הַה֗וּאha·hūOn that sameH1931 √ hûwʼ — he (she or it)ArticlePronounthird person masculine singular
בַּיּ֣וֹםbay·yō·wmdayH3117 √ yôwm — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)Preposition-b, ArticleNounmasculine singular
הַמֶּ֜לֶךְham·me·leḵthe kingH4428 √ melek — a kingArticleNounmasculine singular
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker
קִדַּ֨שׁqid·dašconsecratedH6942 √ qâdash — to be (causatively, make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally)VerbPielPerfectthird person masculine singular
qâdash: to make holy (Piel) The intensive stem used of sanctifying the tabernacle, the altar and Aaron's sons. Here it is applied to open pavement, and only for a season. Poole draws the distinction precisely: the great altar was consecrated for lasting and perpetual use, this court only for the present occasion, after which the temporary altars were demolished.
תּ֣וֹךְtō·wḵthe middleH8432 √ tâvek — a bisection, iNounmasculine singular construct
tâvek: the middle, a bisection Whether this is a section of the court or the entire court is the interpretive crux of the verse. Barnes takes it as the whole area, which thus became one huge altar; Pulpit allows either that, or temporary altars erected across the space; Benson and Poole assume the court of the priests specifically.
הֶחָצֵ֗רhe·ḥā·ṣêrof the courtyardH2691 √ châtsêr — a yard (as inclosed by a fence)ArticleNouncommon singular
châtsêr: a yard enclosed by a fence The word for the courtyard is the same used of the tabernacle enclosure. What is sanctified is an enclosure, not a structure.
√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative
לִפְנֵ֣יlip̄·nêin frontH6440 √ pânîym — the face (as the part that turns)Preposition-lNouncommon plural construct
בֵית־ḇêṯ-of the houseH1004 √ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcNounmasculine singular construct
יְהוָ֔הYah·wehof the LORDH3068 √ Yᵉhôvâh — Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodNounpropermasculine singular
√ kîy — (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below)Conjunction
√ shâm — there (transferring to time) thenAdverb
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker
עָ֣שָׂה‘ā·śāhhe offeredH6213 √ ʻâsâh — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationVerbQalPerfectthird person masculine singular
הָֽעֹלָה֙hā·‘ō·lāhthe burnt offeringsH5930 √ ʻôlâh — a step or (collectively, stairs, as ascending)ArticleNounfeminine singular
ʻôlâh: burnt offering, from a root meaning to ascend Strong's root sense is “a step, stairs, as ascending”: the ʻolah is the offering that goes wholly up. It is the one offering nothing is eaten from, which is exactly why the altar's capacity became the constraint. Note that Hebrew has the singular generic hā‘ōlāh, as Pulpit observes, not a plural.
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker
הַמִּנְחָ֔הham·min·ḥāhthe grain offeringsH4503 √ minchâh — a donationArticleNounfeminine singular
minchâh: a donation, gift, grain offering Cambridge flags the translation history: the older English “meat offering” now misleads, since these were flour with oil and incense (Leviticus 2:4-7), and the Revised Version moved to “meal offering.” The root sense is tribute, a gift brought to a superior.
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker
חֶלְבֵ֣יḥel·ḇêand the fatH2459 √ cheleb — fat, whether literally or figurativelyNounmasculine plural construct
cheleb: fat Leviticus 3 reserves the fat to YHWH absolutely. Its presence here explains how 142,000 animals and one altar can stand in the same sentence: only the fat of the shelamim was burned, and even that overwhelmed the bronze.
הַשְּׁלָמִ֑יםhaš·šə·lā·mîmof the peace offeringsH8002 √ shelem — properly, requital, iArticleNounmasculine plural
√ kîy — (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below)Conjunction
הַנְּחֹ֙שֶׁת֙han·nə·ḥō·šeṯthe bronzeH5178 √ nᵉchôsheth — copper, hence, something made of that metal, iArticleNounfeminine singular
nᵉchôsheth: copper, bronze The altar of Exodus 27 and of 2 Chronicles 4:1, twenty cubits square. Pulpit does the arithmetic and notes the irony: even a surface of roughly a hundred square yards was inadequate.
√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative
מִזְבַּ֤חmiz·baḥaltarH4196 √ mizbêach — an altarNounmasculine singular construct
לִפְנֵ֣יlip̄·nêbeforeH6440 √ pânîym — the face (as the part that turns)Preposition-lNouncommon plural construct
יְהוָ֔הYah·wehthe LORDH3068 √ Yᵉhôvâh — Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodNounpropermasculine singular
קָטֹ֗ןqā·ṭōnwas too smallH6996 √ qâṭân — abbreviated, iAdjectivemasculine singular
qâṭân: small, abbreviated The narrative's own verdict, and the hinge of the verse. The one fixed, divinely specified altar is declared small. That word, and not the numbers, is where the theological weight of this verse sits.
מֵֽהָכִיל֙mê·hā·ḵîlto containH3557 √ kûwl — properly, to keep inPreposition-mVerbHifilInfinitive construct
kûwl: to hold in, contain (Hiphil infinitive) The same root Solomon used in v. 27 of this chapter when he said the heavens cannot contain God. Here the altar cannot contain the offering. The chapter twice measures a vessel against what it must hold and finds it too small.
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker
הָעֹלָ֣הhā·‘ō·lāh[all these offerings]H5930 √ ʻôlâh — a step or (collectively, stairs, as ascending)ArticleNounfeminine singular
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker
הַמִּנְחָ֔הham·min·ḥāhH4503 √ minchâh — a donationArticleNounfeminine singular
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker
√ cheleb — fat, whether literally or figurativelyNounmasculine plural construct
הַשְּׁלָמִֽים׃haš·šə·lā·mîm. . .H8002 √ shelem — properly, requital, iArticleNounmasculine plural