Lexical Summary
log: Log (a liquid measure)
Original Word:לֹג
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:log
Pronunciation:lohg
Phonetic Spelling:(lohg)
KJV: log (of oil)
NASB:log
Word Origin:[from an unused root apparently meaning to deepen or hollow (likeH3537 (כַּד - jar))]
1. a log or measure for liquids
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
log of oil
From an unused root apparently meaning to deepen or hollow (likekad); a log or measure for liquids -- log (of oil).
see HEBREWkad
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain derivation
Definitiona log (a liquid measure)
NASB Translationlog (5).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Leviticus 14:10 (Late Hebrew
id.; Aramaic ; also
,
a (dessert -;) dish, etc.; meaning of √ dubious; Thes compare Arabic
be deep,
depth, abyss); — absolute
Leviticus 14:10; construct
Leviticus 14:12 3t.
Leviticus 14; always of oil ()
Leviticus 14:10,12,15,21,24 (P; all in law of purification of leper); according to Talmud = 1/12 hin (see above; Zuckermann
Jüd. Mass. system, 49) i.e. approximately 1/2 litre; Benz
Archaeology 182, 184 Now
Archaeology i. 204f.
Topical Lexicon
Biblical Context and OccurrencesA לֹג is referenced five times, all withinLeviticus 14. Each instance belongs to the elaborate ritual for the cleansing of a person formerly afflicted with skin disease. The measure is always attached to olive oil that the priest employs both as a wave offering and as an anointing medium (Leviticus 14:10; 14:12; 14:15; 14:21; 14:24). Thus the לֹג never appears in commercial transactions or ordinary household use; its sole Old Testament purpose is sacramental.
Levitical Procedure and Symbolism
1. Presentation (Leviticus 14:10, 12) — The priest brings “one log of oil” alongside the animal sacrifices and grain offering before the LORD.
2. Application (Leviticus 14:15) — “Then the priest shall pour some of the log of oil into his left palm”, signifying preparation for a ministry act rather than personal consumption.
3. Atonement for the Poor (Leviticus 14:21) — Even when the offerer’s poverty reduces the number of animals, the log of oil is non-negotiable, underlining its indispensable role in divine cleansing.
4. Final Wave (Leviticus 14:24) — The priest waves both the sacrifice and the oil, declaring restored fellowship between the worshiper and the covenant community.
Oil in Scripture regularly suggests the Holy Spirit’s consecrating presence (1 Samuel 16:13;Zechariah 4:1-6). By fixing an exact measure, the law teaches that divine grace is not an abstraction but a concrete provision that fully meets the sinner’s need.
Historical Notes on Ancient Measures
Jewish tradition places the log as the smallest unit of liquid measure officially sanctioned for sanctuary use, sitting proportionally beneath the hin (Exodus 30:24) and the bath (1 Kings 7:26). Rabbinic sources later equated it with quantities familiar in domestic life, showing continuity between temple ritual and everyday Judaism. Modern equivalents vary slightly, yet the point remains that the log was small enough for personal handling yet large enough to perform multiple anointings, highlighting both intimacy and sufficiency.
Foreshadowing of Christ’s Cleansing Work
The Old Covenant ritual anticipates the day when Jesus would stretch out His hand and touch the leper, proclaiming, “I am willing; be clean” (Mark 1:41). The priest applied oil to the right ear, thumb, and big toe of the cleansed person (Leviticus 14:17), dedicating hearing, service, and walk to God. Christ fulfills each aspect: He is the once-for-all sacrifice, the anointed Priest, and the perfect pattern for a sanctified life. The fixed log of oil serves as a tangible pledge that God supplies the Spirit without measure (John 3:34) through the finished work of His Son.
Pastoral and Missional Implications
• Assurance of Provision — The unvarying inclusion of the log instructs believers that God never withholds the resources necessary for holiness.
• Ministry to the Marginalized — By including a reduced-cost option yet retaining the oil,Leviticus 14 highlights the equal standing of the poor, encouraging churches to offer restoration ministries without financial barriers.
• Holistic Cleansing — Ear, hand, and foot anointing remind modern discipleship programs to address thought, action, and direction, not merely outward behavior.
See Also
Exodus 29:21 – Prototype of oil-and-blood consecration
Isaiah 61:1 – The Spirit of the Lord has anointed Me
Hebrews 10:22 – “Our bodies washed with pure water,” echoing the completeness symbolized by the log of oil
Forms and Transliterations
וְלֹ֥ג ולג לֹ֣ג לג מִלֹּ֣ג מלג log lōḡ mil·lōḡ milLog millōḡ veLog wə·lōḡ wəlōḡ
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