King James Version

Numbers 18:17

But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

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Hebrew

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אַ֣ךְakhonlyאַךְparticle, affirmation — “only”H389a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by limitation) onlyalso, in any wise, at least, but, certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only, save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, [phrase] wherefore, yet (but).בְּֽכוֹרbekhorfirstbornבְּכוֹרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “firstborn”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1060firstborn; hence, chiefeldest (son), firstborn(-ling).שׁ֡וֹרshorbullשׁוֹרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “bull”, the ordinary formH7794a bullock (as a traveller)bull(-ock), cow, ox, wall (by mistake for H7791 (שׁוּר)).אֽוֹvoalsoאוֹconjunction — “also”H176desire (and so probably in Proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also ifalso, and, either, if, at the least, [idiom] nor, or, otherwise, then, whether.בְכ֨וֹרvekhorfirstbornבְּכוֹרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “firstborn”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1060firstborn; hence, chiefeldest (son), firstborn(-ling).כֶּ֜שֶׂבkesevlambכֶּשֶׂבnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “lamb”, the ordinary formH3775a young sheeplamb.אֽוֹvoalsoאוֹconjunction — “also”H176desire (and so probably in Proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also ifalso, and, either, if, at the least, [idiom] nor, or, otherwise, then, whether.בְכ֥וֹרvekhorfirstbornבְּכוֹרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “firstborn”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1060firstborn; hence, chiefeldest (son), firstborn(-ling).עֵ֛זezgoatעֵזnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “goat”, the ordinary formH5795a she-goat (as strong), but masculine in plural (which also is used elliptically for goat's hair)(she) goat, kid.לֹ֥אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תִפְדֶּ֖הtifdehransomפָּדָהverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “ransom”, an unfinished actionH6299to sever, i.e. ransom; gener. to release, preserve[idiom] at all, deliver, [idiom] by any means, ransom, (that are to be, let be) redeem(-ed), rescue, [idiom] surely.קֹ֣דֶשׁqodeshconsecratedקֹדֶשׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “consecrated”, the ordinary formH6944a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctityconsecrated (thing), dedicated (thing), hallowed (thing), holiness, ([idiom] most) holy ([idiom] day, portion, thing), saint, sanctuary.הֵ֑םhemtheyהֵםpronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “they”H1992they (only used when emphatic)it, like, [idiom] (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, [idiom] so, [idiom] such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).דָּמָ֞םdamamblood , innocentדָּםnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “blood , innocent”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1818blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed (i.e. drops of blood)blood(-y, -guiltiness, (-thirsty), [phrase] innocent.תִּזְרֹ֤קtizroqsprinkleזָרַקverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “sprinkle”, an unfinished actionH2236to sprinkle (fluid or solid particles)be here and there, scatter, sprinkle, strew.עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…הַמִּזְבֵּ֨חַ֙hamizbechathe altarמִזְבֵּחַdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the altar”, the ordinary formH4196an altaraltar.וְאֶתveetand object markerאֵתconjunction, particle, direct object marker — “and object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).חֶלְבָּ֣םchelbamfatחֶלֶבnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “fat”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2459fat, whether literally or figuratively; hence, the richest or choice part[idiom] best, fat(-ness), [idiom] finest, grease, marrow.תַּקְטִ֔ירtaqtirburnקָטַרverb, hiphil, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “burn”, an unfinished actionH6999to smoke, i.e. turn into fragrance by fire (especially as an act of worship)burn (incense, sacrifice) (upon), (altar for) incense, kindle, offer (incense, a sacrifice).אִשֶּׁ֛הishehby fireאִשָּׁהnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “by fire”, the ordinary formH801properly, a burnt-offering; but occasionally of any sacrifice(offering, sacrifice), (made) by fire.לְרֵ֥יחַlereychato savourרֵיחַpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “to savour”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7381odor (as if blown)savour, scent, smell.נִיחֹ֖חַnichochasweetנִיחוֹחַnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “sweet”, the ordinary formH5207properly, restful, i.e. pleasant; abstractly, delightsweet (odour).לַֽיהוָֽהlayhvahto Jehovahיְהֹוָהpreposition, noun, proper name — “to Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

But the firstling of an ox, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt dash their blood against the altar, and shalt make their fat smoke for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savor unto Jehovah.

Young’s Literal Translation

'Only, the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou dost not ransom, holy they [are]: their blood thou dost sprinkle on the altar, and of their fat thou makest perfume, a fire-offering of sweet fragrance to Jehovah,

World English Bible

“But you shall not redeem the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat. They are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and shall burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.

Darby Translation

But the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, thou shalt not ransom: they are holy. Thou shalt sprinkle their blood on the altar, and their fat shalt thou burn as an offering by fire for a sweet odour to Jehovah.

Douay-Rheims

But the firstling of a cow and of a sheep and of a goat thou shalt not cause to be redeemed, because they are sanctified to the Lord. Their blood only thou shalt pour upon the altar, and their fat thou shalt burn for a most sweet odour to the Lord.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

But thou shalt not redeem the first-born of calves and the first-born of sheep and the first-born of goats; they are holy: and thou shalt pour their blood upon the altar, and thou shalt offer the fat as a burnt-offering for a smell of sweet savour to the Lord.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Πλὴν πρωτότοκα μόσχων καὶ πρωτότοκα προβάτων, καὶ πρωτότοκα αἰγῶν οὐ λυτρώσῃ· ἅγιά ἐστι· καὶ τὸ αἷμα αὐτῶν προσχεεῖς πρὸς τὸ θυσιαστήριον, καὶ τὸ στέαρ ἀνοίσεις κάρπωμα εἰς ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας Κυρίῳ.