Leviticus 9:11 — Word Study
WLCוְאֶת־ הַבָּשָׂ֖ר וְאֶת־ הָע֑וֹר שָׂרַ֣ף בָּאֵ֔שׁ מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃
BSAButʼêth he burned upsâraph■ [with fire, completely consumed] the fleshbâsâr [the body, living thing] and the hideʻôwr [skin, leather] outsidechûwts [beyond the boundary, in a separate area] the campmachăneh [encampment, group of people]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| הַבָּשָׂ֖ר | the flesh | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| הָע֑וֹר | the hide | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| שָׂרַ֣ף | he burned | Verb, Qal, perfect third person masculine singular |
| בָּאֵ֔שׁ | with fire | Preposition, noun common both singular absolute |
| מִח֖וּץ | from [the] outside | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ | of the camp | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | But he burned up the flesh and the hide outside the camp. |
| KJV | And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp. |
| ASV | And the flesh and the skin he burnt with fire without the camp. |
| YLT | and the flesh and the skin he hath burnt with fire, at the outside of the camp. |
| WEB | The meat and the skin he burned with fire outside the camp. |
| BBE | And the flesh and the skin were burned with fire outside the tent-circle; |
Where they part company is שָׂרַף — see How Translations Differ.
One main verb with two noun phrases and two prepositional phrases detailing the action and its context.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׂרַף
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Leviticus 9:11
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Instructions for the Sin Offeringgenerated
Leviticus 9:11 describes the ritual actions of Aaron, the high priest, as he follows God's commands regarding the sin offering. This verse highlights the importance of proper disposal of the flesh and hide, which were to be burned outside the camp, reflecting their impurity and the need for holiness within the camp of Israel. This practice underscores the seriousness of sin and the ritual purity required in the presence of the Lord.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leviticus 4:11–12 | But the hide of the bull and all its flesh, with its head and legs and its entrails and dung— |
| 2 | Leviticus 8:17 | But the bull with its hide, flesh, and dung he burned outside the camp, as the LORD had commanded him. |
| 3 | Leviticus 16:27–28 | The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place to make atonement, must be taken outside the camp; and their hides, flesh, and dung must be burned up. |
| 4 | Hebrews 13:11–12 | Although the high priest brings the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, the bodies are burned outside the camp. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שָׂרַף, sa.Rafgenerated
The verb שָׂרַף (sa.Raf) means 'to burn' and indicates a complete consumption by fire. It is in the perfect tense, third person masculine singular, showing that Aaron performed this action decisively and completely.
This word is often associated with destruction or purification through fire, emphasizing the totality of the act. In the context of sacrificial rituals, it signifies the removal of impurity and the seriousness of sin.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb שָׂרַף, he burned, governs the entire verse, with several noun phrases and prepositional phrases hanging off it. The structure emphasizes the action of burning as the focal point of the sentence.
The order of the Hebrew words places the action first, highlighting the significance of the burning before detailing what was burned and where it took place.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שָׂרַף as κατέκαυσεν (katekausen), which means 'to burn up' or 'to consume by fire'. This choice reflects a similar understanding of the act of burning as complete destruction.
This translation aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, reinforcing the idea of total consumption by fire, which is central to the ritual's significance.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Leviticus 9:11 tells us that Aaron burned the flesh and the hide of the sin offering outside the camp. This action was part of the sacrificial process, indicating the need for purity and the proper handling of offerings to God.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The flesh and hide were considered unclean, and burning them outside the camp symbolized the removal of impurity from the community.
Burning signifies complete destruction and the purification of the offering, as well as the seriousness of sin and its consequences.
This verse illustrates the detailed instructions for sacrifices, highlighting the importance of following God's commands to maintain holiness among His people.
Aaron's obedience in following God's instructions teaches us about the importance of adhering to divine guidelines and the seriousness of approaching God with reverence.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does the act of burning the flesh and hide teach us about the seriousness of sin?
- How can we apply the principles of purity and obedience seen in this verse to our own lives?
- In what ways can we ensure we are following God's instructions in our daily actions?
- What does this verse reveal about the nature of God and His requirements for holiness?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Leviticus 9:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp.
