The Meaning of Leviticus 24:2 Explained

Leviticus 24:2

KJV: Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually.

YLT: 'Command the sons of Israel, and they bring unto thee pure olive oil, beaten, for the lamp, to cause a light to go up continually;

Darby: Command the children of Israel that they bring unto thee pure beaten olive oil for the light, to light the lamp continually.

ASV: Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Command  the children  of Israel,  that they bring  unto thee pure  oil  olive  beaten  for the light,  to cause the lamps  to burn  continually. 

What does Leviticus 24:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Leviticus 24:1-23 - Light And Bread And The Holy Name
The words "Before the Lord" are twice repeated in the opening paragraph. The pure lamplight, emblematic of the influence of a religious life; and the showbread, set on the golden table, emblematic of lives of obedience and devotion, which are well-pleasing to God, are both said to be "before the Lord." We are reminded of the command to Abram, "Walk before me and be thou perfect;" and of the words of the dying Jacob, "The God before whom my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, did walk." This implies the continual consciousness of the presence of God. We all possess what may be termed a sub-consciousness, which lies beneath our ordinary sense. Let that be God filled!
What a pitiable condition that half-breed was in! May we be Israelites indeed, in whom is no guile! How they reverenced the very name of God. See 3 John 1:7. [source]

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 24

1  The oil for the lamps
5  The showbread
10  Shelomith's son blasphemes
13  The law of blasphemy
17  Of murder
18  Of damage
23  The blasphemer is stoned

What do the individual words in Leviticus 24:2 mean?

Command - the sons of Israel that they bring to you oil of olives pure pressed for the light to make to burn the lamps continually
צַ֞ו אֶת־ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְיִקְח֨וּ אֵלֶ֜יךָ שֶׁ֣מֶן זַ֥יִת זָ֛ךְ כָּתִ֖ית לַמָּא֑וֹר לְהַעֲלֹ֥ת נֵ֖ר תָּמִֽיד

צַ֞ו  Command 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
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.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וְיִקְח֨וּ  that  they  bring 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
אֵלֶ֜יךָ  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
שֶׁ֣מֶן  oil 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֶׁמֶן  
Sense: fat, oil.
זַ֥יִת  of  olives 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זַיִת  
Sense: olive, olive tree.
זָ֛ךְ  pure 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: זַךְ  
Sense: clean, pure.
כָּתִ֖ית  pressed 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: כָּתִית  
Sense: beaten out, pure, pounded fine (in a mortar), costly.
לַמָּא֑וֹר  for  the  light 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָאֹור  
Sense: light, luminary.
לְהַעֲלֹ֥ת  to  make  to  burn 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
נֵ֖ר  the  lamps 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נִיר 
Sense: lamp.
תָּמִֽיד  continually 
Parse: Adverb
Root: תָּמִיד  
Sense: continuity, perpetuity, to stretch.