Leviticus 6 · Verse 13

Leviticus 6:13

The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.
Leviticus 6:13, King James Version

Leviticus 6:13 in other translations

BSBThe fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it must not be extinguished.
WEBFire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.
ASVFire shall be kept burning upon the altar continually; it shall not go out.
YLTfire is continually burning on the altar, it is not quenched.
DARBYA continual fire shall be kept burning on the altar: it shall never go out.
BBELet the fire be kept burning on the altar at all times; it is never to go out.
WebsterThe fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.

What does Leviticus 6:13 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 The fire shall ever be burning - See on Lev 6:9 (note) and Lev 6:20 (note). In imitation of this perpetual fire, the ancient Persian Magi, and their descendants the Parses, kept up a perpetual fire; the latter continue it to the present day. This is strictly enjoined in the Zend Avesta, which is a code of laws as sacred among them as the Pentateuch is among the Jews. A Sagnika Brahmin preserves the fire that was kindled at his investiture with the poita, and never suffers it to go out, using the same fire at his wedding and in all his burnt-offerings, till at length his body is burnt with it - Ward's Customs.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Leviticus 6:8-13

The daily sacrifice of a lamb is chiefly referred to. The priest must take care of the fire upon the altar. The first fire upon the altar came from heaven, ch. 9:24; by keeping that up continually, all their sacrifices might be said to be consumed with the fire from heaven, in token of God's acceptance. Thus should the fire of our holy affections, the exercise of our faith and love, of prayer and praise, be without…

Read the full comment on Leviticus 6:8-13 →

Leviticus 6:13 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אֵ֗שׁ'Esha fireH784
תָּמִ֛ידta.MidcontinuallyH8548
תּוּקַ֥דtu.Kadit will burnH3344
עַל\־'al-onH5921
הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַha.miz.Be.achthe altarH4196
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
תִכְבֶֽה\׃\ \סtikh.Vehit will be extinguishedH3518

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Context

  • Leviticus 6:12

    And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.

  • Leviticus 6:13

    The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.

  • Leviticus 6:14

    And this is the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord, before the altar.

Read all of Leviticus 6

Leviticus 6:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El fuego ha de arder continuamente en el altar; no se apagará.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		C’est ici l’offrande d’Aaron et de ses fils, qu’ils présenteront à l’ Éternel, le jour de son onction: un dixième d’épha de fleur de farine, en offrande de gâteau continuelle, une moitié le matin, et une moitié le soir.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Dies ist die Opfergabe Aarons und seiner Söhne, welche sie Jehova darbringen sollen an dem Tage, da er gesalbt wird: Ein zehntel Epha Feinmehl als beständiges Speisopfer, die Hälfte davon am Morgen und die Hälfte davon am Abend.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ignis est iste perpetuus, qui numquam deficiet in altari.