First occurrence
Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: “When any man of you brings an offering to YHVH, you shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd or of the flock.” Lev 1:2
The primitive root
Strong’s H7133, qorban, a concrete noun meaning, “offering;” from Strong’s H7126 קרב qarab, a primitive root meaning, “to approach, to come near.” The ancient pictographs are quph + resh + bet.
quph ק = sun on the horizon, thus condense, circle, time
resh ר = the head of man, thus head, first, top, beginning, man
bet ב = the house, thus house, household, family, in, within
The story the ancient pictographs are telling of qarab, is that which draws (quph, as the light is drawn back to its source when the sun is on the horizon) the man (resh) home (bet).
Where is man’s home, from God’s perspective? With Him! So the purpose of bringing a qorban, an offering, is to draw near to God. It is a form of worship.
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