Offering — Meaning in the Bible
A gift brought to God. Offerings could be animals, grain, firstfruits, money or materials for God's house, given in worship, thanks or devotion.
What it means
Cain and Abel both brought offerings. The people brought freewill offerings for building the tabernacle, so many that Moses had to stop them. Genesis 4:3–5Exodus 35:20–29Exodus 36:5–7
Jesus noticed a poor widow's offering of two small coins and said she had given more than all the others. Mark 12:41–442 Corinthians 9:7
Key passages
- Genesis 4:3–5 — Cain and Abel's offerings.
- Leviticus 2:1–3 — The grain offering.
- Exodus 36:3–7 — More than enough.
- Mark 12:41–44 — The widow's offering.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6–8 — A cheerful giver.
Original language
מִנְחָה min.chah
Hebrew · Strong’s H4503 · gloss: “offering”
The Hebrew word minchah, gift or grain offering. Genesis 4:3Leviticus 2:1
A Strong’s number is a reference identifier, not a complete definition: what a word means in a passage depends on its context. Lexical data: STEPBible.org, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
For children
An offering is a gift we give to God. A poor widow gave two small coins, and Jesus said she gave more than everyone else. Mark 12:42–44
Study further
- Exodus 35:20–29 Willing hearts.
- Mark 12:41–44 The widow.