה | the altar towards | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute, suffix |
| לֶ֤חֶם | food of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| אִשֶּׁה֙ | a fire offering | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| לְרֵ֣יחַ | to an odor of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| נִיחֹ֔חַ | soothing | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| כָּל־ | all | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| חֵ֖לֶב | fat | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| לַיהוָֽה׃ | [belongs] to Yahweh | Preposition, noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Then the priest is to burn the food on the altar as an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the LORD’s. |
| KJV | And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the LORD’s. |
| ASV | And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a sweet savor; all the fat is Jehovah’s. |
| YLT | and the priest hath made them a perfume on the altar — bread of a fire-offering, for sweet fragrance; all the fat [is] Jehovah's. |
| WEB | The priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma; all the fat is Yahweh’s. |
| BBE | That it may be burned by the priest on the altar; it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet smell: all the fat is the Lord's. |
All translations agree on the rendering of אִשֶּׁה as 'offering made by fire'.
The sentence is structured around the priest's action of burning the offering, with additional phrases providing context and detail about the offering itself.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Leviticus 3:16
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Instructions for Offeringsgenerated
Leviticus 3:16 provides specific instructions for the priest regarding the burning of offerings on the altar. This ritual emphasizes the importance of sacrifices in worship and the significance of the fat, which symbolizes the best portions dedicated to God. This practice is part of the broader sacrificial system outlined in Leviticus, which establishes how the Israelites were to approach God through offerings, as seen in Leviticus 1.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leviticus 3:3–5 | From the peace offering he is to bring an offering made by fire to the LORD: the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on them, |
| 2 | Leviticus 4:8–19 | Then he shall remove all the fat from the bull of the sin offering—the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on them, |
| 3 | Leviticus 7:23–25 | “Speak to the Israelites and say, ‘You are not to eat any of the fat of an ox, a sheep, or a goat. |
| 4 | Leviticus 8:25 | And Moses took the fat—the fat tail, all the fat that was on the entrails, the lobe of the liver, and both kidneys with their fat—as well as the right thigh. |
| 5 | Leviticus 9:24 | Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אִשֶּׁה, 'i.Shehgenerated
The word אִשֶּׁה (*'ishah*) refers to a food offering or sacrifice, specifically one that is burnt. It is a noun that signifies offerings made by fire, often associated with worship and rituals in the Old Testament. The root conveys a sense of sacrificial giving, and this term is used throughout the sacrificial laws in Leviticus.
In this verse, the אִשֶּׁה is not just any offering; it is a gift to God, emphasizing the act of devotion and the importance of the ritual. The burning of the offering produces a pleasing aroma, which signifies acceptance by God.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
All translations agree on the rendering of אִשֶּׁה as 'offering made by fire', reflecting the sacrificial nature of the act.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb in this verse is הִקְטִירָ֥ם, he will make smoke them, which governs the action of the priest. The structure of the sentence emphasizes the priest's role in the sacrificial process, with several noun phrases detailing what is being offered and the context of the offering.
The sentence is built around the act of burning the food on the altar, which is central to the ritual. The phrase 'as an offering made by fire' further clarifies the nature of the act, while the concluding statement about the fat emphasizes its significance.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אִשֶּׁה as κάρπωμα, which generally means 'offering' or 'gift'. This choice reflects a broader understanding of the term as it relates to offerings.
The Greek word used does not carry the same specific connotation of being a burnt offering, suggesting a slight interpretative shift in how the offerings are understood in the Greek tradition.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Leviticus 3:16 tells us that the priest is to burn the food on the altar as an offering made by fire, which is a pleasing aroma to the LORD. All the fat is considered the best part and belongs to God, highlighting the importance of sacrifices in worship.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The fat represents the richest and best portions of the offering, which are dedicated to God, signifying His holiness and the importance of giving our best to Him.
Burning the offering transforms it into smoke, which symbolizes the act of offering it to God, and the pleasing aroma signifies acceptance of the sacrifice.
This verse is part of the detailed instructions in Leviticus regarding how the Israelites were to approach God through sacrifices, emphasizing the ritual's significance in their worship.
The priest acts as a mediator between God and the people, responsible for performing the sacrifices and ensuring that they are done according to God's laws.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I offer my best to God, just as the fat is dedicated to Him?
- How can understanding the significance of offerings deepen my worship experience?
- What does it mean to me that God desires a pleasing aroma from my sacrifices?
