Leviticus 24:7 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 24:7 mean?

Leviticus 24:7 instructs that pure frankincense should be placed on each row of bread as a memorial, making the bread an offering by fire to the LORD. This detail is part of the ritual for the "showbread" in the Tabernacle, highlighting the bread's role as a sacred offering.

In this verse, God is giving Moses specific directions for the priests about how to arrange the bread of the Presence in the sanctuary. The bread is set out in rows, and pure frankincense is put on each row as a symbol and reminder before God. The frankincense, a fragrant resin, is burned as part of the offering, marking the bread as holy and dedicated to the LORD.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 24:7

• "Pure" (זַךְ, zakh): This word means "clean" or "unmixed," emphasizing that only the finest frankincense was acceptable for use in this sacred ritual.
• "Frankincense" (לְבוֹנָה, levonah): A valuable, aromatic resin, frankincense was used in offerings for its pleasing scent, symbolizing prayer or remembrance rising to God.
• "Memorial" (אַזְכָּרָה, azkarah): This term refers to something that brings to mind or serves as a reminder. Here, the frankincense acts as a memorial portion, representing the bread before God even after the bread itself is eaten by the priests.
• "Offering made by fire" (אִשֶּׁה, ishsheh): This phrase means a fire-offering, something burned on the altar as a way of giving it wholly to God.

Why Leviticus 24:7 matters

• Leviticus 24:7 clarifies that the bread was not just food but a sacred object, set apart and made holy through the addition of pure frankincense and the act of burning it as an offering.
• The verse shows the careful attention to detail in Israel's worship practices, where even the arrangement and accompanying elements of offerings had symbolic meaning.
• This instruction connects the bread of the Presence to the larger system of offerings, showing that remembrance before God involved both physical acts and symbolic gestures.