Read John Gill on Leviticus 9 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him: and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar: No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Leviticus 9 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(11) And the flesh and the hide he burnt.—The flesh and the hide, which, were ordinarily the perquisite of the officiating priest (see Leviticus 6:26), were on this occasion to be burnt, because the priest was not permitted to partake of the sin offering which he offered for himself. (See Leviticus 4:35.)
Read Charles John Ellicott on Leviticus 9 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges8–11. The Sin-Offering is offered with the same ritual as in Leviticus 8:14-17. The blood is not brought into the holy place, but what is not burnt on the altar is consumed without the camp.
Read Cambridge on Leviticus 9 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible11. Without the camp — Leviticus 4:12, note.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Leviticus 9 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
But he burned up the flesh and the hide outside the camp.
The meat and the skin he burned with fire outside the camp.
But he burned up the flesh and the hide outside the camp.
but the flesh and the hide he completely burned up outside the camp.
Tyndale line
And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp.
And the flesh and the skin he burnt with fire without the camp.
And the flesh and the skin he burnt with fire without the camp.
And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp.
The flesh also and the hide hee burnt with fire without the hoste.
Strictly literal
And the flesh and the skin he burned with fire outside the camp.
and the flesh and the skin he hath burnt with fire, at the outside of the camp.
and he has burned the flesh and the skin with fire, at the outside of the camp.
And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp.
The meat and the hide he burned outside the camp.
From the Latin
But the flesh and skins thereof he burnt with fire without the camp.
Simplified
However, he burned up the meat and the skin outside the camp.
And the flesh and the skin were burned with fire outside the tent-circle;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is preserved in the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch, with all three witnesses agreeing on the wording of the verse. The Septuagint maintains the same meaning but presents it in a different word order.
וְאֶת־ הַבָּשָׂ֖ר וְאֶת־ הָע֑וֹר שָׂרַ֣ף בָּאֵ֔שׁ מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃
8 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ואת הבשׂר ואת העור שׂרף באשׁ מחוץ למחנה
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Leviticus 9:11
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Conj | DirObjM — Conjunction · particleHC/To
בָּשָׂר (basar) means 'flesh' and encompasses various meanings, including the physical body, kinship, and a euphemism for male genitalia. It can refer to humans, animals, and all living things, highlighting the frailty of man in relation to God. The entries consistently emphasize its bodily and relational aspects.
בָּשָׂר 266 n.m. flesh
of the body
flesh for the body itself
male organ of generation (euphemism)
flesh for kindred, blood-relations
man over against God as frail or erring
base
H1320 בָּשָׂר flesh . of the body
. flesh for the body itself
. male organ of generation (euphemism)
. flesh for kindred, blood-relations
. man over against God as frail or erring
1320 basar baw-sawr'
from 1319; flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body,
person; also (by euphem.) the pudenda of a man:--body, (fat,
lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-)kind, + nakedness, self, skin.
see HEBREW for 01319
בָּשָׂר (ba.sar) — flesh.
1) flesh
1a) of the body
1a1) of humans
1a2) of animals
1b) the body itself
1c) male organ of generation (euphemism)
1d) kindred, blood-relations
1e) flesh as frail or erring (man against God)
1f) all living things
1g) animals
1h) mankind
Aramaic equivalent: be.shar (בְּשַׁר "flesh" H1321)
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
@basar, she'er):
1. Etymology:
Used in all senses of the word, the latter, however, most frequently in the sense of kin, family, relationship (compare sha'arah, "kins-woman," Le 18:17): Le 18:6; 25:49; Pr 11:17; Jer 51:35, and probably Ps 73:26. In all other places she'er means "flesh" = body (Pr 5:11) or = food (Ps 78:20,27; Mic 3:2,3). Tibhchah, is "(slaughtered) flesh for food," "butcher's meat" (1Sa…
Flesh
In the Old Testament denotes (1) a particular part of the body of man and animals (Gen. 2:21; 41:2; Ps. 102:5, marg.); (2) the whole body (Ps. 16:9); (3) all living things having flesh, and particularly humanity as a whole (Gen. 6:12, 13); (4) mutability and weakness (2 Chr. 32:8; comp. Isa. 31:3; Ps. 78:39). As suggesting the idea of softness it is used in the expression “heart of flesh” (Ezek. 11:19). The expression “my flesh and bone” (
[FLOOD]
The substance of which the bodies of men and animals are composed. In the Bible, besides the ordinary sense, Job 33:25, it denotes mankind as a race, Ge 6:12 Ps 145:21 Isa 40:5-6; and all living creatures on the earth, Ge 6:17,19. It is often used in opposition to "spirit," as we use body and soul, Job 14:22; and sometimes means the body as animated and sensitive, Mt 26:41, and the seat of bodily appetites, Pr 5:11
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HC/To — Conjunction · particleHC/To
עוֹר (owr) means skin or hide, specifically referring to the skin of humans and the hides of animals. It is derived from a root that implies nakedness. The term appears frequently in the Old Testament, with 55 occurrences related to human skin and 44 to animal hides.
