### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **nîychôwach**, represented by `{{H5207}}`, describes something that is **restful, i.e. pleasant; abstractly, delight; sweet (odour)**. It appears 43 times across 43 unique verses and is almost exclusively used in a liturgical context to describe the aroma of sacrifices. This term signifies an offering that is acceptable and pleasing to God.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H5207}}` first appears after the great flood when Noah offers a burnt offering, and "the LORD smelled a **sweet** savour" [[Genesis 8:21]], leading to His promise to never again curse the ground for man's sake. The term is heavily concentrated in the Pentateuch, where it provides a standard for acceptable worship. Instructions for various offerings, including the burnt offering [[Leviticus 1:9]], peace offering [[Leviticus 4:31]], and grain offering [[Leviticus 2:9]], specify that they are to be a "**sweet** savour unto the LORD." However, the concept is also used in warnings; God tells Israel that if they are disobedient, He will "not smell the savour of your **sweet** odours" [[Leviticus 26:31]], indicating His rejection of their worship. The prophets later use this language to condemn idolatry, where the people offered a "**sweet** savour" to their idols [[Ezekiel 6:13]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide a fuller picture of the sacrificial context in which `{{H5207}}` is found:
* `{{H5930}}` **ʻôlâh** (a holocaust (as going up in smoke); ascent, burnt offering): This is the most common type of sacrifice described as a **nîychôwach**. The entire animal was consumed on the altar, creating a "**sweet** savour unto the LORD" [[Exodus 29:18]].
* `{{H801}}` **ʼishshâh** ((offering, sacrifice), (made) by fire): This liturgical term for a fire-offering is frequently paired with **nîychôwach**. The fire consumes the offering, which ascends as a "**sweet** savour" [[Leviticus 1:9]].
* `{{H4503}}` **minchâh** (a donation; euphemistically, tribute; specifically a sacrificial offering (usually bloodless and voluntary); gift, oblation, (meat) offering, present, sacrifice): This term for a grain or meat offering also had to produce a "**sweet** savour" to be acceptable to the LORD [[Leviticus 2:9]].
* `{{H7381}}` **rêyach** (odor (as if blown); savour, scent, smell): This word is almost always found alongside `{{H5207}}` to form the complete phrase "sweet savour" or "sweet smell," signifying the physical aroma that represents divine pleasure [[Genesis 8:21]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H5207}}` is centered on the concept of divine acceptance and pleasure.
* **Symbol of Acceptance:** The "sweet savour" serves as a tangible sign that a sacrifice has been received favorably by God. This extends beyond the ritual to the people themselves, as God promises, "I will accept you with your **sweet** savour, when I bring you out from the people" [[Ezekiel 20:41]].
* **Condition of Worship:** The term establishes a condition for approaching God through the sacrificial system. An offering that is not a "**sweet** savour" is either flawed or rejected. For example, an oblation of firstfruits was not to be burnt on the altar for a "**sweet** savour" [[Leviticus 2:12]].
* **Indicator of Judgment:** The absence or misuse of the "sweet savour" signifies spiritual decay and impending judgment. When Israel directs their offerings to idols, their "**sweet** savour" becomes a "provocation" [[Ezekiel 20:28]]. God’s refusal to "smell" their offerings is a sign of a broken covenant [[Leviticus 26:31]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5207}}` **nîychôwach** is far more than a simple description of a pleasant scent. It is a crucial theological term in the Old Testament sacrificial system, representing God's pleasure and acceptance. Its usage defines the nature of proper worship, highlighting that the aroma ascending to God was a physical manifestation of an obedient and rightly-ordered offering. Whether signifying God's favor after the flood or His rejection of idolatry, this word consistently points to the ultimate goal of the worshiper: to be pleasing to the LORD.
TRV