The Meaning of Leviticus 9:24 Explained

Leviticus 9:24

KJV: And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

YLT: and fire cometh out from before Jehovah, and consumeth on the altar the burnt-offering, and the fat; and all the people see, and cry aloud, and fall on their faces.

Darby: And there went out fire from before Jehovah, and consumed on the altar the burnt-offering, and the pieces of fat; and all the people saw it, and they shouted, and fell on their face.

ASV: And there came forth fire from before Jehovah, and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering and the fat: and when all the people saw it, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And there came  a fire  out from before  the LORD,  and consumed  upon the altar  the burnt offering  and the fat:  [which] when all the people  saw,  they shouted,  and fell  on their faces. 

What does Leviticus 9:24 Mean?

Context Summary

Leviticus 9:22-24 - A Deed That Turned Joy Into Grief
There was a double blessing. First, Aaron blessed the people when he stood against the altar, Leviticus 9:22, and afterward, when he came out of the Tabernacle, Leviticus 9:23. We find here the analogue of the double blessing which our Lord gives His own. When He came from offering His supreme sacrifice on Calvary, which was burned-offering, peace-offering, sin- and trespass-offerings combined, He blessed His own. We are told that as He blessed them He was borne upward to heaven, Luke 24:51; but we expect another blessing from Him, when He shall come forth out of the heavenly Temple and extend His hands in benediction, using perhaps the very words of the ancient benediction. But take care lest you ever introduce strange fire into your worship-i.e., the fire of your own emotions, enthusiasm and excitement. Ponder those mighty words in Leviticus 10:3. We must not rush carelessly into the divine presence, though by the blood of Jesus we have been made nigh, Ephesians 2:13. [source]

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 9

1  The first offerings of Aaron, for himself and the people
8  The sin offering
12  and the burn offering for himself
15  the offerings for the people
23  Moses and Aaron bless the people
24  Fire comes from the Lord, upon the altar

What do the individual words in Leviticus 9:24 mean?

And came out fire from before Yahweh and consumed on the altar - the burnt offering and the fat and when saw [it] all the people and they shouted and fell their faces
וַתֵּ֤צֵא אֵשׁ֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַתֹּ֙אכַל֙ עַל־ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ אֶת־ הָעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶת־ הַחֲלָבִ֑ים וַיַּ֤רְא כָּל־ הָעָם֙ וַיָּרֹ֔נּוּ וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ פְּנֵיהֶֽם

וַתֵּ֤צֵא  And  came  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
אֵשׁ֙  fire 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
מִלִּפְנֵ֣י  from  before 
Parse: Preposition-m, Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַתֹּ֙אכַל֙  and  consumed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ  the  altar 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָעֹלָ֖ה  the  burnt  offering 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֹלָה  
Sense: whole burnt offering.
הַחֲלָבִ֑ים  the  fat 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חֵלֶב  
Sense: fat.
וַיַּ֤רְא  and  when  saw  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
הָעָם֙  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וַיָּרֹ֔נּוּ  and  they  shouted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רוּן 
Sense: to overcome.
וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ  and  fell 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
פְּנֵיהֶֽם  their  faces 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.