עוֹר 99 n.m. skin
of men (55 t.)
hide of animals (44 t.)
base
H5785 עוֹר skin . of men (55 t.)
. hide of men (44 t.)
5785 `owr ore
from 5783; skin (as naked); by implication, hide,
leather:--hide, leather, skin.
see HEBREW for 05783
עוֹר (or) — skin.
1) skin, hide
1a) skin (of men)
1b) hide (of animals)
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
The Hebrew word שָׂרַף (*saraph*) is a primitive root meaning 'to burn.' It encompasses various forms, including Qal (to burn), Niphal (to be burned), Piel (burner), and Pual (to be burnt up). The entries suggest a focus on the act of burning and its implications, with no significant disagreements noted among the lexicons.
שָׂרַף 117 vb. burn
Qal burn
Niph. be burned
Pi. his burner, usu. one burning him, but prob. burning spices for him
Pu. it was burnt up (and gone).
base
H8313 שָׂרַף burn
8313 saraph saw-raf'
a primitive root; to be (causatively, set) on fire:--(cause
to, make a) burn((-ing), up) kindle, X utterly.
שָׂרַף (sa.raph) — to burn.
1) to burn
1a) (Qal) to burn
1b) (Niphal) to be burned
1c) (Piel) burner, burning (participle)
1d) (Pual) to be burnt up, be burned
Also means: sa.raph (סָרַף "to burn" H5635)
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singularHVqp3ms
אֵשׁ (esh) means 'fire' and encompasses various types, including natural fire, supernatural fire associated with divine appearances, and fire used for cooking or on altars. It can also figuratively represent God's anger. The entries consistently highlight its literal and metaphorical uses, with no significant disagreement among lexicons.
אֵשׁ 377 n.f. fire
fire, of conflagration
of supernatural fire
fire for cooking, roasting, parching
esp. of altar fire
fig. of Yahweh's anger
in various combinations
base
H784 אֵשׁ fire . fire, of conflagration
. of supernatural fire
. fire for cooking, roasting, parching
. esp. of altar fire
. fig. of Yahweh's anger
. in various combinations
784 'esh aysh
a primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively):--
burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.
אֵשׁ (esh) — fire.
1) fire
1a) fire, flames
1b) supernatural fire (accompanying theophany)
1c) fire (for cooking, roasting, parching)
1d) altar-fire
1e) God's anger (fig.)
Aramaic equivalent: esh (אֶשָּׁא "fire" H0785)
HRd/Ncbsa — Preposition · noun common both singular absoluteHRd/Ncbsa
fir ('esh; pur):
These are the common words for fire, occurring very frequently. 'Ur, "light" (Isa 24:15 the King James Version; compare the Revised Version (British and American); Isa 31:9, and see FIRES), nur (Aramaic) (Da 3:22 ff) are found a few times, also 'eshshah (Jer 6:29), and be`erah (Ex 22:6), once each. Ac 28:2,3 has pura, "pyre," and Mr 14:54; Lu 22:56, phos, "light," the Revised Version (British and American) "in the light (of the fire)." "To set…
Fire
(1.) For sacred purposes. The sacrifices were consumed by fire (Gen. 8:20). The ever-burning fire on the altar was first kindled from heaven (Lev. 6:9, 13; 9:24), and afterwards rekindled at the dedication of Solomon’s temple (2 Chr. 7:1, 3). The expressions “fire from heaven” and “fire of the Lord” generally denote lightning, but sometimes also the fire of the altar was so called (Ex. 29:18; Lev. 1:9; 2:3; 3:5, 9).
