. Ἐς ADENEY.
OFFER, OFFERING, OBLATION.—These words are used in the English Versions for very different terms in the Hebrew and Greek ; and it will be the aim of the present article to pisaneaaat them, and enable the student to understand the meaning and munlioasicn of the terms used in the original. For the sake of clearness and simplicity, the usage of RV only(which is at least in some respects more con- sistent than that of AV) will be taken as the basis of the article.
Offering and oblation, it need hardly be remarked, are words substantially identical in origin, the only difference between them being that one is formed (through ‘offer’) from the present tense of the Latin offero, and the other from the supine od/a- tum.
1. In burnt-offering (dp), peace-offering (abv, ony), thank-offering (n\n), freewill-off ering (7333), meal-offering (79}>), sin-offering (nxen), guilt-offering (ovx),t drink-offering (393), ‘offering’ corresponds to πὸ distinctive element of the Hebrew expres- sion ; and the explanation of these terms will there- fore be reserved more properly for the art. SACRIFICE.
2. ‘ Offering (here and there in AV ‘sacrifice’) made by fire’ represents a single word in the Heb., nwx (‘firing,’ or ‘fire-offering’). It occurs very frequently in P (as Lv 1% 15. 17 2% 8. 9. 10.16; elsewhere
* In AV occasionally, ‘ willing, free, or voluntary offering’ (as ee 868, Ly 716, 4612); in RV ‘freewill offering,’ uni-
t in Is 6310 rendered, unhappily, ‘ offering for ain,’ suggesting
oad with the very different ‘sin-offering’; see, however, ΓΝ
OFFER, OFFERING, OBLATION
587
only Dt 181, Jos 13, 1S 2%); and is a term used generally of any sacrifice, or other offering (Lv 247-*), consumed upon the altar.
8. 1792 Korbdn (AV usually ‘offering,’ sometimes (cf. oblatio, often in the Vulg. for }772) ‘oblation,’ once ‘sacrifice’; RV uniformly ‘oblation,’ except Ezk 20” ‘ offering’). This (from 3p ‘to come near’) means properly nparacays 4 brought near (viz. to the altar, or to God); it is the most general term for offering or oblation, being used mostly, it is true, of sacrifices of different kinds, but also sometimes of other sacred gifts (Ly 2", Nu 7 passim, 31”). It is found exclusively in P, and Ezk 20% 40%. The occurrences in Pp are: Ly 13. 2. 8.10. 14. 14 9. 1. 4. δ. 7. 12. 13, 13 3). 2. 6. 7. 8. 12. 14 43. 28. 32 5}} 6% (13) 713. 14. 15. 16. 39, 38 97. 15 174 2218. 27 9314 279-11, Nu 515 614. 21 7 (28 times) 97-13 154 5 189 287 31%. In a slightly different form (kurbdn) it occurs in Neh 10% ®) 1351. of the wood- offering (not mentioned elsewhere). It is, of course, the familiar ‘ corban’ of Mk 74,
(a) The cognate verb hikrib, ‘to bring near’ (of a secular gift Jg 3!” 18, Ps 72!°, Mal 18 [‘ present’), is used in a corresponding sense (RV ‘present,’ ‘ offer,’ ‘ bring near,’ ‘ bring’); whether of the wor- shipper bringing up the sacrifice, or of the priest presenting it on the altar. The occurrences are too numerous to quote in extenso; for examples, see (1) of the worshipper Lv 12-2: % 3-10.14 gl. 4. ὠ presen ted ) 11. 12, 18. 14.14 31. 1. 8. 6. 7. 7. 9. 12. 14 438. 14 Ju. 12. 12. 18. 14. 16, 18, 25, 29, 38 ; (2) οἵ the priest Lv 15 18, 15 (¢ bring ω =); 58 64 (7). 20 (13). 21 (14) 73. 8. 8. 9. 88. and outside P (all), Ezk 432% 2-2 447. 18.27 464, Hag QM, Ezr 619-27 77 8851 Ch 16!,2Ch 3613, Like korban, hikrib, it will ke noticed, is essentially a priestly word ; it de- notes a formal ceremonial act, and is almost entirely confined to P and Ezk. πη, another verb also commonly rendered ‘ to offer’ (see below), is a word much more in ordinary use ; it is as exceptional in P and Ezk as hikrib is constant.
(6) The synon. w37 also occurs in the same two applications, but it is less technical, and also much less frequent (RV ‘ bring,’ ‘ bring hither,’ ‘ present,’ ‘bring, near’): Ex 32°, Jg 6 ‘ presented’ (if RVm of ν.}8 is right :+ see 4), 1S 13° 14% *, Am 5%, Lv 28 (‘bring’), 815, Mal 17: 8.8 (‘offer’), v.11 24 33, 2 Ch 29° ; cf. of secular gifts, 1 K 47! (51), also Jg 6 (if RV text of ν.}8 is right).
In LXX 3"7)7 is generally represented by προσφέρω, and 13 (not by προσφορά, but) by δῶρον (cl. Mk 711, Mt 155); Mt 5%, therefore, if translated consistently with RV of the OT, would read, ‘If thou art offering thine oblation at the altar’ (in
Delitzsch’s Heb. NT, 4}372 2778 ON); cf. Ly 21-4 174 9918 RV and LXX; and observe the same combination of προσφέρω and δῶρον in Mt 5% 84, He 84.
4. 7039 minhah. This does not express the neutral idea of ‘gift’ (j72), but denotes a compli- mentary present, or a present made to secure or retain good-will, as Gn 32" 18.30.31 (to Esau), 43" 15. 95. 28 (to Joseph), Jg 327-18 (to Elon), 2K 8&9, Ps 45%, offered, as something expected, by a political subject, 2S 8%°, 1K 4%, 2K 175:4 al.; then of a tribute offered to God, both generally (including animals) Gn 45 “5,1 S 26%, and specifically (as always in P) of the meal- (or cereal) offering (Ly 2: see SACRIFICE). Where minhadh appears to be used in the more general sense of a tribute offered to God, it is represented in RV by ‘offering’ or ‘oblation.’ The passages are Gn 45. 5, Nu 16%, Jeg 68 (marg.), 1S 917. 2.29 314 9619 1 Καὶ 18% 2K 3%, Ezr 9" 5, Ps 20% (* 405 7° 968 1412 (marg.), Is 14 1922 4323" 575° 66,85. 0.30. Jer 141 17% 3315 41", Dn 2% (to Daniel), 97-2", Am 5**, Ai 3°, Mal 12 21-18 912.13 38.4 (* with marg. ‘Or, meal-offering’). How ever, in several of these scape) esp. in 1 Καὶ 18%*, 2K 3”, Ps 1412, Ezr 95", Dn 9* [in all, ‘the evening