- How can I apply the principles of sacrifice and offering in my daily life?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Leviticus 3:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd the priest shall burn them upon the altar,.... Which shows that not the fat only, but the inwards and the kidneys, were burnt also; so Maimonides says (l), that the priest salted the parts, and
Read John Gill on Leviticus 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Leviticus 3 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe priest shall burn them, the parts mentioned, among which the tail is not one, as it was in the sheep, because that in goats is a refuse part. All the fat: this is to be limited, 1. To those beasts which were offered or might be offered in sacrifice, as it is explained and restrained ,25. 2. To that kind of fat which is here above mentioned, and required to be offered, which was separated, or easily separable, from the flesh; for the fat which was here and there mixed with the flesh they might eat, .
Read Matthew Poole on Leviticus 3 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(16) Shall burn them.—That is, the fat pieces which have thus been specified (see Leviticus 4:35), because they constitute the bread of Jehovah; they are to ascend in a sweet-smelling savour to heaven. (See Leviticus 1:9). All the fat is the Lord’s.—This part of the verse is intimately connected with the following verse. As the fat belongs to the Lord, it is therefore enacted as a perpetual statute that it must never be eaten.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Leviticus 3 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleRather, as food of an offering made by fire for a sweet savour, shall all the fat be for Yahweh.
Read Albert Barnes on Leviticus 3 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Then the priest is to burn the food on the altar as an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the LORD’s.
The priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma; all the fat is Yahweh’s.
Then the priest is to burn the food on the altar as a food offering, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the LORD’s.
Then the priest must offer them up in smoke on the altar as a food gift for a soothing aroma – all the fat belongs to the Lord.
Tyndale line
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the LORD’s.
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a sweet savor; all the fat is Jehovah’s.
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a sweet savour: all the fat is the LORD’S.
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savor: all the fat is the LORD'S.
So the Priest shall burne them vpon the altar, as the meate of an offering made by fire for a sweete sauour: all the fatte is the Lordes.
Strictly literal
and the priest shall burn them on the altar: [it is] the food of the offering by fire for a sweet odour. All the fat [shall be] Jehovah's.
and the priest hath made them a perfume on the altar — bread of a fire-offering, for sweet fragrance; all the fat [is] Jehovah's.
and the priest has made them an incense on the altar [as] bread of a fire-offering, for refreshing fragrance; all the fat [is] YHWH’s.
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar; as the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savor, is all the fat unto the Lord.
The priest will burn all that on the altar as a burnt offering of food, to produce a sweet aroma. All the fat belongs to Yahweh.
From the Latin
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar, for the food of the fire, and of a most sweet savour. All the fat shall be the Lord’s.
Simplified
Then the priest is to burn this on the altar as a food offering, an offering to the Lord using fire. All the fat is for the Lord.
That it may be burned by the priest on the altar; it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet smell: all the fat is the Lord's.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is supported by the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agrees word for word. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some damage, with parts restored, but the essential wording aligns with the Masoretic Text.
וְהִקְטִירָ֥ם הַכֹּהֵ֖ן הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָה לֶ֤חֶם אִשֶּׁה֙ לְרֵ֣יחַ נִיחֹ֔חַ כָּל־ חֵ֖לֶב לַיהוָֽה׃
9 of the 10 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
והקטירם הכהן המזבחה לחם אשׁה לריח ניחח ליהוה כל חלב ליהוה
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
[והקטיר׳ם] הכהן המזבח׳ה [לחם] אשה [לריח] [ניחח] [כל] [חלב] [ליהוה]
2 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 7 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Leviticus 3:16
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word קָטַר (*qatar*) is a verb meaning to smoke or burn, particularly in the context of sacrifices and incense. It has various forms, including nouns for incense (מֻקְטָר, *muqtar*) and incense-altar (מְקַטֵרָה, *meqaterah*). The entries indicate its use in worship practices, with a focus on creating fragrance through fire.
[קָטַר] 116 vb. denom. Pi. Hiph. make sacrifices smoke, send them up in smoke
Pi. make sacrifices smoke, offer them by burning
Pu. fumigated with myrrh
Hiph.
make sacrifices smoke
cause incense to smoke, offer incense
make smoke upon
Hoph. be made to smoke as a sacrifice
H6999a קָטַר vb. denom. Pi. Hiph. make sacrifices smoke, send them up in smoke H6999b מֻקְטָר incense H6999c מְקַטֵרָה incense-altar
6999 qatar kaw-tar'
a primitive root (identical with 7000 through the idea of
fumigation in a close place and perhaps thus driving out the
occupants); to smoke, i.e. turn into fragrance by fire
(especially as an act of worship):--burn (incense, sacrifice)
(upon), (altar for) incense, kindle, offer (incense, a
sacrifice).
see HEBREW for 07000
קָטַר (qa.tar) — to offer: burn.
: burn
v
1) to sacrifice, burn incense, burn sacrifices, make sacrifices smoke
1a) (Piel)
1a1) to make sacrifices smoke
1a2) to sacrifice
1b) (Pual) to smoke a sacrifice
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to make sacrifices smoke
1c2) to cause incense to smoke, offer incense
1c3) to make smoke upon
1d) (Hophal) to be made to smoke
מֻקְטָר (muq.tar) — incense.
v
incense
מְקַטֵרָה (me.qa.te.rah) — incense-altar.
incense-altar
קָטַר (qa.tar) — to offer: offer.
: offer
v
1) to sacrifice, burn incense, burn sacrifices, make sacrifices smoke
1a) (Piel)
1a1) to make sacrifices smoke
1a2) to sacrifice
1b) (Pual) to smoke a sacrifice
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to make sacrifices smoke
1c2) to cause incense to smoke, offer incense
1c3) to make smoke upon
1d) (Hophal) to be made to smoke
קָטַר (qa.tar) — to offer: to perfume.
: perfume
v
Conj | V-Hiphil-3ms | Suff — Verb hiphil sequential perfect third person masculine singular · suffixHc/Vhq3ms/Sp3mp
כֹּהֵן (kohen) means 'priest' and is derived from the active participle of a related root. It encompasses various types of priests, including Levitical, Aaronic, and even pagan priests, as well as chief rulers or principal officers. The term is used in contexts referring to both Jewish and non-Jewish priestly roles.
כֹּהֵן 750 n.m. priest
base
H3548 כֹּהֵן priest
3548 kohen ko-hane'
active participle of 3547; literally, one officiating, a
priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a
layman):--chief ruler, X own, priest, prince, principal
officer.
see HEBREW for 03547
כֹּהֵן (ko.hen) — priest.
1) priest, principal officer or chief ruler
1a) priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah)
1b) pagan priests
1c) priests of Jehovah
1d) Levitical priests
1e) Zadokite priests
1f) Aaronic priests
1g) the high priest
Aramaic equivalent: ka.hen (כָּהֵן "priest" H3549)
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
prest (kohen, "priest," "prince," "minister"; hiereus archiereus; for hiereus megas, of Heb 10:21, see Thayer's Lexicon, under the word hiereus:
I. NATURE OF THE PRIESTLY OFFICE
1. Implies Divine Choice
2. Implies Representation
3. Implies Offering Sacrifice
4. Implies Intercession
II. THE TWO GREAT PRIESTS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, MELCHIZEDEK AND AARON
III. PRIESTLY FUNCTIONS AND CHARACTER
1. A Strictly Religious Order
2. Priestism Denied
3. The High Priest's Qualifications
4. Symbolism of Aaron's Rod
IV. CONSECRATION OF AARON AND HIS SONS (EXODUS 29; LEVITICUS 8)
1. Symbolism of Consecration
2. Type and Archetype
LITERATURE
A priest is one who is duly authorized to minister in sacred things, particularly to offer sacrifices at the altar, and who acts as mediator between men and God. In the New Testament the term is applied to priests of the Gentiles…
Priest
The Heb. kohen, Gr. hierus, Lat. sacerdos, always denote one who offers sacrifices.
At first every man was his own priest, and presented his own sacrifices before God. Afterwards that office devolved on the head of the family, as in the cases of Noah (Gen. 8:20), Abraham (12:7; 13:4), Isaac (26:25), Jacob (31:54), and Job (Job 1:5).