Fire for a sacred purpose obtained otherwise than from the altar was called “strange fire” (Lev. 10:1, 2;
is represented as the symbol of Jehovah’s presence and the instrument of his power, in the way either of approval or of destruction. (Exodus 3:2; 14:19) etc. There could not be a better symbol for Jehovah than this of fire, it being immaterial, mysterious, but visible, warming, cheering, comforting, but also terrible and consuming. Parallel with this application of fire and with its symbolical meaning are to be noted the similar use for sacrificial purposes and the respect paid to it, or to the heavenly bodies as symbols of deity, which prevailed among so many nations of antiquity, and of which the traces are not even now extinct; e.g. the Sabean and Magian systems of worship. (Isaiah 27:9) Fire for sacred purposes obtained elsewhere than from the altar was called "strange fire," and for the use of such Nadab and Abihu were punished…
In Scripture, is often connected with the presence of Jehovah; as in the burning bush, and on Mount Sinai, Ex 3:2 19:18 Ps 18:1-50 Hab 1:1-3:19. The second coming of Christ will be "in flaming fire," 2Th 1:8. In the New Testament it illustrates the enlightening, cheering, and purifying agency of the Holy Spirit, Mt 3:11 Ac 2:3. By sending fire from heaven to consume sacrifices, God often signified his acceptance of them: as in the case of Abel, Ge 4:4; Abraham, Ge…
חוּץ (chuwts) refers to the concept of being outside or outward, often associated with streets or highways. It is derived from a root meaning to sever, indicating separation by a wall. The term covers various contexts, including outdoors and fields.
חוּץ n.[m.] the outside, sts., esp. in pl., spec. a street
base
H2351 חוּץ
2351 chuwts khoots
or (shortened) chuts {khoots}; (both forms feminine in the
plural) from an unused root meaning to sever; properly,
separate by a wall, i.e. outside, outdoors:--abroad, field,
forth, highway, more, out(-side, -ward), street, without.
חוּץ (chuts) — outside.
outside, outward, street, the outside
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
מַחֲנֶה (machaneh) refers to an encampment or camp, encompassing both literal and figurative meanings. It can denote a place where people or troops gather, an army, or a body of individuals. The term is used in various contexts, including military, social, and even celestial gatherings.
מַחֲנֶה 214 n.m. and f. encampment, camp
camp, place of encampment
camp of armed host
those who encamp
company, body of people
army, host
base
H4264 מַחֲנֶה encampment, camp . camp, place of encampment
. camp of armed host
. . those who encamp
. company, body of people
. army, host
4264 machaneh makh-an-eh'
from 2583; an encampment (of travellers or troops); hence, an
army, whether literal (of soldiers) or figurative (of dancers,
angels, cattle, locusts, stars; or even the sacred courts):--
army, band, battle, camp, company, drove, host, tents.
see HEBREW for 02583
מַחֲנֶה (ma.cha.neh) — camp.
1) encampment, camp
1a) camp, place of encampment
1b) camp of armed host, army camp
1c) those who encamp, company, body of people
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHRd/Ncfsa
See WAR.
Camp
During their journeys across the wilderness, the twelve tribes formed encampments at the different places where they halted (Ex. 16:13; Num. 2:3). The diagram here given shows the position of the different tribes and the form of the encampment during the wanderings, according to Num. 1:53; 2:2-31; 3:29, 35, 38; 10:13-28.
The area of the camp would be in all about 3 square miles. After the Hebrews entered Palestine, the camps then spoken of were exclusively warlike (Josh. 11:5, 7; Judg. 5:19, 21; 7:1; 1 Sam. 29:1; 30:9, etc.).
[ENCAMPMENT]
→ Of the Israelites around the tabernacle Nu 2; 3
→ See ITINERARY