The Meaning of Leviticus 6:9 Explained

Leviticus 6:9

KJV: Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: It is the burnt offering, because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it.

YLT: Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is a law of the burnt-offering (it is the burnt-offering, because of the burning on the altar all the night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar is burning on it,)

Darby: Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt-offering; this, the burnt-offering, shall be on the hearth on the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it.

ASV: Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt-offering: the burnt-offering shall be on the hearth upon the altar all night unto the morning; and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning thereon.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Command  Aaron  and his sons,  saying,  This [is] the law  of the burnt offering:  It [is] the burnt offering,  because of the burning  upon the altar  all night  unto the morning,  and the fire  of the altar  shall be burning  in it. 

What does Leviticus 6:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Leviticus 6:8-23 - Law Of The Burned-Offering
Notice well the teaching of this paragraph, which has special reference to the fire, which was to be kept always burning upon the altar. Thrice is the injunction repeated, Leviticus 6:9; Leviticus 6:12-13. As it originally descended from God, Leviticus 9:24, so it was to be ever maintained by the watchful care of the priests. It is interesting to notice that a different Hebrew word is used for the fire that burned on the great brazen altar within the sacred enclosure from that which consumed the sin-offering without the camp, Leviticus 4:12. That symbolized the wrath of God against sin, while this symbolizes His love and grace, which descend to burn in human hearts. The Apostle was very conscious of the latter when he said: "The love of Christ constraineth us." Whenever you feel the glow of that fire in your heart be sure to nurse it. Ask that it may burn hotly. See Song of Solomon 8:6. It must be fed by the continual fuel of God's Word, consumed and absorbed in meditation. But remember the teaching of the latter part of this paragraph: Only holy souls may partake aught of the Heavenly Bread. "Let a man examine himself!" [source]

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 6

1  The trespass offering for sins done wittingly
8  The law of the burnt offering
14  and of the meat offering
19  The offering at the consecration of a priest
24  The law of the sin offering

What do the individual words in Leviticus 6:9 mean?

Command - Aaron and his sons saying this the law of the burnt offering is the burnt offering [shall be] on the hearth upon the altar all night until morning and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it
צַ֤ו אֶֽת־ אַהֲרֹן֙ וְאֶת־ בָּנָ֣יו לֵאמֹ֔ר זֹ֥את תּוֹרַ֖ת הָעֹלָ֑ה הִ֣וא הָעֹלָ֡ה עַל֩ מוֹקְדָ֨ה עַל־ הַמִּזְבֵּ֤חַ כָּל־ הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙ עַד־ הַבֹּ֔קֶר וְאֵ֥שׁ הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ תּ֥וּקַד בּֽוֹ

צַ֤ו  Command 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
אֶֽת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אַהֲרֹן֙  Aaron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
בָּנָ֣יו  his  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
זֹ֥את  this 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
תּוֹרַ֖ת  the  law 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.
הָעֹלָ֑ה  of  the  burnt  offering 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֹלָה  
Sense: whole burnt offering.
הָעֹלָ֡ה  the  burnt  offering  [shall  be] 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֹלָה  
Sense: whole burnt offering.
מוֹקְדָ֨ה  the  hearth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֹוקְדָה  
Sense: hearth.
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַמִּזְבֵּ֤חַ  the  altar 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙  night 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַיִל 
Sense: night.
עַד־  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
הַבֹּ֔קֶר  morning 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּקֶר 
Sense: morning, break of day.
וְאֵ֥שׁ  and  the  fire 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ  of  the  altar 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
תּ֥וּקַד  shall  be  kept  burning 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָקַד 
Sense: to burn, kindle, be kindled.
בּֽוֹ  on  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular