Translations
KJVPrimary
King James VersionWe have therefore brought an oblation for the LORD, what every man hath gotten, of jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our souls before the LORD.
F.O.G.Secondary
The F.O.GSo we are bringing YHWH's korban—what each man found: gold objects, armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and pendants—to make atonement for our nephesh before YHWH.'
F.O.G.M.
F.O.G MessageSo we are bringing an offering to Yahweh—what each man found: gold articles, armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and pendants—to make atonement for our lives before Yahweh.'
BSB
Berean Standard BibleSo we have brought to the LORD an offering of the gold articles each man acquired—armlets, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD.”
Footnotes
Three theologically dense terms converge here. *Korban* (offering) derives from *qarav* ('to draw near')—it is literally 'a drawing-near,' an act of approach to the divine presence rather than a ritual transaction. *Lechapper* ('to make atonement') shares its root *kafar* ('to cover, to wipe') with *kapporet*—the mercy-seat on the Ark. What the officers seek to cover is their *nephesh*—throat/life/soul/being, the irreducible, breathing core of personhood in Hebrew thought. Their instinct to seek atonement even after a divinely protected victory is deeply significant: proximity to death, even in righteous war, leaves a residue that requires covering before YHWH. The final item, *kumaz*, is of uncertain identification—appearing only here in the Hebrew Bible—likely a gold clasp, pendant, or decorative brooch. FOG retains *korban* and *nephesh* as transliterations to honour their semantic range; FOG Message renders them into English while this footnote supplies the depth.
