The Meaning of Exodus 29:18 Explained

Exodus 29:18

KJV: And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the LORD: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

YLT: and thou hast made perfume with the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt-offering to Jehovah, a sweet fragrance; a fire-offering it is to Jehovah.

Darby: and thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt-offering to Jehovah a sweet odour; it is an offering by fire to Jehovah.

ASV: And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt-offering unto Jehovah; it is a sweet savor, an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And thou shalt burn  the whole ram  upon the altar:  it [is] a burnt offering  unto the LORD:  it [is] a sweet  savour,  an offering made by fire  unto the LORD. 

What does Exodus 29:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 29:1-18 - The Priests Prepared For Consecration
The consecration of the priests was an elaborate and impressive ceremony. Notice how Aaron and his sons are classed together, as though to remind us that Jesus and we stand together forever-more. He is the faithful High Priest, but we also have been made priests unto God. First came the washing with water, intimating the necessity for personal purity. See Hebrews 10:22. Then the donning of official robes; for God's priests must be arrayed in the beauty of holiness. See Psalms 110:3.
The anointing oil is the emblem of the Holy Spirit. See Psalms 132:1-18 and 1 John 2:27. It is not enough to have the Holy Spirit in us for character; His anointing must be on us for service. The slain bullock, as sin offering, reminds us of the contrast between our Lord and us. He knew no sin; we require the propitiation for sin. The burned-offering reminds us of Romans 12:1-2. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 29

1  The sacrifice and ceremonies of consecrating the priests and the altar
38  The continual burnt offerings
45  God's promise to dwell among the children of Israel

What do the individual words in Exodus 29:18 mean?

And you shall burn - whole the ram on the altar a burnt offering it [is] to Yahweh a aroma sweet an offering made by fire to Yahweh it [is]
וְהִקְטַרְתָּ֤ אֶת־ כָּל־ הָאַ֙יִל֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חָה עֹלָ֥ה ה֖וּא לַֽיהוָ֑ה רֵ֣יחַ נִיח֔וֹחַ אִשֶּׁ֥ה לַיהוָ֖ה הֽוּא

וְהִקְטַרְתָּ֤  And  you  shall  burn 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: מֻקְטָר 
Sense: .
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.
כָּל־  whole 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָאַ֙יִל֙  the  ram 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַיִל 
Sense: ram.
הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חָה  on  the  altar 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
עֹלָ֥ה  a  burnt  offering 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֹלָה  
Sense: whole burnt offering.
ה֖וּא  it  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
לַֽיהוָ֑ה  to  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
רֵ֣יחַ  a  aroma 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֵיחַ  
Sense: scent, fragrance, aroma, odour.
נִיח֔וֹחַ  sweet 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נִיחֹחַ  
Sense: soothing, quieting, tranquillising.
אִשֶּׁ֥ה  an  offering  made  by  fire 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִשֶּׁה  
Sense: burnt-offering, offering made by fire, fire offering.
לַיהוָ֖ה  to  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הֽוּא  it  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.