The Meaning of Exodus 29:17 Explained

Exodus 29:17

KJV: And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him, and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head.

YLT: and the ram thou dost cut into its pieces, and hast washed its inwards, and its legs, and hast put them on its pieces, and on its head;

Darby: And thou shalt cut up the ram into its pieces, and wash its inwards, and its legs, and put them upon its pieces, and upon its head;

ASV: And thou shalt cut the ram into its pieces, and wash its inwards, and its legs, and put them with its pieces, and with its head.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And thou shalt cut  the ram  in pieces,  and wash  the inwards  of him, and his legs,  and put  [them] unto his pieces,  and unto his head. 

What does Exodus 29:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 29:1-18 - The Priests Prepared For Consecration
The consecration of the priests was an elaborate and impressive ceremony. Notice how Aaron and his sons are classed together, as though to remind us that Jesus and we stand together forever-more. He is the faithful High Priest, but we also have been made priests unto God. First came the washing with water, intimating the necessity for personal purity. See Hebrews 10:22. Then the donning of official robes; for God's priests must be arrayed in the beauty of holiness. See Psalms 110:3.
The anointing oil is the emblem of the Holy Spirit. See Psalms 132:1-18 and 1 John 2:27. It is not enough to have the Holy Spirit in us for character; His anointing must be on us for service. The slain bullock, as sin offering, reminds us of the contrast between our Lord and us. He knew no sin; we require the propitiation for sin. The burned-offering reminds us of Romans 12:1-2. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 29

1  The sacrifice and ceremonies of consecrating the priests and the altar
38  The continual burnt offerings
45  God's promise to dwell among the children of Israel

What do the individual words in Exodus 29:17 mean?

And the ram you shall cut in pieces and wash its entrails and its legs and put [them] with its pieces and with its head
וְאֶ֨ת־ הָאַ֔יִל תְּנַתֵּ֖חַ לִנְתָחָ֑יו וְרָחַצְתָּ֤ קִרְבּוֹ֙ וּכְרָעָ֔יו וְנָתַתָּ֥ עַל־ נְתָחָ֖יו וְעַל־ רֹאשֽׁוֹ

הָאַ֔יִל  the  ram 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַיִל 
Sense: ram.
תְּנַתֵּ֖חַ  you  shall  cut 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נָתַח  
Sense: to cut, cut up, cut in pieces, divide.
לִנְתָחָ֑יו  in  pieces 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: נֵתַח  
Sense: piece, a piece of flesh or meat.
וְרָחַצְתָּ֤  and  wash 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: רָחַץ  
Sense: to wash, wash off, wash away, bathe.
קִרְבּוֹ֙  its  entrails 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
וּכְרָעָ֔יו  and  its  legs 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: כֶּרַע  
Sense: leg.
וְנָתַתָּ֥  and  put  [them] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
נְתָחָ֖יו  its  pieces 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: נֵתַח  
Sense: piece, a piece of flesh or meat.
וְעַל־  and  with 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
רֹאשֽׁוֹ  its  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.