The Meaning of Numbers 15:3 Explained

Numbers 15:3

KJV: And will make an offering by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the LORD, of the herd, or of the flock:

YLT: then ye have prepared a fire-offering to Jehovah, a burnt-offering, or a sacrifice, at separating a vow or free-will-offering, or in your appointed things, to make a sweet fragrance to Jehovah, out of the herd, or out of the flock.

Darby: and will make an offering by fire to Jehovah, a burnt-offering or a sacrifice for the performance of a vow, or as a voluntary offering, or in your set feasts, to make a sweet odour to Jehovah, of the herd or of the flock,

ASV: and will make an offering by fire unto Jehovah, a burnt-offering, or a sacrifice, to accomplish a vow, or as a freewill-offering, or in your set feasts, to make a sweet savor unto Jehovah, of the herd, or of the flock;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And will make  an offering by fire  unto the LORD,  a burnt offering,  or a sacrifice  in performing  a vow,  or in a freewill offering,  or in your solemn feasts,  to make  a sweet  savour  unto the LORD,  of the herd,  or of the flock: 

What does Numbers 15:3 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Numbers 15

1  The law of the meat offering, and the drink offering
14  The stranger is under the same law
17  The law of the first of the dough
22  The sacrifice for sins of ignorance
30  The punishment of presumption
32  He who violated the Sabbath is stoned
37  The law of tassels

What do the individual words in Numbers 15:3 mean?

And you make an offering by fire to Yahweh a burnt offering or a sacrifice to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering in your appointed feasts to make a aroma sweet to Yahweh from the herd the flock
וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֨ם אִשֶּׁ֤ה לַֽיהוָה֙ עֹלָ֣ה אוֹ־ זֶ֔בַח לְפַלֵּא־ נֶ֙דֶר֙ א֣וֹ בִנְדָבָ֔ה בְּמֹעֲדֵיכֶ֑ם לַעֲשׂ֞וֹת רֵ֤יחַ נִיחֹ֙חַ֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה מִן־ הַבָּקָ֖ר הַצֹּֽאן

וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֨ם  And  you  make 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אִשֶּׁ֤ה  an  offering  by  fire 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִשֶּׁה  
Sense: burnt-offering, offering made by fire, fire offering.
לַֽיהוָה֙  to  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עֹלָ֣ה  a  burnt  offering 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֹלָה  
Sense: whole burnt offering.
זֶ֔בַח  a  sacrifice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זֶבַח  
Sense: sacrifice.
לְפַלֵּא־  to  fulfill 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: פָּלָא  
Sense: to be marvellous, be wonderful, be surpassing, be extraordinary, separate by distinguishing action.
נֶ֙דֶר֙  a  vow 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֵדֶר  
Sense: vow, votive offering.
בִנְדָבָ֔ה  as  a  freewill  offering 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: נְדָבָה  
Sense: voluntariness, free-will offering.
בְּמֹעֲדֵיכֶ֑ם  in  your  appointed  feasts 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: מֹועֵד  
Sense: appointed place, appointed time, meeting.
לַעֲשׂ֞וֹת  to  make 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
רֵ֤יחַ  a  aroma 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֵיחַ  
Sense: scent, fragrance, aroma, odour.
נִיחֹ֙חַ֙  sweet 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נִיחֹחַ  
Sense: soothing, quieting, tranquillising.
לַֽיהוָ֔ה  to  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הַבָּקָ֖ר  the  herd 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּקָר  
Sense: cattle, herd, oxen, ox.
הַצֹּֽאן  the  flock 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.