Lexical Summary minchah: offering, offerings Original Word: מִנְחָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance oblation, meat offering (Aramaic) corresponding to minchah; a sacrificial offering -- oblation, meat offering. see HEBREW minchah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to minchah Definition a gift, offering NASB Translation offering (1), offerings (1). Topical Lexicon Meaning and Scope This Aramaic noun denotes a voluntary gift that acknowledges the superiority of the one who receives it. In temple contexts it stands for a cereal or grain offering presented to God; in royal settings it describes tribute rendered to a king. Whether directed heavenward or earthward, it is an act of homage, gratitude, and allegiance. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Ezra 7:17 – as part of the post-exilic restoration of sacrificial worship. Ezra 7:17—Worship Restored The royal decree from Artaxerxes provided silver and gold to purchase “bulls, rams, and lambs — together with their grain offerings and drink offerings”. The gift underwrites full covenant worship: blood offerings for atonement accompanied by the grain offering that expresses thanksgiving and dedication. By funding the minchah, the Persian king unwittingly supports the re-establishment of the very rituals that testify to Israel’s unique relationship with the LORD. The passage underscores God’s sovereignty in moving even foreign powers to supply what His house requires (compare Proverbs 21:1). Daniel 2:46—Tribute to God’s Messenger After Daniel discloses the dream and its interpretation, “King Nebuchadnezzar fell facedown, worshiped Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be presented to him”. The Babylonian ruler attempts to bestow upon the prophet the honor befitting a deity. While the gesture is misguided, the vocabulary of offering highlights the unavoidable impulse to render tribute when confronted with divine wisdom. It anticipates the reality that true homage must ultimately be directed not to the servant but to the God who speaks through him (Acts 10:25-26; Revelation 22:8-9). Historical Background In the Ancient Near East, tribute was a diplomatic staple: vassal states signaled loyalty through periodic gifts of produce, precious metals, or manufactured goods. Israel inherited this political language and repurposed it for covenant worship. The grain offering—costly in an agrarian economy—symbolized the surrender of daily sustenance to the LORD, acknowledging Him as the ultimate Provider (Leviticus 2:1-3). The Aramaic term in Ezra and Daniel preserves that overlap between political and cultic spheres, showing that true sovereignty belongs to God whether expressed in the temple or in the throne room of the Gentile monarch. Theological and Ministry Significance • Voluntariness: The grain offering was not a sin offering; it flowed from gratitude, teaching believers that grace leads to willing devotion (Romans 12:1). Christological Foreshadowing Though bloodless, the grain offering prefigures the perfect self-offering of Christ, whose sinless life is presented to the Father on behalf of His people (Hebrews 10:5-10). Just as flour had to be fine and unleavened, so the Savior offers a holy humanity free from corruption. In Him the tribute motif is fulfilled: kings bring their glory to the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:24) because the ultimate King has already offered Himself. Practical Application 1. Cultivate a habit of tangible thanksgiving—time, finances, skills—as modern expressions of minchah (2 Corinthians 9:10-15). Forms and Transliterations וּמִנְחָה֙ וּמִנְחָתְה֖וֹן ומנחה ומנחתהון ū·min·ḥā·ṯə·hō·wn ū·min·ḥāh uminChah uminchateHon ūminḥāh ūminḥāṯəhōwnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 7:17 HEB: דִּכְרִין֙ אִמְּרִ֔ין וּמִנְחָתְה֖וֹן וְנִסְכֵּיה֑וֹן וּתְקָרֵ֣ב NAS: and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings KJV: lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, INT: rams and lambs offerings and their drink and offer Daniel 2:46 2 Occurrences |
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