The name first occurs as applied to Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18). Under the Levitical arrangements the office of the priesthood was limited to the tribe of Levi, and to only one family of that tribe, the family of Aaron. Certain laws respecting the qualifications of priests are given in Lev. 21:16-23. There are ordinances also regarding the…
The English word is derived from the Greek presbyter , signifying an "elder" (Heb. cohen). Origin. --The idea of a priesthood connects itself in all its forms, pure or corrupted, with the consciousness, more or less distinct of sin. Men feel that they have broken a law. The power above them is holier than they are, and they dare not approach it. They crave for the intervention of some one of whom they can think as likely to be more acceptable than themselves. He must offer up their prayers, thanksgivings, sacrifices. He becomes their representative in "things pertaining unto God." He may become also (though this does not always follow) the representative of God to man. The functions of the priest and prophet may exist in the same person. No trace of a hereditary or caste priesthood meets us in the worship of the patriarchal age. Once and once only does the word cohen meet us as…
One who officiated in the public worship of God, especially in making expiation for sin, being "ordained for men in things pertaining to God, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins." In the Old Testament, the priesthood was not annexed to a certain family till after the promulgation of the law by Moses. Before that time, the firstborn of each family, the fathers, the princes, the kings, were priests in their own cities and in their own houses. Cain and Abel, Noah, Abraham, and Job, Abimelech and Laban, Isaac and Jacob offered personally their own sacrifices. In the solemnity of the covenant made by the Lord with his people, at the foot of Mount Sinai, Moses performed the office of mediator, and young men were chosen from among Israel to perform the office of priests, Ex 24:5. But after the Lord had chosen the tribe of Levi to…
מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbeach) means 'altar' in Hebrew. It is derived from the root word meaning to slay or kill, indicating its use in sacrificial contexts. The term is consistently used throughout the Old Testament to refer to places of sacrifice and worship.
מִזְבֵּחַ 401 n.m. altar
base
H4196 מִזְבֵּחַ altar
4196 mizbeach miz-bay'-akh
from 2076; an altar:--altar.
see HEBREW for 02076
מִזְבֵּחַ (miz.be.ach) — altar.
altar
Art | N-ms | Suff — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute · suffixHTd/Ncmsa/Sd
לֶ֫חֶם (lechem) means bread or food, encompassing items like grain and provisions for both humans and animals. It is derived from a related root and is used in various contexts, particularly in the Old Testament. The entries consistently emphasize its primary association with bread, though they also acknowledge its broader meaning as food.
לֶ֫חֶם 296 n.m. and (rarely) f. bread, food
base
H3899 לֶ֫חֶם bread, food
3899 lechem lekh'-em
from 3898; food (for man or beast), especially bread, or
grain (for making it):--((shew-))bread, X eat, food, fruit,
loaf, meat, victuals. See also 1036.
see HEBREW for 03898
see HEBREW for 01036
לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food.
: food(eating)
1) bread, food, grain
1a) bread
1a1) bread
1a2) bread-corn
1b) food (in general)
לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food: bread.
: bread/loaf
1) bread, food, grain
1a) bread
1a1) bread
1a2) bread-corn
1b) food (in general)
לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food: allowance.
: allowance
1) bread, food, grain
1a) bread
1a1) bread
1a2) bread-corn
1b) food (in general)
N-cs — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
אִשֶּׁה (ishshah) refers to an offering made by fire, primarily understood as a burnt offering in a liturgical context. It can also denote any type of sacrifice, particularly those involving food offerings given to God or consumed by priests. The entries consistently emphasize its sacrificial nature.
אִשֶּׁה n.m. an offering made by fire
base
H801 אִשֶּׁה an offering made by fire
801 'ishshah ish-shaw'
the same as 800, but used in a liturgical sense; properly, a
burnt-offering; but occasionally of any
sacrifice:--(offering, sacrifice), (made) by fire.
see HEBREW for 0800
אִשֶּׁה (ish.shah) — food offering.
food offering, offering given to God by fire or eaten by priests, sacrificial offering
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
Offering
An oblation, dedicated to God. Thus Cain consecrated to God of the first-fruits of the earth, and Abel of the firstlings of the flock (Gen. 4:3, 4). Under the Levitical system different kinds of offerings are specified, and laws laid down as to their presentation. These are described under their distinctive names.
In the Hebrew, an offering, minchah, is distinguished from a sacrifice, zebah, as being bloodless. In our version, however, the word offering is often used for a sacrifice, as in the case of peace offerings, sin offerings, etc. Of the proper offerings, that is, the unbloody offerings, some accompanied the sacrifices, as flour, wine, salt; others were not connected with any sacrifices. Like the sacrifices, some, as the first fruits and tenths, were obligatory; other were voluntary offerings of devotion. Various sorts of offerings are enumerated in the books of Moses. Among these are,
1. Fine flour, or meal;
2. Cakes baked in an oven;
3. Cakes baked on a plate or shallow pan;
4. Cakes cooked in deep vessel by frying in oil, (English version, "frying pan," though some understand here a gridiron or a plate with holes;)
רֵיחַ (reyach) refers to scent or odor, derived from the root meaning breath. It encompasses general fragrances and specifically the odor associated with sacrifices to God. The term appears in various contexts, highlighting its significance in both everyday and ritualistic settings.
רֵיחַ 58 n.m. scent, odour (prop. breath)
base
H7381 רֵיחַ scent, odour (prop. breath)
7381 reyach ray'-akh
from 7306; odor (as if blown):--savour, scent, smell.
see HEBREW for 07306
רֵיחַ (re.ach) — aroma.
1) scent, fragrance, aroma, odour
1a) scent, odour
1b) odour of soothing (technical term for sacrifice to God)
Aramaic equivalent: re.ach (רֵיחַ "smell" H7382)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
נִיחֹחַ (nichowach) refers to a state of soothing or tranquility. It is derived from the root meaning restful or pleasant, often associated with a sweet odor. The word is consistently described as conveying a sense of quieting or soothing across the entries.
נִיחֹחַ and נִיחוֹחַ 43 n.[m.] a quieting, soothing, tranquilizing
base
H5207 נִיחֹחַ, נִיחוֹחַ a quieting, soothing, tranquilizing
5207 nichowach nee-kho'-akh
or niychoach {nee-kho'-akh}; from 5117; properly, restful,
i.e. pleasant; abstractly, delight:--sweet (odour).
see HEBREW for 05117
נִיחֹחַ (ni.cho.ach) — soothing.
soothing, quieting, tranquillising
Aramaic equivalent: ni.cho.ach (נִיחוֹחַ "soothing" H5208)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.
(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.
(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).
חֵ֫לֶב (cheleb) means fat, referring to both human and animal fat, as well as the choicest parts of agricultural products. It conveys the idea of richness or abundance, highlighting the best or finest portions. The entries consistently emphasize its literal and figurative uses, but do not provide specific verse references.
חֵ֫לֶב n.m. fat
fat of human body
fat of beasts
choicest, best part of products of land
base
H2459 חֵ֫לֶב fat . fat of human body
. fat of beasts
. choicest, best part of products of land
2459 cheleb kheh'-leb
or cheleb {khay'-leb}; from an unused root meaning to be fat;
fat, whether literally or figuratively; hence, the richest or
choice part:--X best, fat(-ness), X finest, grease, marrow.
חֵ֫לֶב (che.lev) — fat.
1) fat
1a) fat (of humans)
1b) fat (of beasts)
1c) choicest, best part, abundance (of products of the land)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
(chelebh, chelebh): The layer of subcutaneous fat and the compact suet surrounding the viscera and imbedded in the entrails, which, like the blood, was forbidden as food in the Mosaic code (Le 3:17). It was to be sacrificed to God by being burnt upon the altar (Le 3:16; 30). This had to be done on the very day on which a beast had been slaughtered, to remove temptation from the Israelite to use it otherwise (Ex 23:18). The law was probably a sanitary restriction, for, at an early date, leprosy, scrofula and disfiguring cutaneous diseases were thought to be caused by the use of fat as food. It was, moreover, an important pedagogical provision teaching the idea of self-denial, and the maxim that the richest and best meat of the…
Fat
(Heb. heleb) denotes the richest part of the animal, or the fattest of the flock, in the account of Abel’s sacrifice (Gen. 4:4). It sometimes denotes the best of any production (Gen. 45:18; Num. 18:12; Ps. 81:16; 147:47). The fat of sacrifices was to be burned (Lev. 3:9-11; 4:8; 7:3; 8:25; Num. 18:17. Comp. Ex. 29:13-22; Lev. 3:3-5).
It is used figuratively for a dull, stupid state of mind (Ps 17:10).
i.e. VAT, the word employed in the Authorized Version to translate the Hebrew term yekeb , in (Joel 2:24; 3:13) The word commonly used for yekeb is "winepress" or "winefat," and once "pressfat." (Haggai 2:16) The "vats" appear to have been excavated out of the native rock of the hills on which the vineyards lay.
The fat portions of animals offered in sacrifice were always to be consumed, as being the choice part and especially sacred to the Lord. The blood was also sacred, as containing the life of the animal. The Jews were forbidden to eat either, Le 3:16,17; 7:23-27.
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npt