Original Word: עֲלָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: `alah
Pronunciation: ah-LAH or ah-LATH
Phonetic Spelling: (al-law')
KJV: burnt offering
NASB: burnt offering
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H5930 (עוֹלָה עוֹלָה - Burnt offering)]

1. a holocaust

burnt offering

(Aramaic) corresponding to olah; a holocaust -- burnt offering.

see HEBREW olah

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to olah
Definition
a burnt offering
NASB Translation
burnt offering (1).

[עֲלָת K^{§ 56}, α)β) 2]

noun feminine burnt-offering (Biblical Hebrew עוֺלָה; compare Palmyrene עלתא altar, SAC⁹² Lzb³⁴¹); — plural absolute עֲלָוָן Ezra 6:9.

Canonical location

The noun appears once, in Ezra 6:9, within the Aramaic portion of Ezra 4–7 that records the Persian court correspondence authorizing the rebuilding of the temple. In that verse King Darius orders that whatever the priests require—“young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven” (Ezra 6:9)—be supplied daily without fail. The word translated “burnt offerings” is עֲלָה. Although Aramaic in form, it belongs to the same sacrificial vocabulary as the more common Hebrew עֹלָה that permeates the Pentateuch.

Cultic significance of the burnt offering

1. Whole consecration

Unlike other sacrifices, the burnt offering was wholly consumed on the altar (Leviticus 1:9). Nothing remained for priest or worshiper; the entire animal ascended in smoke to God. This dramatized absolute surrender and complete acceptance. Ezra 6:9 shows that this central act of devotion was restored as soon as the exiles were permitted to rebuild.

2. Daily centrality

Under the Mosaic law two lambs were offered every day, morning and evening (Exodus 29:38-42). Darius’ decree ensured that this daily rhythm would resume in Jerusalem, testifying that true worship must be regular, not occasional.

3. Atonement and fellowship

While sin offerings targeted specific transgressions, the burnt offering affirmed continuing fellowship between God and His people. In Ezra 6 the priority is first the altar (Ezra 3:2-3), then the temple structure, then the daily burnt offerings—re-establishing covenant fellowship before architectural completion.

Historical setting in Ezra

• Political favor

The decree comes from a Gentile emperor, yet the terminology carefully matches Israel’s sacrificial law. God moves the hearts of pagan rulers to provide for covenant worship, fulfilling Proverbs 21:1.

• Post-exilic renewal

The exiles needed more than walls and houses; they needed restored worship. By naming the burnt offering, Darius’ order emphasizes that Israel’s identity is inseparable from sacrificial devotion.

• Administrative precision

Ezra 6:9 lists animals (bulls, rams, lambs) matching Leviticus 1. It also adds wheat, salt, wine, and oil—supplies required for grain offerings and drink offerings (Leviticus 2:13; Numbers 15:5-10). The single occurrence of עֲלָה is thus surrounded by a comprehensive restoration package.

Redemptive-historical trajectory

The burnt offering prefigured the perfect self-offering of Christ:

• Genesis 22:2 anticipates “the lamb” God would provide.
• John the Baptist hails Jesus as “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29).
• Ephesians 5:2 declares that Christ “gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

The one word עֲלָה in Ezra folds the post-exilic community into this unfolding plan: daily sacrifices pointed forward to the once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10).

Ministry implications

1. Worship resourced by God

Just as God moved Darius to underwrite Israel’s offerings, He supplies everything needed for faithful ministry (Philippians 4:19).

2. Whole-life devotion

The total consumption of the burnt offering anticipates the call to present our bodies “as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1).

3. Corporate responsibility

The decree required Persian officials to provide the resources, the priests to present them, and the returned exiles to maintain the temple. Likewise, every believer has a role in sustaining Christ-centered worship.

Summary

Although עֲלָה (Strong’s 5928) surfaces only once, it anchors Ezra’s narrative in the sacrificial system, ties post-exilic Israel to the foundational theology of Leviticus, and points forward to the perfect sacrifice of Christ. Its single appearance underscores that genuine restoration is impossible without wholehearted, God-ordained worship.

לַעֲלָוָ֣ן ׀ לעלון la‘ălāwān la·‘ă·lā·wān laalaVanInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts